Sumi-e Paintings of Horses

Sumi-e Oriental Paintings

The most important characteristic of Sumi-e is the simplicity of the stroke, the economy of brush strokes is essential to create empty spaces, the espectator completes the painting with his imagination.

It's a realistic painting that captures the essence of nature, men only appears as a tiny point in the middle of a great space.

To become a Sumi-e painter requires many years of practice and above all patience, it's a very symbolic painting, since beauty is not at the outside but in his meaning

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Sumi-e Technique

Four traditional tools are needed. The ink stick (Sumi), made of ash from bamboo or pine. The grinding stone (Suzuri). A very special brush (Fude) made of a combination of animal hair, and finally a hand made rice paper.
Grinding the ink stick with a few drops of water, in a circular motion on the stone until it forms a smooth black ink. While preparing the ink the artist concentrates in silence, thinking in the subject of the painting.
The brush should be held perpendicular to the rice paper, between the index and the thumb. The wrist must remain immobile and the arm unsupported.
The stroke is free but controlled.
We would seek to capture the essence of the subject, his spirit.