plate no. 6293

Painting after Shitao’s Wilderness Colors

Chang Dai-chien, 1930

oilInk and wash paintingflower paintingeggplantsvegetablesstemscalligraphyasian art

some experience helpful

This painting offers a good opportunity to practice controlling the flow of ink and water, as well as creating subtle color variations through layering. Students can also learn about the principles of negative space and composition in Asian art.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the outline of the eggplants and stems.
step 02
Mix a light wash of purple for the base color of the eggplants.
step 03
Apply the purple wash to the eggplants, leaving some areas lighter for highlights.
step 04
Add a touch of red to the purple wash and apply it to create subtle variations in color.
step 05
Mix a light wash of blue-green for the stems.
step 06
Apply the blue-green wash to the stems, varying the intensity of the color.
step 07
Use a darker ink to add details to the stems and create the tie.
step 08
Add the calligraphy using black ink and a fine brush.

color palette

primary · purple · blue-green · black

secondary · red

Mix purple by combining red and blue. Create variations in the purple by adding more red or blue. Achieve the blue-green by mixing blue and green, diluting with water to achieve a light wash.

techniques