Columbine's 墨絵

[Columbine]

The images are rather large, so I won't embed them; please just click the links to view.

Bamboo in wind: http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs24/i/20...d_by_r05km.jpg

Cork in Ireland. I went on holiday here in 2004 and really loved the shape of the coast:
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs23/i/20...1_by_r05km.jpg

Bamboo in wind (again):
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs22/i/20...d_by_r05km.jpg

Lupins:
http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs37/i/20...s_by_r05km.jpg

Cherry orchard:
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs36/i/20...2_by_r05km.jpg

Grapes: http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs36/i/20...2_by_r05km.jpg

[ryuurui]

Oh wow, these are amazing. The first bamboo in a wind is my fav. I tried to draw bamboo few times, but it's nowhere near your level. I guess I ll stick to calligraphy.

Only one thing if I may. Try not using katakana in works, it does not look good. Hiragana is more than welcome but in cursive script. You should also start studying calligraphy too. That kaze kanji is a bit rough.

I really like your signature though. It has a nice flow. It's relaxed yet certain. Is the first kanji 天？ What' your pen name?

You've got great talent, keep it up!

Here is my attempt:

[Columbine]

Thanks! I only ~very~ rarely put any writing on my works asides from the signature (because I suck at making my kanji look 'pretty', only legible) and I wouldn't have used kana, only I was quoting from a poem which used it. That was waaay back in 2007 as well; i've improved a little since then!

The signature is two characters I yanked from my teacher's calligraphy dictionary; it gave kanji in various cursive forms. Believe it or not, that first one is 聖 and the second one is 良。I chose those because if the pronunciation is pretty similar to my christian name, and etymologically the meaning isn't completely dissimilar either. :/ I dunno, i'd change it, but the look of it is easy to recognize and it suits my style, and if no one can read the 'kanji', well I guess that's only fitting as my name should be in katakana anyway!

I quite like the way you paint bamboo leaves, and the style of the stem is interesting, i've never painted them like that.

[dogsbody70]

Hello columbine. I like those especially the second bamboo in wind. also Ireland. Not so keen on the cherry trees, don't they have more curving shape?

But all of them are pretty good. where did you learn to do that sort of work?

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Hello columbine. I like those especially the second bamboo in wind. also Ireland. Not so keen on the cherry trees, don't they have more curving shape?

But all of them are pretty good. where did you learn to do that sort of work?

Depends on the species and age of the cherry tree and whether it's a wild cherry or a domestic cherry, ornamental or fruiting; Some are gnarled, some straight, some weep, others bushy with branches stemming from close to the ground, some very sparse. I went for this type of orchard tree: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2MZDQhdnD-...ssom-la2nd.jpg

I've basically taught myself a lot, and I've always liked sketching plants and things and I live in the sticks, so plenty of places to go sketch from! But I got specifically into sumi-e during my year out in Japan 2007-2008. I tentatively say we had lessons. It was more like we got a weekly demonstration and a sheet of instructions and figured it out ourselves the rest of the time.

[dogsbody70]

Hi again OH I see, forgive my rudeness. I know trees are extremely difficult to draw. I have a fascination with trees of all kinds. They are magnificent and we need to cherish each one.

I wish I could draw but I am hopeless. I admire your efforts very much indeed. You say you are out in the sticks-- roughly where are you? I am not far from Brighton on the south coast.

I adore japanese writing and calligraphy. When my japanese friend writes it for me I love it. also KANA-- is very striking when writing names.

I need to study much more than I have been.


Did you enjoy your year in JAPAN? DId you explore the country in general?

I wish to see the countryside most of all--not keen on big cities.
anyway do keep up your efforts they are very striking. best wishes, Babs.

[dogsbody70]

Originally Posted by ryuurui

Oh wow, these are amazing. The first bamboo in a wind is my fav. I tried to draw bamboo few times, but it's nowhere near your level. I guess I ll stick to calligraphy.

Only one thing if I may. Try not using katakana in works, it does not look good. Hiragana is more than welcome but in cursive script. You should also start studying calligraphy too. That kaze kanji is a bit rough.

I really like your signature though. It has a nice flow. It's relaxed yet certain. Is the first kanji 天？ What' your pen name?

You've got great talent, keep it up!

Here is my attempt:

Hello again Ryuurui, did you do the bamboo also? It is exquisite

.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Hi again OH I see, forgive my rudeness. I know trees are extremely difficult to draw. I have a fascination with trees of all kinds. They are magnificent and we need to cherish each one.

No, it's quite alright. It's not obvious to think of trees as being so varied within types; a cherry tree is a cherry tree, right? I was pretty skeptical at first on how we were taught to draw plum blossom, because it didn't look anything like the plum tree I had back home, but blow me down, when spring came and the japanese plum bloomed, it looked ~exactly~ like the blossom we'd been painting all year!

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

I wish I could draw but I am hopeless. I admire your efforts very much indeed. You say you are out in the sticks-- roughly where are you? I am not far from Brighton on the south coast.

Well, I always say sumi-e is ~great~ for beginners. The techniques are super simple to learn and its very forgiving of mistakes. You spill water on it? Drop the brush? It's fine!

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

I adore japanese writing and calligraphy. When my japanese friend writes it for me I love it. also KANA-- is very striking when writing names.

I think the calligraphy is very pretty, especially when combined with the art, but I haven't really tried it myself. I like doing the pictures more!

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Did you enjoy your year in JAPAN? DId you explore the country in general?

I wish to see the countryside most of all--not keen on big cities.
anyway do keep up your efforts they are very striking. best wishes, Babs.

I loved it. I didn't travel as much as i'd have liked because I was so busy studying, but I saw a LOT of Kyoto (I think i walked almost the whole city), plenty of Osaka, Kobe, Nara, Hiroshima (and Miyajima) and the area around Lake Biwa, not to mention the little unheard of places around where I lived. I did go to Tokyo and Yokohama too, but I didn't see so much there. I think you'd probably like Kyoto, there's a lot of green space compared to other huge cities. If I go back, I'd like to see Kagoshima and more of the west coast, and Hokkaido.

[ryuurui]

Originally Posted by dogsbody70

Hello again Ryuurui, did you do the bamboo also? It is exquisite

.

Appreciate it, yes the bamboo is my humble attempt at sumi-e. I have never had sumi e lessons, my calligraphy teacher is kanji specialist. I just like experimenting. Columbine bamboo is stunning though. I can feel the wind there. We have to merge your bamboo with my 台風:



you can see it here too
YouTube - large brush calligraphy

Columbine: Never sign yourself in kana. Ever. Use gagoin (pen name) as you do. It's well written and you have a flow in it, also it means something to you. That is all that's important. I can feel passion in your work, love it.

I dunno about those leaves of mine, I think they are horrible, and not very bamboo-like. I need to study some sumi-e basics. Perhaps we could exchange with information regarding calligraphy and sumi-e resources or free tutorials.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by ryuurui

Columbine: Never sign yourself in kana. Ever. Use gagoin (pen name) as you do. It's well written and you have a flow in it, also it means something to you. That is all that's important. I can feel passion in your work, love it.

I dunno about those leaves of mine, I think they are horrible, and not very bamboo-like. I need to study some sumi-e basics. Perhaps we could exchange with information regarding calligraphy and sumi-e resources or free tutorials.

Haha, no I wouldn't sign in kana; the sharp lines look ugly and break up the the flow of a painting.

I think you have the basic idea of bamboo; the dark leaves closest to the hanko are the best. You need to improve the tonality though; dip your brush into a grey tone and then dip the tip into a black tone and then paint the leaf, and you'll get variation in the leaf. Also, bamboo leaves rarely grow directly from the stem.

Probably the easiest thing you can do to improve your sumi-e is just to make a study of how the plant is constructed. You have an advantage in that you already know how to work the brush!