Water painting, as not many has heard of, differs from the commonly seen watercolor painting. This also known as Chinese Ink Paintings on Water.

Perhaps some may have know about the traditional Turkish painting technique of Ebru (also known as paper marbling in other cultures).

Or Suminagashi paintings, the ancient Japanese technique of painting on water to create marbleized effects on paper.
Last year, one of the Chinese artist from Shandong province, China, has created his own style of water paintings. He is no other than Huang ZhuLin, 黄珠琳.

Creating images with the use of colored ink as medium and flat-lying water as the ‘painting board’.

Below sharing two of his featured paintings.

Lunar Chinese New Year is right at the corner of this week. Coincidentally, it falls on the same day as the Valentine’s Day. At this time of the year, it is a traditional culture for the Chinese to use the ink brush to paint auspicious words on red paper scroll. Chinese words painted in the form of calligraphy, signifying good luck and prosperity. Quite often there are framed or made into scrolls and hang them on the wall of their house. The chosen red color for the paper background has its own meaning too. It symbolize good fortune and lucky charms.

To the Western painting art, you will be appreciating the techniques of colorful art painted by artists in the early centuries. Their works look brilliant, and colors are being used to express their artistic view. Different sizes of brushes and strokes, as well as knives painting skill are applied. However, on one key difference from Chinese painting art is that you hardly notice written words or poems on the oil paintings. And it is Chinese calligraphy being the most popular and prestigious in the hierarchy of Chinese art and culture. Totally different disciplines and practice, using many different brush strokes with just one-size brush and black ink on plain paper.

The element of single brush stroke may not mean a lot, however, it is able to form a Chinese character with the combination of many strokes. And four characters in a calligraphy writings are usually referring to words for proverbs. To acquire skills in calligraphy, you will need a lot of patience to learn the basic. With consistency and lots of practice, will one makes perfect on this art.

Chinese ancient art, inclusive of paintings, are mostly consist of objects which were put to practical usage in those days. Others were stored away and only brought out on special occasions. In fact, those artwork produced by the olden Chinese, were classified into different hierarchy. The quality differ greatly, if Chinese artworks for emperor and those made for scholarly elites, for ordinary people or for furnishing tombs or temples.

Below I have listed out the traditional hierarchy of Chinese art, starting from the most popular and prestigious in early times.

1. Landscape paintings and calligraphy writings. Using ink on paper
2. Figure paintings, including birds, flowers and insect paintings
3. Religious paintings of Tang Dynasty. Ink and colors on silk. Art for Buddhist temples
4. Hand-scroll paintings of Yuan Dynasty.
5. Jade craving and bronze vessels inlaid with gold and silver.
6. Decorative painting art, lacquer, porcelain earthenware and silk.
7. Silk embroidery
8. Ceramic ware

Ancient Chinese Landscape Painting, Handscroll; ink and pale color on silk