The Untidily Beautiful Of Ink And Brush

You may be like you have landed in the ocean when you first begin an ink painting course. No way to go, no directions. You get a brush, some ink, a piece of paper and it is up to you to work it out. Initially, it is a matter of testing. Chances are you will get things messy, disordered and be inquiring yourself why you ever thought this was a good idea. But there is the point–those minor errors? They’re the magic. It is they that make ink painting exciting. For technique breakdowns, find out more inside the course page.

The best thing in this form of art is that it challenges you to release. The ink has a mind of its own. You may believe you have drawn an accurate line but the ink insists on extending the line a little more. You learn to deal with it rather than doing battle with it. It’s like learning to surf. The wave is not predictable though, when you ride it correctly, you will feel like you are flying. You begin to cope with the messiness. And then you get going, and you start to see that the more the brushwork is mess, the more character you shall give your picture.

It is not a one size fits all. Each brushstroke is a challenge to do something different. Perhaps you are today painting a flower, and catching the wavy lines of the petals. Tomorrow? I do not know–you may be painting a mountain, and your brush is sweeping like a gale over the paper. Whether you obey the rules or not is not a matter of concern. Ink is a medium that invites you to break the lines, to play with textures, to drop some ink just to see what happens. You do not know what the final product will be like, but that is the thing that is so exciting.

What was the good thing about ink painting? It forces you to be present. You can’t rush it. The brush works at its own pace, and you can no more choose than follow. It has a kind of meditative quality. The surrounding world disappears and you are lost in the present. You are not considering your email inbox or the supply list. You are thinking of the movement of the ink, the shape of the brush and how the paper responds. And even though you do not make a masterpiece, the time spent doing it is worthwhile, just by being in the present.

And if you have been wondering with ink painting, then go ahead and immerse yourself. You need not be good, you need not draw the right lines. The genius with ink painting lies not in its ability to hit, but in its ability to accept the randomness. Let the ink surprise you. You can be photographing a serene lake or you can be messing with the brush and the process itself will teach you more than you ever imagined. And, take a brush and begin your adventure. You may not even believe you.