Category Archives: Education

Plum Blossom video released!

Hi Everyone! My next video on one of the Four Gentlemen “Plum Blossom Tree using Ink & Color” has been released!

CLICK HERE to see the video.

In this new video, I teach the basic introduction to this beloved tree, ending with 2 methods for compositions of branches.

Here is an overview of what is covered in the video from the “Description”:
(Below the video, click on SHOW MORE or the down arrow, if you are viewing it on a mobile device, to read the full video description.)

Plum Blossom Trees are one of the “Four Gentlemen” that all Chinese Brush Painting students must learn to paint. They have been enjoyed in Chinese culture, art & poetry for centuries. They bloom in winter before the snow melts, demonstrating perseverance & strength, as well as hope of the coming Spring. Arriving in time to help welcome the Chinese New Year, they symbolize beauty, purity & vitality of life.

Introduction
Plum Tree Structure
Flowers in Detail (ink & color)
Significance of the Branches
Essence of the Tree Trunk & Main Branches
Creating a Composition (contour style)
Creating a Composition (boneless style)
Thank you, Wrap up with Pictures & Tips

I begin the lesson by explaining the basic tree structure. I teach how to paint the individual flower components using 3 methods, side-by-side for easy comparison. As one of the “Four Gentlemen”, I explain the ancient symbolism of the branches & trunk, while showing you how to capture the essence of this majestic tree. Practicing these parts separately will help you put them together in a composition. It is common to paint only a section of a plum blossom tree. In this video, I demonstrate how to create simple branch compositions in both the contour & the boneless styles. As always following the lesson we have included tips, reminders & pictures.

How to paint the flowers in detail (ink & color) in my new Plum Blossom tree video

In the next lesson, I will introduce “Rocks” – an important part of “Landscaping” as well as a supporting role in compositions such as birds & flowers.

Please be sure to ask any questions in the comments section!

With kindest wishes,
Vena

A special note to my dear friend, Cindy:
Thank you for graciously inviting us to your home so we could enjoy your wonderful garden & study the Plum Blossom trees in person!! We would like to express our sincerest gratitude for your generosity!

We hope the close-up pictures of live flowers will help students understand the shapes & capture the Essence of the beautiful plum flowers, branches & trunk in their paintings.

With kindest wishes,
Vena & My Team

Beautiful Plum Blossoms from Cindy’s garden

“Five Good Luck” New Year’s Blessing

 

Intro to YouTube Channel – Get to know Vena Chen & Loving Chinese Brush Painting

For the first video, I want to welcome everyone and give a brief introduction of myself, as well as share my primary goal for creating my new channel: Loving Chinese Brush Painting!

My wish is to give back to this beautiful art that I have loved for so many years, and to help other good artists keep this ancient art alive.

With online tutorials on YouTube, I will share my knowledge of the basic strokes and simple equipment to make Chinese Brush Painting easy to learn. It would be my pleasure and I would feel honored to help students of the new generation to enjoy this thousand-year old art form.

The first few videos will provide the fundamental info: Basic Materials: Introduction to the Four Treasures of the Studio, the Basic Techniques, Ink Techniques and Working with Color. After building a firm foundation, we will begin teaching basic composition techniques and go into more depth on the favored subjects of this ancient art (including the Four Gentlemen).

Acknowledgement and credit to my masters, Master Li Ling Jia and Master Nien-Tsu Hu, for their generosity and kindness and for teaching me the beauty of the 3 Essential Steps to Chinese Brush Painting.

I want to thank all the people who have enriched my life: my family and friends, my students, and all the wonderful people I have met over the years at demonstrations like the great students from the UCI Lunar New Year’s festival.

With kindest wishes,

Vena  😊

 

For more details, please check out the “Description” section below the video on YouTube. You will find additional info, helpful tips and reminders. Also, we hope the home page, About section and Biography on this website will help viewers get to know Vena.

 

3 Essential Steps of Chinese Brush Painting:

  1. Learn from your master, practice duplicating the steps for each stroke and get used to the tools – PRACTICE!
  2. Study life around you
  3. Paint the ESSENCE as You understand it