Japanese paintings are arguably one of the oldest works of art in Japan and the greater Easter Asia region. These paintings utilize a wide gamut of genre and styles to produce highly-refined pieces of art. Japanese paintings have a long history that stretches back to prehistoric period. The paintings blends aesthetics and ideas imported from Western painting especially France (Katz 4). Most of these works are stored in the National Treasures of Japan. The most outstanding of Japanese paintings is the use of traditional colors and ink for painting. These paintings update traditional expressions and also preserve their intrinsic character. Although some artists use new materials such as acrylics to modify their paintings, the beauty of the traditional Japanese paintings is outstanding. This paper explores the sumi ink paintings as used in ancient Japan to express Japanese aesthetics and value. The works of Shinoda Tako has been explored in this regard.
In the Edo period, ancient schools of art used decorative naturalism as a way of expressing Japanese paintings. This art consisted of pure colors and bleeding washes which improved the Japanese way of expression through paintings. The sumi ink paintings encompassed the use of tonality as well as shading that the ink produced. This process involved differential grinding of a stick in the ink to produce a spectrum of ink intensity (McGee 17). In some cases, the varying density of the ink could be realized by brushstroke to produce some pressure in the ink. The artists during that period took a lot of time to refine their ability to use brushstroke. However, master artists could produce many variation just by a single stroke. In this regard, different variations were produced which include black, grey and silvery variations. These variations were used to shade objects that displayed a beautiful look. The East Asian ink was known for producing a nuance in tonality because of its ability to respond to the strokes.
After preparing the ink, Japanese artists paint on washi, a specific Japanese paper, which has a high ability to absorb paint. In some cases where the washi was lacking, Japenese painters could use silk (Katz 7). Unlike the modern watercolor papers, the washi doesn’t respond quickly to smooth washing. However, manufacturers have been able to produce versatile papers which responds to several brushes at the time of the ink wash. The ink wash technique describes the application of a black variation of ink on a light surface. In this stage, a large brush is used to apply paint.
Early Japanese artists obtained the black ink by grinding ink sticks on ink stones. They prepared ink sticks by using a combination of pine and animal glue (Clark 6). This process involved placing some water on the surface of an ink stone. A stick was then used to grind the ink stone in circular manner. This process was repeated until the artist achieved a required intensity of black ink. Most inks prepared had variations in thickness. They also varied on the basis of solubility and concentration. The brushes used during that time were made of bamboo as well as hair from fur animals. The hairs of the brush were tapered in a fine fashion to enable it apply paint on the surface in a fine and smooth manner.
Toko Shinoda was an influential Japanese artist who used sumi paintings in her works of art. Toko recognized the value of mixing the traditional calligraphy and the contemporary artistic trends. The works of Shinoda have featured in Hague National Museum and Cincinnati Art Museum, thereby emphasizing her influence in the work of art (McGee 19). Shinoda believed in her work and failed to belong to a certain school or style. She valued her own works and the originality that came with them. The use of sumi ink was necessary because it contained diverse spectra of color. This gave the painter a wide gamut of colors to choose from during painting.
The above work of art represents Toko Shinoda’s most popular artistic exhibitions. The painting depicts the use of different spectrum of color to throughout the entire work of art. In the picture, black, red, white and grey spectra have been used to create an appealing representation of art. Shinoda relied on lithograph which enabled her to work comfortably using the brushstroke (Clark 8). The use of strokes in her work demonstrated images. Her artistic bravado was exemplified when she once remarked that certain forms appear in her eye which she tries to capture in her work. The major theme of her work is love. She utilizes color themes to depict the expression of love in her work.
In conclusion, Japanese paintings exhibited a rich diversity during and after the Edo period. The use of traditional painting techniques and the subsequent combination of the traditional calligraphy and modern abstraction have contributed significantly to the diversity. Toko Shinoda comes out as an accomplished artists whose work and originality inspire both present and future artists. The use of different artistic expressions in Japanese paintings inspire creativity among artists.
Works Cited
Clark, Timothy. "Japanese Paintings of Chinese Beauties in the Late Edo Period." The Arts of
Japan: An International Symposium, New York. 2000. Print.
Katz, Janice. Japanese Paintings in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Weatherhill, 2003.
Print.
McGee, John. "TOKO SHINODA AT THE HARA MUSEUM." Art in America 91.9
(2003): 134. Print.
