AMANDA’S TOP TIPS FOR BLACK INK PAINTING

Don’t put the brush in your mouth! The ink is strong, it stains and is pungent.

Try to find real Chinese ready-prepared black ink. Grinding it yourself is difficult.

Use hot pressed watercolour paper. Leave thin Chinese rice paper to the expert Chinese and Japanese zen artists. Your enthusiasm will cause it to rip, fold and get soggy.

Be prepared to rip up your first attempt.

Remember that this form of art is controlled spontaneity, which goes against your underlying need to correct things and make them perfect.

Perfection and imperfection are a conundrum. A balance between the two is ideal.

Lines in Chinese black ink zen/ sumi-e painting are varied in darkness intensity, ink dilution, width of stroke and completeness or brokenness of stroke.

It is firstly about your mind, determination and intense concentration. It is secondly about the brushstroke and its ‘put, push, pull and flick’ action.