A part of Two Ladies of Garjamarca

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Comment by Ningning Li on February 5, 2012 at 13:50

Sorry, I do not know Chinese painting technics. Chinese watercolour Seems like abstract strokes  painting. Each stroke represent a particular value or shape... I gave up!!! I am very glad hat you are fond of Chinese painting.

Comment by Steve McArthur on February 5, 2012 at 13:21

Hi Li,

I love traditional Chinese painting. If I remember correctly there are four topics. Bamboo, Birds, Plum Blossoms, and I can't remember the fourth. I have just recently been trying to learn how to do it. I became interested in it because of all the intricate brush strokes that you see in the paintings. I wanted to see if some of those strokes could be adapted to western style paintings. I'm really amazed at what credible looking bamboo you can paint with just a single stroke. I'm really into bamboo, I planted it all around my backyard a few years ago and now I have a completely private yard. I'm getting ready to try my hand with birds and blossoms next. Chinese painting is simple but still difficult to do it right.

Comment by Ningning Li on February 5, 2012 at 12:47

Steve, I appreciate your encouragement indeed. My mom started to learn paint Chinese watercolour when she was 68 years old. When I told her that I want to learn painting when I was 51years old. She said that I was too young to learn painting because I was not old enough to be peaceful mentally.  She is more than 80 and still paints. And her works were went to European countries through the Chinese delegations as gifts and her painting was printed in the calender.  I guess that her attitude is  good, always try to improve and free. I painted for 1 year and then stoped for 5 years. I just really pick it up last year. I really thanks this workshop. If you check the bag on the back of that thin young girl, you will find out I did not go to details instead  just colour stains. It looks ok. that is what I learned here. I did not paint a lot because of short of time. But I think before I start paint. I also take notes how I did it. So next time I did not have to struggle think again. But I never paint the same thing up to now. By the way, I have never  exhibit or sell my paintings. Here I got encouragement and become more selfconfident.  I will try my best not disappoint you keep working hard as I can.Thank you Steven.

Comment by Steve McArthur on February 5, 2012 at 9:19

Hi Li,

I'm not an art critic or an expert by any means. However, having only painted 30 pieces I'm amazed at your grasp of color, value, texture, edges, composition, brush strokes, etc. Maybe you  should consider pressing in and try to do a lot more work. At the level you are now I can only imagine how good you would be after 100 works.

Comment by Ningning Li on January 30, 2012 at 4:46

Thank you again, Deodanda. Tell you the truth, I am not old hand painter though I am old lady. I just painted more than 30 pieces of painting. But I try to apply what I read in the books and Richard's teaching with religious respect. such as what you mentioned. When I was young, one teacher told me that what important is to know how to use what you learned. I keep it in mind.