Sumi`e Painting: The Four Gentlemen

Focus: Learning to master sumi`e

brushstrokes and transform them into
graceful forms of nature in the likeness of the
four plants that embody the virtues of
modesty, loyalty, purity, and integrity.

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The Four Gentlemen
•  The Four Gentlemen are the four plants that are
needed to be mastered in order to become a master
sumi`e painter. To master each plant takes years of
study.

•  They are called the Four Gentlemen because of their

style and grace.

•  Each plant has certain brush strokes needed to

complete it in the sumi`e style. As you complete each
plant you build on the brush strokes mastered, and
learn new techniques for the next, more complicated
plant.

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The Four Gentlemen are:
•  Bamboo
•  Wild Orchid
•  Chrysanthemum
•  Cherry / Plum Blossom Branch

3  
Bamboo
Bambo  represents:    
•  simplicity  of  life    
•  humble  spirit  
•  summer    
•  strength  in  the  face  of  adversity  
 
The  first  of  the  gentlemen  also  represents,    
what  the  Japanese  believe  to  be  the  virtues  of  
the  male:  
•  perfect  balance,    
•  upright  integrity  and    
•  flexibility.  
 
Bamboo  is  the  “perfect  gentleman”  because  at  
its  center  it  is  hollow,  which  suggests  modesty,  
and  it  is  used  on  a  daily  basis  within  Asia.    
hDp://sandyhaighFineart.com/wp-­‐content/uploads/
2011/04/9Bamboo-­‐crossed-­‐450x450.jpg   4  
Sumi’e Example Video

hDps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnBOhDuu5Jc  -­‐  Stop  at  2:26  

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Observations
•  Bamboo grows in
sections and from
each section grows
new branches and
leaves. hDps://encrypted-­‐tbn0.gstaSc.com/images?
q=tbn:ANd9GcTS65DezvMAJyuC_XWx9DL3Lz41Wbbrl
FL0XS5lAQe5_LVm6F5ug  

•  New leaves grow in

an upward direction
and older leaves grow
downwards.
hDp://download.4-­‐designer.com/files/2012120504/
Green-­‐bamboo-­‐background-­‐text-­‐template-­‐vector-­‐
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material-­‐2-­‐4693.jpg  
Technique
•  Look and find the simple strokes,
and see how the lifting of the
brush tip creates the leaves.
•  By pulling the brush and lifting,
you can build the sections of the
bamboo stalk. The tip of the brush
is then used to accent the breaks
in the growth.
•  The leaves are drawn by placing
the tip down, applying pressure to
the brush while pulling, and then
lifting up to thin the outer tip of
the leaf.
•  Additional branches are painted
the same way but smaller in size
and from the growth joints.
hDp://rebeccataylorstudio.com/sun-­‐warms-­‐bamboo-­‐lo-­‐
res.jpg  
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SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
•  What did you you do •  What did you struggle
well? with?
•  What did you like about •  What didn’t you like
this piece? about this piece?

OPPERTUNITIES   TECHNIQUES  
•  What  would  you  do   •  A  step  by  step  list  of  how  
differently  next  Sme?     you  completed  this  
technique.    

8  
The Wild Orchid
The  wild  Orchid  Represents:    
•  grace    
•  beauty  
•  a  happy  spirit  
•  Spring    

•  The  second  of  the  four  gentlemen,  the  wild  

orchid,  also  represents  what  the  Japanese  
believe  to  be  feminine  virtues:  
•   Beauty  
•   grace  
•   fragility    
•   gentleness  
 
The  orchid  invites  the  celebraSon  of  life  
because  it  symbolizes  reviving  earth’s  energy  
hDp://media-­‐cache-­‐ec0.pinimg.com/236x/
from  the  winter.  
4b/9d/7d/   9  
4b9d7d2457c74cc98d29a8928b7c48d4.jpg  
 
Sumi’e Example Video

hDps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL-­‐YicH26Ls  Start  at  1.25    

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Observations

•  There are a variety of

orchids available but
the ones we will
focus on are the
orchids that have the
long fluid leaves and
small, fragile petals.

hDp://asianiSnerary.com/wp-­‐content/uploads/
2014/01/IMG_6303.jpg  

11  
Technique
•  The techniques used in
creating the wild orchid build
on the techniques of the
bamboo and its leaves,
while the flow of your lines
will teach you steadiness
and versatility.
•  To create the beauty of the
turning leaves and the
gentle petals, we will
employ different ways of
lifting and turning our brush.
•  Cleaning the brush and
adding a touch of ink on the
tip to change the value of
hDp://greenwillowblog.com/wp-­‐content/uploads/2011/02/
orchid-­‐Greenwillow.jpg  
the leaves.
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SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
•  What did you you do •  What did you struggle
well? with?
•  What did you like about •  What didn’t you like
this piece? about this piece?

OPPERTUNITIES   TECHNIQUES  
•  What  would  you  do   •  A  step  by  step  list  of  how  
differently  next  Sme?     you  completed  this  
technique.    

13  
Chrysanthemum
The  chrysanthemum  is  the  imperial  
symbol  of  Japan’s  royal  family.  
 
The  chrysanthemum  represents:    
•  Autumn;    because  it  is  sturdy  and  
it  defies  the  brutality  of  the  
frost.  
 
The  third  of  the  gentlemen  is  
associated  fragrant  plants  with  
being  strong  and  unwavering  with  
the  change  of  the  season.  
 
hDps://img0.etsystaSc.com/008/0/6748169/il_570xN.
365321390_5nt6.jpg   14  
Sumi’e Example Video

hDps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toOn-­‐E5Kkmo    
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Observations
•  In the
chrysanthemum,
simplicity is used in
such a way that it
becomes more
complex or intricate.

hDp://www.bungalow104.com/wp-­‐content/uploads/
2009/11/20091117_chrysanthemum_DSC3385_DxO_8
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x10_30D.jpg  
Technique
•  The chrysanthemum is the
third of the Four Gentlemen
and it builds upon the brush
strokes already learned in
the previous Gentlemen.
•  Layering and moving the
gentle petals in different
directions creates the inner
beauty and complexity that
is the flower.
•  Adding water to the can
create beautiful variations in
your flowers’ texture.

hDp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mH1DwlfPSuQ/S-­‐mF-­‐XGUUmI/
AAAAAAAAACI/GdCbrlBO-­‐zw/s400/
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chrysanthemum2bWeb.jpg  
SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
•  What did you you do •  What did you struggle
well? with?
•  What did you like about •  What didn’t you like
this piece? about this piece?

OPPERTUNITIES   TECHNIQUES  
•  What  would  you  do   •  A  step  by  step  list  of  how  
differently  next  Sme?     you  completed  this  
technique.    

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Plum/Cherry Blossom
The  Blossom  represents:    
•  Hope  
•  Endurance  
 
It  represents  winter  because  it  
perseveres  with  life  and  beauty  within  
it.    
 
 -­‐  The  plum  blossoms  are  the  first  to  
bloom,  signaling  the  end  of  winter.  
 
The  beauty  of  the  plum  blossom  lies  in  
the  contrast  of  the  gnarled,  rough  trunk  
and  the  son,  tender  blooms.  
hDp://media-­‐cache-­‐ak0.pinimg.com/236x/59/5e/  
40/595e40147bo281a5379feb60c2d7471.jpg  
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Sumi’e Example Video

hDps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo2-­‐IPbuapw    
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Observations
•  The Plum Blossom
Branch is the last and
most complicated of the
Four Gentlemen.

•  This plant incorporates all

the strokes the artist has
built on and takes it just a
step or two further.

hDp://media-­‐cache-­‐cd0.pinimg.com/736x/eb/ee/b0/
ebeeb01b1d48cb6b6bc82f4a6b881304.jpg  
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Technique
•  The addition of creating the
textured, gnarled branches
takes some practice, as well
as manipulating the very tip of
your brush to create the very
center of your blossoms.

•  The texture in the branch, the

delicate flowers, pistols and
stamens, they all take
advantage of the knowledge
you have learned with the
previous three Gentlemen.

hDps://img0.etsystaSc.com/028/0/7222346/
il_340x270.574084190_g4rl.jpg  
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SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS: WEAKNESSES:
•  What did you you do •  What did you struggle
well? with?
•  What did you like about •  What didn’t you like
this piece? about this piece?

OPPERTUNITIES   TECHNIQUES  
•  What  would  you  do   •  A  step  by  step  list  of  how  
differently  next  Sme?     you  completed  this  
technique.    

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