How To Paint Bamboo Trees
Thanks to all your warmest response to our first post, we’ve decided to go with the first most popular question that have been brought up in your emails: how to paint bamboo trees.
Bamboo is a common topic in Chinese painting. In Chinese tradition, the bamboo trees symbolizes longevity and integrity.
Why paint bamboo trees?
Painting bamboos helps one to practice and mastering the basic skills of the ink shade and the brush applications.
It is advisable to use vertical brush strokes to paint the branches and leaves.
Allow the tone of ink for the bamboo trunk is lighter than the leaves in order to create the contrast.
The ink shade for the leaves are darker and has more moisture.
Here are the 4 basic steps to begin painting bamboo tree artworks.
4 basic steps
main trunk -> small branches -> the joints -> leaves
Step #1: The main trunk
The main trunk is painted from the bottom toward upright.
Using medium ink to paint the trunk of bamboo tree.
Step #2: The small branches
Do use slightly darker ink to paint the branches.
Step #3: The joints
Add the joints for bamboo tree by using bold brush strokes and darker ink to paint the joints.
The branches are only growing from the joints.
Step #4: The bamboo leaves
After completing all the branches, you can add on the leaves onto the branches.
How you choose to organize the leaves on the branches is crucial.
The bamboo leaves are usually painted in group.
It does not matter, either two in a group or tree in a group. As long as it looks good in a whole.
Bamboo tree painting conclusion
How to master the basic technique of bamboo painting?
From my experience, it is better to practice the trunk and the leaves separately first before painting them together in a single beautiful artwork.
You may begin your practice now.
Enjoy painting!
