You feel that when you make a move into something new, it seems that you are walking a tight-rope? And that is what happens when you have to begin an ink painting course. It is a combination of excitement and What am I doing? as the ink drips on the paper. At first, it is somewhat messy but that is the beauty of it. Mistakes are not spells of failure; with ink, there is a possibility of discovery. The looser you are, the freer you become. What initially appears to be hesitation turns into boldness. View class activities and see more student artworks.
The amusement of ink painting does not reside in the production of the ideal picture–in the anarchy and the improvisation. You may as well keep the ink as you will, it will do what it pleases. It is spreading too much, and sometimes not spreading enough. These oddities are what make the entire process even more fun. You have the time to devote a single session to experimenting with various techniques, simply trying what the brush and ink can give you. There is no map, no correct way- just play. And in that play, you will have your rhythm, your style.
The contents themselves are surprising. You may begin to use the conventional method and attempt to emulate some of the old brushstrokes when you will quickly understand that the ink does not respect lines. It gets wild. The strokes may become abstract and unpredictable. One day you will develop an exact flower and the next day you will develop one that resembles an unexpected storm cloud. It does not matter, as you are learning to listen to the ink and make it tell you where to go.
Ink painting too is rather a meditation. Every brushstroke makes your attention. You can not hurry over it, though you would like to. There’s a rhythm to it. It is as though it were a talk between you and the ink. You believe you are doing it right and the ink takes you to another totally different place. It makes you slow down, to make you pay attention to this instant. You will not think of anything when you are painting. That has a clarity and it is what makes the entire thing addictive.
Whether you have been on the fence in regards to enrolling in an ink painting course, just jump in. It may be awkward at first, but that is the point. You do not need to have a vision when you begin, you only need a brush and desire to explore. You will get it wrong, but those wrongs will become something interesting and that is where the magic is. So pick up your brush, and plunge into the ink, and see where it carries you. It is sloppy, unpredictable and spectacular.