Resources

Students will learn how to paint a lotus flower using Chinese brushpainting techniques.

Create your own brush-painted masterpiece.

A comprehensive, short documentary on the art of Chinese calligraphy.

Experience for yourself the art of brush-and-ink painting. Begin by learning how to hold the brush. Once you feel comfortable, experiment by applying varying degrees of pressure, speed, and moisture. Finally, create your own brushpainting masterpiece.

The brushpainting artist can achieve a multitude of effects by varying such factors as the speed and pressure applied to a brush, the size and type of brush, the amount of moisture, the manner in which different shades of ink or colors are loaded onto the brush, the angle at which the brush is held, and the type of paper or silk used for painting. Above are examples, drawn from the museum’s collection, which represent some of the more common techniques.

Commissioned for our 50th anniversary, Liu Jianhua’s striking artwork “Collected Letters” links the Asian Art Museum building’s past as the city’s Main Library with the museum’s distinctly forward-looking mission.