Sesshu Toyo, Winter Landscape, c. 1470 (Tokyo National Museum, Japan)

Hi everyone! On this website, I state that I’m a sumi-e artist, but what exactly does that mean?

So glad you asked! (I’m talking to myself again, aren’t I?) In Japanese, sumi is a type of pitch black ink made from burnt pine soot, and e means picture or painting. Sumi-e is a type of traditional watercolor painting, done primarily using black ink with minor additions of color, on media such as rice paper or silk. If you’ve seen Japanese paintings on scrolls, wooden dividers, wall panels, fans, or kimono, chances are good it’s sumi-e.

I’ve compiled a Q&A to answer questions you may have about this ancient art form that you’ve likely seen but never knew what it was called, and why I practice this niche style of painting.

What’s the origin story of Sumi-e?

In Japan, samurai and noblemen would commonly practice Sumi-e, which was imported as a Taoist practice from China in the 1300s-1400s. Similar to calligraphy, Sumi-e was practiced as much for meditation as for art, as its proscribed brush grips, movements, posture (ie, sitting on your knees, also known as seiza), and even the piney aroma of the ink, which traditionally comes in solid sticks and needs to be ground by hand, all lend to a feeling of serenity to the artist. (At least, until your feet fall asleep and you jolt upright, spilling indelible ink all over your bamboo mat floors or carpet).

In China, brush painting has been practiced for over a thousand years. One of the earliest surviving books on this art style is The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting, published in 1679, but it references works as early as 500 A.D.

How is Chinese brush painting different from Sumi-e?

After brush painting was imported from China, Japan started to evolve its own unique style (see the famous painting by Sesshu Toyo, above). The primary differences between Chinese and Japanese styles are that Chinese paintings are often more detailed and colorful, while Japanese style paintings are typically (but not always!) more austere and serene, make more use of white space, and use color as an accent rather than for primary design elements. I see it as analogous to notably different cooking styles of the two countries: Sichuan food, in particular, is known for being spicy and having explosive flavors, while Japanese food is more sedate with subtle flavors. Both are great, but in different ways.

Sumi-e, as previously mentioned, is a Japanese term, and in its most precise definition, applies to the Japanese style of painting. However, in “the wild,” I have also seen it used rather freely upon occasion to encompass work by Chinese-style artists. “Brush painting,” when stripped of its country of origin, is a generic term for the overall style that applies across borders.

I generally prefer painting in the Japanese style for its aesthetic sensibilities, but am planning to experiment more in the future with the Chinese style.

Why and where did you learn to paint?

I am third generation Japanese–my grandmother emigrated from Japan, and is the only living relative of mine who came from another country. As a college student, I grew interested in Japan as a cultural mutt trying to find meaning and affinity with some aspect of my heritage, so I decided to attend Kansai Gaidai University in Japan as an exchange student. I’d saved up all my elective credits (no engineering classes in a liberal arts school!) and was fortunate enough to get into a sumi-e class, fell in love with the medium, and have been painting ever since.

How can I learn Sumi-e?

You don’t have to travel to Japan or China to learn Asian brush painting. There are a number of books available on the subject that can walk you through the basics. Some that I personally own and like are:

Japanese Ink Painting: The Art of Sumi-e, by Naomi Okamono

The Practical Art of Chinese Brush Painting, by Pauline Cherrett

An Introduction to Chinese Brush Painting, also by Pauline Cherrett, and

The Sumi-e Dream Book, by Yolanda Mayhall

There is also a Sumi-e Society of America, which has chapters across the nation and may hold classes near you if you live in the US.

Additionally, instruction is available online. Shopping for art supplies, I found a class offered by the talented Henri Li at Blue Heron Arts.

Hopefully, by sharing a thing or two about Sumi-e, you’ve gained a greater appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of the art form.

Do any of you paint or have other artistic pursuits? If so, let me know in the comments–I’d love to hear what type of art you’re passionate about!