plate no. 5444

Ya'nan

Fu Baoshi, 1964

oilInk and wash paintinglandscapemountainstreesfoglandscapearchitecturesky

some experience helpful

This painting is great for practicing layering and creating atmospheric perspective using washes. Students will learn to control the amount of water in their brush to achieve different values and textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 6 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Lightly sketch the basic shapes of the mountains and the pagoda.
step 02
Begin with a very diluted wash of gray to establish the sky and distant mountains.
step 03
Add a light wash of reddish-brown to the foreground mountain, leaving some areas untouched for highlights.
step 04
Layer darker washes of gray to create depth and shadows in the mountains.
step 05
Use a drier brush with dark gray to add details to the trees in the foreground.
step 06
Paint the pagoda with a thin brush, using a slightly darker shade of the reddish-brown.
step 07
Add details to the trees and foliage with short, quick brushstrokes.
step 08
Refine the details and add any final touches, such as subtle highlights.

color palette

primary · gray · reddish-brown · white

secondary · dark gray · light gray

Mix gray by diluting black ink with water. Vary the amount of water to achieve different shades. Mix reddish-brown by combining a red pigment with a touch of brown.

techniques

·wet-on-wet blending
·dry brush texture
·layering washes
·atmospheric perspective
·value control

common pitfalls

→Using too much water and losing control of the washes.
→Making the colors too saturated.
→Not creating enough contrast between the foreground and background.
→Overworking the details and losing the spontaneity of the brushstrokes.

materials

surface · Watercolor paper

required

·Chinese ink
·Chinese painting brushes (various sizes)
·Watercolor paper
·Water container
·Palette
·Red pigment
·Brown pigment

optional

·Palette knife
·Masking fluid
·Spray bottle

Use a high-quality watercolor paper that can withstand multiple washes. Experiment with different types of Chinese painting brushes to find the ones that work best for you.

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