Sensational Sumi!

Description

Students experience the joy of “sumi mark-making” with the sumi brush and various other tools, both commercial and makeshift. Students explore how the gestural marks are made using a variety of techniques, tools and paper textures. They learn how to effectively add color to their sumi marks and they learn about chops, the art of etegami and the Ensō. Students carve their own signature chop.

Supplies

Following are some information and suggested supplies …
Paper: If you have a stash of paper (we all do, right?), please pull together a variety of papers for you to experiment on-some smooth, some textured (like a cold-press watercolor paper). A good paper for experimenting is Arches Text Wove, if you have some. It has a good medium texture and takes wet media well.

Ink: Any sumi ink will do. Please have available two small condiment-size ceramic saucers to hold your ink as some of your tools will be too wide to dip into the mouth of an ink bottle. You will also need a water container and paper towels.

Tools & Supplies:
For sumi mark-making portion of the class (Day 1):
• A medium size sumi brush-one that comes to a nice point when wet
(recommended: Connoisseur Super White Cloud brush)
• Pointed pen and folded pen (if you have one)
• Sumi ink (e.g., Yasitomo or Moon Palace)
• Various papers-some smooth, some textured like watercolor paper
• Various makeshift tools, such as small pieces of mat board (112″ to 2″ wide), empty t.p. roll, craft sticks, Q-tips, 1″ foam brush, plastic scrubber, lichen or twigs, etc.) … anything you can think of that would make some interesting marks with ink.

For Sumi & Color portion of the class (Day 2)

• A medium size sumi brush-one that comes to a nice point when wet
(recommended: Connoisseur Super White Cloud brush)
• Pointed pen and folded pen (if you have one)
• Sumi ink (e.g., Yasitomo or Moon Palace)
• Various papers-some smooth, some textured like watercolor paper
• Various makeshift tools, such as small pieces of mat board (112″ to 2″ wide), empty t.p. roll, craft sticks, Q-tips, 1″ foam brush, plastic scrubber, lichen or twigs, etc.) … anything you can think of that would make some interesting marks with ink
• Pan watercolors (like Prang) OR pan gouache (like Pelikan) and small brush Note: Fluid acrylics or acrylic inks are OK, too
• Pad of 9 x 12 (or 11 x 14) watercolor paper; Arches Text Wove, if you have some
• Soft pastel sticks (not oil pastels)
• Cotton balls & a few Q-tips
• Natural sea sponge
• Large paper plate (2)
• Colored pencils
• X-acto knife
• Double-stick tape
• Glue stick

These items are optional, if you want to try all of the demonstrated techniques:

• 2″ foam brush
• Metallic gold or silver watercolor
• 1″ wide masking tape or yellow Frog Tape
• ¼” artist tape
• Plastic wrap
• Table salt
• Spray alcohol (e.g., spray isopropyl from Rite-Aid or Walgreens)
• Alcohol inks
• For etegami: Blank watercolor postcards
• For chop carving:
o White plastic eraser (e.g., Moo, Pentel or Staedtler)
o Tracing paper
o Red stamp pad

You are receiving three packets of information:

1. Packet #1-provides an introduction and focuses on the sumi brush as a mark-making tool
2. Packet #2-information about sumi marks with various other tools, and how to add color to your marks
3. Packet #3-additional information about chops, the art of etegami, mobile making, tanzaku strips and the enso

Sally Penley

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