The Art of Sumi-e

Sumi-e, is a Japanese word for an art form based on brush painting that “originated in China centuries ago and later spread throughout Japan and Korea,”* coming to the rest of the world much later. It means sumi painting or literally sumi picture. “Artists in this discipline use a variety of styles, from representational to abstract and from purely” oriental “to a combination of Western and East Asian.”*

The medium, sumi, consists of a formula of soot from burnt pinewood and other elements that are combined then molded into a stick. The stick is ground in water on a grinding stone until liquid when needed for painting. Note that sumi is more like a watercolor and not compositionally like the ink used in western pens, so translating sumi to mean ink can be misleading. Traditionally the sumi is painted on rice paper using special brushes.

Keep in mind that rice paper is very delicate and highly absorbent. “Artists must learn to use the sumi freely with a controlled brush stroke.”* Loading the brush with the proper amount of liquid, controlling absorption into the paper, and shade definition from black to light gray is an art in itself. This type of monochromatic style is the traditional Japanese form of sumi-e; however, some painters use color sparingly, such as faintly in washes, while others do not hesitate to indulge in color freely. Some purists object to the use of any color and strictly paint with only the sumi and its various shades. Nonetheless, in all pictures the white or negative space is an important element of the composition. For example, it can represent through suggestion, rivers, waterfalls, sky, rocks, and other endless possibilities.

An important part of every painting is the red seal which indicates the artist’s name. Its placement is critical to the harmony, balance, and composition of the picture.

Essentially, sumi paintings must be able to bring forth “the essence or spirit of the subject. To evoke poetry of nature, painters create beautiful lines and forms using brush strokes”* that portray life through simplicity. These series of strokes form pictures that should not be touched-up or fixed due to the nature of the paper and medium. Therefore, “the flow and spread of sumi on rice paper in many shades is an idealization of the art itself.”*

*Sumi-e Society of America literature