Good afternoon. My name is Andrey Shcherbakov. I am the head of the Moscow Wu-shin School of Painting. Today I would like to introduce you to our work, show you the pictures that we draw and teach our students to draw, and also talk about the relationship between our painting, the five element system of Wu Xing and Chinese traditional painting.
Wu Xing painting is a self-development technique built on the basis of combining the techniques of Chinese Guo Hua painting, the system of 5 elements of Wu Xing and other concepts of Taoist natural philosophy. The depiction of objects, creatures and landscapes using the wu-shin painting technique is associated more with the knowledge of them inner essence than the external form. An artist developing the wu-xing painting technique focuses on learning the principles of following the Tao through the brush. Wu Xing painting has several basic principles.
First principle allows the artist to work out his psychological qualities through movement. At the first stage of training, the artist creates strokes only with the help of hand movements. The second stage is associated with the inclusion of the body in the process of drawing; at the third stage, the creation of a picture turns into a full-fledged dance. On last stage It is important for a person practicing wuxing painting to feel the extremely subtle aspects of movement. The process of increasing sensitivity is associated with overcoming stiffness and limitations in movements. Known fact is that psychological problems human beings are inextricably linked with physical constraints. Therefore, we can say that wuxing painting is a unique type of body-oriented psychotherapy.
Second principle- lies in the Wu Xing system. The 5 elements of wu-sing represent the 5 qualities of energy - wood, fire, earth, metal, water. In painting, each of these elements corresponds to a certain movement, and the artist U-hsin paints his paintings only with these five types of strokes. In this aspect, wu-xing painting is more similar to wushu than to academic painting techniques. There are especially many similarities with Xingyiquan, where the 5 basic forms correspond to the 5 elements of wu-xing.
Third principle consists of combining several arts at once in one drawing. While learning wu-shin painting, the student very quickly goes beyond the scope of painting when he strives to decorate the drawing with a calligraphic inscription. As a result of a passion for calligraphy, an interest in learning Chinese usually awakens. The need to choose a beautiful inscription entails an interest in poetry. Both calligraphy and painting are based on coordination of movements and breathing, so that very soon the student begins to master the elements of qigong. Interest in practicing movements and the need to draw with the whole body gives rise to interest in wushu, dancing and yoga. The creation of a drawing in the Chinese tradition is usually completed with a seal. But it’s also interesting to make a seal yourself, and so the student already begins to get interested in carving and modeling. But the painted picture also needs to be beautifully designed and placed correctly. Etc. Thus, when starting to engage in wu-shin painting, a person finds himself drawn into the process of constant self-improvement.
Fourth principle: in detachment from the artistic result. The goal of an artist developing in wu-shin painting is self-improvement. The resulting picture acts only as a criterion for the artist’s development, without being the goal of the creative process itself.
What are the 5 elements of wu-xing and how this system is embodied in painting.
It's best to watch the video in which I talk about this in detail:
As examples of wu-shin painting, I suggest watching a video with my latest paintings:
The theme of Wu Xing painting is very extensive, the number of paintings is large, so if you want to get to know the work better, I recommend
Since ancient times, the greatest value for a master, creator, and even for a simple artisan was his tool. For a violinist - a violin, for a carver - a jigsaw, and for an artist - a brush. Ancient Chinese painting and calligraphy are distinguished by their diversity and special, oriental sophistication of lines. It is precisely by the intricate interweaving of the simplest lines that the masterpieces of Chinese painting were created in ancient times and are being created now. One of the main components for creating a painting in the Chinese style, in addition to skills and talent, is the brush. Also in ancient times in China, paper, ink and ink pot were considered the most valuable attributes of a painter, calligrapher, and scientist. Without these items, not a single educated person of those times could have succeeded. Every artist and calligrapher approached the selection of these writing instruments with special trepidation and attention, because the final result of their work and creativity largely depended on them. And if during the ancient Chinese dynasties it was not so easy to buy brushes, now it will not be difficult for you - in our online store you can always buy professional brushes, calligraphy brushes And painting brushes.
Choosing a brush for Chinese painting is an important and responsible task, because the accuracy of this choice determines how accurately you can realize the artistic idea. Our store offers a large selection of brushes for your creativity
To buy brushes for Chinese painting, you need to have at least a little knowledge of what the right brush should be. IN Ancient China making brushes was the same painstaking and complex task as calligraphy - the brush was created in seventy stages, it was expensive, so not everyone could buy brushes. A traditional brush should be very elastic, with a neat, sharp tip. The hair should not be disheveled, and the brush itself should be round in shape. The specifics of manufacturing are so unique that even in our time it is impossible to mechanize this process completely - to give the product a finished look, the bundle is rotated in the mouth with the tongue to give it roundness and elasticity. Correct Chinese brushes are made only of natural bristles. Previously, they were made from the wool of a hare, goat and goat, and these traditions are still followed today. Natural brushes hold ink well and absorb liquid. There are specific brushes for each type of painting and style of calligraphic writing; there are more than two hundred of them; often they are marked so that it is clear what exactly one or another is intended for.
The classification of brushes for painting and calligraphy is not limited to the style of creativity. All brushes also vary in size (small, medium, large and very large), hardness (hard, soft, combined) and bristle length (short, medium and long). Knowing exactly what types of work the brushes will be used for, you can easily buy the most suitable ones from us. different types: For example, to depict flowers, animals and leaves, soft brushes made from goat or sheep wool, and sometimes rabbit fur, are used. If you plan to draw small details, it is better buy brushes artistic ones of increased rigidity - from the hair of horses, bears and badgers. Such brushes have always been used in Chinese gongbi style painting. The advantages of both of these types are combined with combined brushes. Of course, an artist must have different tools in his arsenal. Therefore, our store offers skilled painters and those just learning this art to buy a set of brushes.
Professional brushes require proper care - after each use they need to be washed with soap, rinsed thoroughly and dried. Moreover, when drying, the brushes must be kept suspended until completely dry, and only then, if necessary, put on a cap for transportation to avoid deformation of the beam.
In watercolor painting, the quality of materials is important factor. That's why I test every now and then different brushes, paints, paper.
I have long been addicted to Chinese brushes for painting and calligraphy, so I rarely buy traditional “squirrel” brushes - they are too soft and poorly assembled. But since my students ask me, I decided to buy a new squirrel brush. Suddenly the quality has become better, and it can be recommended?.. I chose the most decent one available at Leonardo - brush No. 10 from Gamma. When glued, it is gathered beautifully into a thin tip. The price is quite affordable, 278 rubles.
Let's compare this brush with a similar Chinese one made of sheep's wool.
This is what the brushes look like after rinsing and drying them. The Chinese one continues to keep in shape.
When working, the shortcomings of Gamma's squirrel brush assembly become obvious. After the first stroke, the hairs of the brush diverge, and the thin tip can no longer be collected... For the next even stroke, the brush will have to be smoothed so that it takes an even shape. But a Chinese soft brush of the same size and shape holds its shape perfectly. And she is more pleasant at work.
If you flatten the brush a little, it becomes clear why this happens. Look what an even “haircut” the Chinese brush has, and what chaotic hairs, and even with hooks, the Gamma brush has:
That is why squirrel brushes in pure form I haven't worked for a long time. And many people ask me what is special about traditional Chinese brushes, and where to buy real, high-quality ones? I already wrote about this - I talked about my brushes.
And here's a pleasant surprise. After this publication, the Blue Phoenix company contacted me and asked me to test their brushes, how suitable are they for painting with watercolors? Hats off to the professionalism of these guys! The brushes were sent quickly, in high-quality packaging. Now I can rest assured that this store can be trusted!
So, here are the results of testing the brushes sent to me.
The quality of all brushes is excellent. Excellently put together. If any lint comes out, it’s 3-4 hairs at the very beginning of use.
However, you need to understand that these brushes were created for traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy, so they are specific. The most unusual length of the handle and balancing of the brush. It is impossible to hold these brushes close to the bristles, as you are used to holding a pen. Traditionally, such brushes are held by the center or the very tip of the handle. This gives freedom of movement and a beautiful stroke. Exactly what is expected. To what extent can these brushes replace the usual watercolor brushes?
Hard contour brush 1503.
Handle length 20 cm, brush length 1.5 cm, diameter at the base of the brush 0.3 cm. Composition: hare hair.
But calligraphic lines - carnations are very easy for her to make. For writing small hieroglyphs, I think it is very good. However, it is unlikely to be suitable for working with watercolors.
Hard brush 2005.
Handle length 22 cm, brush length 2 cm, diameter at the base of the brush 0.5 cm. Composition: high-quality wolf hair.
Quite soft, something between squirrel and kolonka. You can make small fills. Good for drawing leaves. Gives a beautifully shaped brush stroke with a fine tip.
Hard brush 3609
Handle length 23 cm, brush length 3.6 cm, diameter at the base of the brush 0.9 cm. Composition: wolf tail wool and sheep wool with a small addition of synthetics.
Great brush! Analogue column. A wide range of actions - from large fills (up to A4 format) to thin lines. It is perfectly assembled, elastic, holds water well and releases it. Very pleasant to work with! We can say that this universal brush is my favorite of all the ones presented. It is good as a quality brush for beginners - easy to use, predictable in behavior, comfortable in the hand.
Combination brush 3808.
Handle length 24 cm, brush length 3.8 cm, diameter at the base of the brush 0.8 cm. Composition: high-quality sheep wool and wolf hair.
It is this brush that is shown above in comparison with the squirrel.
The brush is soft but elastic. Analogue good quality proteins. Good for fills up to A3 format. Like the squirrel brush, it requires a fair amount of water, but the brush is well built and can produce a beautiful stroke with a fine tip. The handle of the brush seemed a bit thick - it’s not very comfortable for me.
Hard brush 3909.
Handle length 22 cm, brush length 3.9 cm, diameter at the base of the brush 0.9 cm. Composition: horse bristles, raccoon fur.
Elastic long pile. An excellent brush for painting bamboo leaves... In watercolor it will be useful for artists working on large formats (A3 and larger), but not for fills, but for large and small dynamic strokes. The elongated bristle copes well with fine lines and creates a very beautiful stroke in the shape of a bamboo leaf with a thin, graceful tip.
Hard brush 4810.
Handle length 23 cm, brush length 4.8 cm, diameter at the base of the brush 1 cm. Composition: high-quality horsehair, pig wool and a small amount of sheep wool.
Extended elastic bristles. This is a strange brush for us - it is similar to a linear one, but only very thick. That is, like a linear one, it is difficult to control - its tip lives its own life. It will be good for craftsmen who value watercolor painting dynamics and spontaneity of strokes. It can make fills in A4-A3 formats. But in general, this brush is for more masterly work.
The search for the unknown that lies deep in our soul, the untapped potential, the desire for self-expression and spiritual self-development leads many to master wu-shin painting. This is a unique opportunity to work on yourself, to develop certain life qualities through art.
Wu-xing system- the basis for many practices related to China (both direct and indirect). The following are based on the wu-xing principle:
- Chinese traditional calendar;
- Feng Shui system;
- Chinese astrology;
- Body practices of Zhong Yuan Qigong and Taoist yoga;
- Internal style of Wushu Xingyiquan;
- Chinese traditional medicine and much, much more.
Wu-shin- this is a system that came to us from ancient times, when there was no writing yet. Knowledge was passed on from generation to generation in meaningful symbols such as the cross and star. What did these symbols describe? First of all, nature, but not only nature.
Wu Xing is translated from Chinese as “5 movements”, but you can often find the European name “5 elements”, which does not quite correspond to the essence of the system itself. These elements have names:
- mu tree
- fire "huo"
- land "tu",
- metal "jin"
- Shui water.
Wu Xing painting is based on movement. The first of the 6 principles of Chinese traditional painting states: "Qi rhymes with the birth of movement". Qi- This vital energy filling us. The character "Qi" is also often translated as breath. Working in the genre of wu-shin painting, the artist must connect the rhythm of his breathing and movement:
- Active movement, acceleration of the stroke should always be associated with exhalation;
- Pause or slow down - inhale.
Thus, each of the 5 wu-xing strokes has its own breathing rhythm. The key to the wuxing painting technique is movement. After all, if we look up the meaning of the hieroglyph “sin” in the dictionary, the first thing we will see is “movement”.
- For a wu-xing artist, the utmost importance is catch using some type of brush movement unique feature energy and condition of a given object, a given phenomenon. For example: a bird, an animal, is fast, so in most cases it is better to draw it with fleeting movements.
- Next, the artist is already faced with the task match the shape of the stroke and the shape of the object. It is at this stage that the artist will have a lot of discoveries related to the fact that in nature there is a certain connection between the shape of an object, the energy of the object, and the energy of the artist himself.
When classifying strokes, movements, and composition according to wu-xing, we must, first of all, follow internal sensations and avoid harsh judgments “from the head.” We must always remember that Wu-shin is a five-dimensional integrity and any object of it will always have 5 parameters. We can build an excellent analogy with the objects of three-dimensional space that is more familiar to us. All objects in our three-dimensional world have three basic parameters (along three axes “x”, “y” and “z”): width, thickness and height. There is no object in nature that is devoid of height, just some are higher and others are lower. It’s the same with the five-dimensionality of wu-sin. There is no movement that can be clearly attributed to the element “Wood” or “Fire”; in any movement all five components are initially present, just some are more pronounced, while others are less so.
When studying movements, the first thing you should pay attention to is that movements can be Yin And Yanskie:
- Yin in the movements of wu-xing painting corresponds to softness, subtlety, tenderness, gradualness, and leisurely action.
- Yang manifests itself through speed, swiftness, sharpness, directness and pressure.
Improving in the art of Chinese painting and wu-hsing painting, the artist goes through a path similar to the path of a calligrapher in the tradition of Chinese calligraphy:
- At the first stage - working out the elements. The calligrapher perfects the basic features, the artist hones the basic strokes.
- Then the calligrapher begins to form complete hieroglyphs from individual features, written in the prescribed kai shu style. At this stage, the artist composes complete objects from individual strokes.
- The next step of the calligrapher is the transition to cursive writing of hieroglyphs, where he already draws a hieroglyph in one movement. And it’s the same with wu-shin painting. At a certain stage, a person needs to move on to “quick drawing”, drawing objects and drawings in one movement and already in this holistic movement rediscover the wu-shin system.
For many people, Chinese painting and wu-xing painting can become an excellent technique for working on oneself, a technique for developing certain life qualities. After all, if a person’s movements are constrained, and the body is enslaved by psychophysical clamps, it is impossible to express the fleeting flight of a butterfly, the subtle beauty of a blade of grass bent over itself, or the straightforward sincerity of bamboo. In order to make such a stroke, you need to change yourself. In this sense, we can talk about wu-xing painting as one of the types of body-oriented psychotherapy.
Why do they love wu-xing painting so much?? This is one of the most effective techniques learning to draw. It gives everyone the opportunity to learn how to draw from scratch. There is a liberation from templates, creative thinking appears. Wu Xing painting gives that charge of creativity that is so lacking in our lives. A person, having begun to engage in this art, receives true pleasure from the awareness of his inner capabilities.
Wu-xing painting has a deep art therapeutic influence. Imagine how a person endows the object he is drawing with a certain quality, trying to feel its essence. As a result, while working on the strokes, he develops the corresponding energy in himself. Transferring this knowledge into life makes it balanced and harmonious. A person matches what he sees with what he thinks and what he does.
The reason for the eternal youth of this art is that the technique is easy to learn, incredibly effective in application, and has many “levels” in development. What is known for certain is that already during the Han Empire, 2 thousand years ago, painting was already an integral part of Chinese culture.
Being “in tandem” with the art of calligraphy and the ancient schools of wushu, the painting technique, having undergone hundreds of transformations, is developing dynamically today.
Department of Education of the Administration of Yurga, Kemerovo Region
Municipal budgetary educational institution
Municipal budgetary preschool educational institution
"Child Development Center - kindergarten No. 18 "Teremok"
"Chinese painting of Wu-hsing"
Extracurricular activity using ICT
for older children preschool age
Yurga 2015
Educational area:
Artistic and aesthetic development , cognitive development , social and communicative development , speech development .
Target:
Introducing children to traditional Chinese painting Wu-sin.
Tasks:
- develop visual attention and perception, auditory memory, imaginative thinking and spatial orientation;
- introduce Chinese painting Wu-hsing;
- to form an idea of the features of drawing bamboo and birds;
- bring up aesthetic feelings from contact with beauty.
Materials and equipment:
Gouache paints, brushes, water, napkins, album sheets, laptop, projector for showing the presentation “Chinese Wu Xing Painting”, multimedia center for playing audio recordings “Chinese Traditional Music”.
Progress of the lesson
Educator: I suggest you go on a trip. Tell me, who has already traveled? What did you travel on?
Children's answers.
Today we will go to China.
Drawing game “Connect the dots”:children are asked to connect dots 1 to 17. What did you get?
Children: - Airplane.
Game - traveling by plane.
Let's play airplane? Yes!
And let's take flight!
You are all wings, I am the pilot.
Received instructions -
Let's start aerobatics.They are built one after another.
We fly in rain and snowstorm. Woohoo!
We see someone's shores. Ah-ah-ah!
Ry-ry-ry, - the engine growls.Make circular movements with your hands.
We fly above the mountains.Children move around the entire playground.
Here we are all going down.Squat on one knee.
To our runway!
Well, our flight is over.
Goodbye, plane. They wave their hand.
Educator : Here we are with you in China. Here we will get acquainted with the Chinese painting “Wu-hsing”.
Show presentations. Chinese traditional music is playing.
Educator : Guys, take a seat and look at the screen.
Slide No. 1
K.zh.u-sin appeared in ancient times. It is very unique.
Slide No. 2
Wu-shin is a system of 5 primary elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water. The entire worldview of ancient China is based on it.
Slide No. 3
The Yin-Yang mandala, consisting of white and black drops, describes the patterns of surrounding reality. It is this mandala that is the key to understanding Wu-sing. Yang, white is the heavenly principle, Yin - black - the earthly principle.
Yang gives energy, and Yin receives it, qualitatively transforming energy. The sky gives rain, light, warmth, and the Earth absorbs and generates all this various shapes life such as grass, trees, animals.
In Wu Xing painting, the artist’s task is to convey the essence of the object, and not its form. To do this, we need to learn to see not with our minds, but with our eyes.
Slide No. 4 (strokes)
Wu-shin painting is a painting of 5 strokes.
Wood and Fire - strong and fast movements (masculine Yang)
Metal and Water – movement is slow and subtle (feminine Yin)
The Earth stroke is the basis of all 5.
Slide No. 7
Wood is a touch of directness, straightforwardness. Pushing movement from point to point (shoulder moves)
Slide No. 8
Fire - a stroke of light, a flight of fancy (the boat-shaped wrist moves)
Slide No. 9
Into the Earth - a shapeless stroke, press the brush
Slide No. 10
Metal - elongated lines. Calm, smooth (elbow movement)
Slide No. 11
Water - swab, rotate, twist (finger movements)
Slide No. 12 (conclusion)
The philosophy of the 5 primary elements of wu-xing is the basis for all Chinese culture. The most important thing is to learn how to feel the brush and make the strokes you need. The brushstroke is the basis, it comes from calligraphic strokes.
Fizminutka:
We are walking along the road. Children are walking
The path is long, our home is far.
It's a hot day, let's sit in the shade.
We'll sit under the bamboo. Sit down
We'll lie under the bamboo. Lie down
Let's lie down and rest.
Slide No. 13 (Bamboo)
Today we will draw a bamboo plant.
Slide No. 14 (equipment)
Slide No. 15
When depicting bamboo, it is most often painted in monochrome.
We put black paint on the brush.
Slide No. 16
Draw a bamboo stem. We simply place the bristles of the brush against the paper and simply push it with our gaze. dot line, point-line…….., going over the edge. Each part of the stem should be straight, the distance between the nodes should be the same. Dip the tip of the brush into some paint and mark a knot on the trunk.
Slide No. 17 (front leaves)
Leaves are fire. Let's twist our wrist. We touch with the tip, then with the whole brush and finish with the tip. Pay attention to the location of the leaves. Dip the brush into black paint and apply the front leaves (to create a fan). Each sheet is one touch of paper. How many strokes, so many leaves.
Slide No. 18 (secondary trunks)
Dip the brush into water and check the color on the palette. Draw the secondary bamboo trunks. First plan - dark colors the further away the brighter it is.
Slide No. 19 (secondary leaves)
We paint the background leaves with diluted paint.
Slide No. 20 (thin branches)
Using the tip of the brush, add thin branches. The bamboo branches are beaten with a fountain, the rhythm is important. Don't forget about the overall composition. And the bamboo is ready.
Slide No. 21 (conversation about caliber)
Imagine that you are inside a painting. Tell us what's going on around you? What do you think this bird is doing here?
Draw it yourself.
Slide No. 22 (bird)
I suggest starting to draw with the beak and eyes. From them the plumage is built and big picture feathered
Slide No. 23 (result)
Well done! You drew the bamboo well. Let's admire our works.
Educator: It’s time for us children to return to Russia, to our kindergarten. Let's say magic words: “One, two, three – turn around and find yourself in Russia.”
Children say magic words.
Reflection.
The teacher asks the children to choose a candy:
Guys, if you liked everything today and you think that everything worked out for you, take yourself some candy yellow, if you think that you didn’t really like it – red, and if the trip didn’t bring you any pleasure at all – blue.
Children choose candy.