Chrysanthemum

[liralen]

Tried my hand at a chryshanthemum and a combination painting of a bamboo and orchid. I'd been doing the two because there's a painting my parents gave me a while back and I'll probably never *get* it, but it's fun to try...

Chrysanthemum
Originally uploaded by Liralen Li.

Orchid and Bamboo
Originally uploaded by Liralen Li.

The chrysanthemum is a sloppy rendition of the classical "outline and color" techniques of Chinese paintings. I wanted something quicker, and easier, so used a pretty highly sized watercolor paper instead of the usual really absorbent "rice paper"... so-called rice paper because it's not made out of rice at all.

But... it was fun to do and it turned out where the head of the flower really felt right, so I kind of like it.

The bamboo and orchid isn't right, but it's a start, and I'm getting there on how I really want to place the leaves versus the plant and how they all are going to fit and if I really want to do poetry I'd better start practicing the calligraphy for the poetry... It's more of a long-term project and trying a lot of different things is only going to make it work out a bit better, I think...

I am still getting used to working with the long vertical instead of having to work with a horizontal. Well, not to mention that my brush control is still not nearly where I want it to be, especially for an outlining project.

I love with the outlining things that the traditional ink pretty much dries waterproof, so I can layer on the colors afterwards without worrying about spreading of any sort. There's a lot I can do with multiple levels of ink colors, too, rather than the really traditional just black outline and then fill in with stuff.

I'm contemplating a plum blossom painting for calmingeffects with just the black outlining and then getting a shot of that and the filling in the blushes of color for the blossoms to take full advantage of the possibilities for that. But I'm trying to figure out if it should just be a single branch, a full tree, or what...

And if it's a full tree, I know Shunsui's tree is kind of calling to me, very quietly...

Comments

[incandescens]

The orchid and bamboo are lovely, but the chrysanthemum is gorgeous!

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*beams* Thank you, so much!! I'm glad you like it... it was really fun to do. Now I want to do it again. *laughter* But with those thin curling petals that some of the classical chrysanthemums have... *happy sigh*

I'm very glad you like it.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*laughter*

And if you want the chrysanthemum, I'd be happy to send it to you in exchange for what you're sending me. *grin*

[incandescens]

... I couldn't say no. It's beautiful.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! I'm glad. I'll do that on Monday, then. *grin*

[incandescens]

Thank you very much indeed!

[stark-black.livejournal.com]

*wants*

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*soft laughter*

Which?

[stark-black.livejournal.com]

The chrys is very pretty, but not my style. I love the orchid and bamboo. xD

[liralen.livejournal.com]

S'yours then.

Just, sometime, send the tubes back via slooooow mail and I'll send you more as you want. *grin*

[ginnyvos.livejournal.com]

Both are beautiful, though I like the Bamboo and the Orchid best, I think... might have to do with my love for the simple shades of grey on white though.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Very much. I am partial to the simple tones a lot, but it's sometimes fun to play in color. *grin* Neat, though that you enjoyed the more classical of the two!

[rasetsunyo.livejournal.com]

Chrysanthemums are hard, I love how full of life yours is. *___*

The orchids and bamboo are beautiful as well.

[liralen.livejournal.com]

*giggles* And I think faces are hard. I am so glad you like it!! *dances* Thank you, so much!

I'm also glad that you like the orchids and bamboo... they were fun to do, and I'm getting a better feel for how to place 'em.