[Weiyuan Chinese Painting: Appreciation Section] Chapter 1: Painting Wisteria

Hello everyone, welcome to Weiyuan's Chinese Painting Class. I'm Weiyuan. Today's lesson will be about painting wisteria flowers. From today onwards, we will begin learning how to draw flowers and birds. Alright, let's first take a look at the colors we need today. First, the colors of the leaves are gamboge, indigo, and creased stone. The colors of the flowers must also include cinnabar, Shu red, and stone blue. Then, regarding the branches, when we draw the branches of the wisteria, we should also use some moss green color. Alright, now squeeze the paint onto the palette. First, squeeze the color of the leaves. Let us first take a look at this painting. To begin with this painting, we should start with the leaves of the wisteria. Alright, the paint has already been squeezed out; now let's continue looking at this painting. Let's start by examining the leaves of the wisteria, and first look at the shape of the leaves. The leaves of wisteria are classified as basal compound pinnate leaves. Then, when drawing, we first need to sketch the internal structure of a leaf segment. Let's bring up the colors first. Mix gamboge and mica stone, then add a small amount of azure to create a light green. You can use a bit more gamboge to create a lighter, softer green. First, draw the main branch of the leaf toward the left. Now, after drawing this first, let's add the leaves. The way to paint leaves is very similar to the method we learned earlier for painting peaches. But its leaves are shorter and smaller. So when drawing, we first draw the main branch that's in front. What is a "base tree"? It refers to a tree whose quantity is odd. Alright, first of all, this one at the front should be a bit larger. Then draw the parts behind, or grow outward from this main branch. Second, here, it corresponds to the length, like a feather. Okay, moving forward, they are all correspondingly long. Alright, this series of leaves is basically complete. This one is called the feathered leaf of the base tree, resembling tiny feathers. Then the quantity is single, and the one at the front is slightly larger. Alright, let's continue drawing the second one. Start by beginning with the one at the very front. Alright, the two leaves are now complete. Next, we can draw the stem of the flower. The flowers also grow in a whole cluster, or perhaps from this position roughly. In the upper left corner of the entire画面, draw it first. A long, continuous string. Okay, don't add anything after this for now. Now let's use another pen to draw the shape of this flower. First, adjust the color. Mix cinnabar pigment to the right consistency for the brush. Then add a little bit of red. Add a small amount of lapis lazuli; the quantity should be very small—do not add too much. Alright, when drawing, the brush should also face toward this brush and this branch. Our starting point is this line. Then the pen tip points here, then presses down, becoming thicker toward the back. Just one point, one flower. When wisteria blooms, a whole cluster opens gradually, starting from the top. Then below, there are some small flower buds. So, the flower buds above can be drawn a bit larger. One more, please. A bit smaller than it. Then, on the left side, you can do the same. You can imagine the flower buds of this wisteria as being shaped like little socks. Once again. You can make it a bit looser up there. Keep it tight from here; we can go again right here. Throughout the process of writing, the tip of the brush is constantly seeking this direction. Don't draw it backwards, because these flowers must surely grow out from this branch. Wait, we still need to add the rod that connects them. Okay, the density increases the further down you go. Properly adjust its direction so that the entire shape forms a C. Alright, continue. Let's go on. When painting flower buds, you can use slightly darker colors. Draw it tighter, now. Once you have a large stroke, you can follow it with a small stroke to create a variation in size. The same goes for the rest. Still point the tip toward this rod. And the more it goes on, the more there are. It can be appropriately reduced in size afterward, with the color becoming darker. Okay, some more. Let's take another look at the overall shape of this wisteria. Take a look and see what's missing. We can add a few more petals. Some can be added here. You can add more. Above, instruct it to expand. The flower bud? It needs to be tucked in. The overall shape is roughly like the shape of a grape as we draw it. Alright, now we can take another clean pen. What should I draw at this moment? Mix some gamboge, clean gamboge. It must be clean. No colors may be added. What color is this for? The moisture should be a bit more. Dot on the lighter-colored parts of these flowers. This is the pistil of this flower. Not all of them, just a few. Okay, this part of the small flower bud doesn't need to be touched, because the flower bud won't show the stamen. Then, we adjust again, and take the pen we just had. Make it a bit more red. Red is dominant, primarily red. Darker shades of color. Then, the point on the head of this flower serves as the receptacle. Add a little rouge to it. We can appropriately add a touch of rouge to this area. Make this color a bit darker. Draw the floral receptacle, using the two strokes on the left and right to lift up this petal. Tap the left and right sides twice each. Just a few points will do, no need to mark all. The small flower buds below especially need attention. Alright, now let's pick up the brush we initially used to draw the leaves. Attach the rod to it in this section. Thinner, not too thick. Add some in the blank spaces. Just add some there where it's blank. Alright, this flower is now finished. The final step, we can outline the vein first. When drawing leaf veins, wait until the leaf is half-dry before outlining them. You can't simply check it off right after it's just been drawn. We're now pouring a little ink. Just a little bit is enough; don't use too much ink. Main veins, then secondary veins. It is consistent with the method of drawing peaches. The technique of painting peach leaves. From bottom to top. Okay, after completing the leaf vein tracing, now we directly take this, Just now we drew the leaf's brushstroke and touched it with water. Add a little bit of fold stone, then combine with light ink. Adjust a fold of ink color similar to. This one is used to draw the vine of the wisteria. Wisteria also belongs to the category of climbing plants. But it is different from pumpkins because wisteria is a perennial plant. And pumpkins are annual plants. Therefore, its vines will be thicker and more robust. We can add a touch of creased stone color to convey an aged, weathered appearance. Yes, when drawing too, take a look at the entire composition. Now the shape we're drawing forms a complete C, right? When painting this vine, we need to alter its shape slightly. Press down slightly, the brush should be a bit dry, adjust to a drier consistency, not too wet. Go upward, keep the brush handle straight, use the central tip. Turn it, the thumb needs to turn. Alright, this is an appropriate point to pause. Turn around and follow this wisteria to form a C-shape, then an S-shape. OK, just stop there later. Alright, that's enough. Alright, we've finished this painting. With this vine added, it's complete. This vine must be carefully noted—it has to be in the shape of an S. Outline the entire composition. Alright, the final step: we consider the top-left and top-right corners. Write our names. Alright, finally secure it here. The idle button is located in the lower-left corner. That concludes today's lesson. The children should all have learned it by now. The content we will learn in the next class is how to draw sparrows. Complete a piece by combining the wisteria painting technique we learned today.