Description
Workshop takes place on Monday, January 4. The content of the workshop: The mind is inherently pure, spotless and sinless – as taught by Buddha. In Chinese culture, which is deeply influenced by Buddhism, the lotus symbolizes mental purity and clarity. Although the lotus grows in muddy and swampy water, its flowers remain impeccably clean and do not become stained. Likewise, our mind’s nature is untouched and pure – despite worries, anxiety, dissatisfaction, greed, etc. In this workshop we will learn to paint the lotus using traditional Chinese ink painting technique and discover how the brushstrokes, rhythm and symbolism of this flower help develop concentration, inner peace and mental clarity. During painting we practice various brush techniques and experience how the creative process can become a quiet meditation. We will examine the purity and radiance of our mind.
1st meeting – lotus leaves and stems: We get acquainted with the basic brush methods of Chinese flower painting. We practice using wet and dry brushes, tonal transitions and creating ink washes.
2nd meeting – lotus flowers: symbol of mental purity. We learn to paint solid, opened and resting flowers, seed pods and create a balanced composition. We practice modeling the petals in the "gongbi" style. We learn delicate colour use and combine the flowers with the leaves learned previously.
3rd meeting – Ice Bird: We learn bird anatomy and proportions. We practice painting the head, beak, eyes, wings and tail and create lively poses with simple brushstrokes. We get acquainted with depicting feathers using various brush techniques.
4th meeting – we paint several different compositions. We focus on colour layers, feather texture and dynamic poses. We paint the ice bird together with the lotus and learn to merge the bird and background into one harmonious whole.
Materials: All materials are provided on site. If you wish to use your own materials, you will need: 1. medium wolf‑hair brush 2. two medium goat‑hair brushes 3. small gongbi brush 4. waterproof Chinese ink 5. waterproof Chinese ink painting colours. A complete material kit can be purchased from the instructor for €55 (4 brushes, ink, blotting paper, brush and ink holders, rice paper, pigment colours).
Who: The course is intended for beginners who have little or no prior experience with this type of art. It is also suitable for those seeking a meditation‑like creative experience to support their mental peace and relaxation while creating an aesthetic experience.
Instructor Kristiina Kraft is a painter by education. She graduated in 2002 from the Eesti Kunstiakadeemia and then lived five years in China, where she studied Chinese calligraphy and traditional ink painting at the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts under renowned masters. Since 2014 she has been learning mental exercises and vitality practices under a Tibetan meditation master.
Size: 9.3 ak/t Seats: 12 participants.