Abstract Bamboo with Hiroshi Yamamoto - February 11th, 2023
Bamboo is a classic subject in sumi-e painting. Hiroshi Yamamoto added a contemporary interpretation with his abstract bamboo workshop.
Artists began by creating a bamboo painting.
To begin painting a bamboo leaf, hold your paint brush at the midpoint.
When grinding your ink, meditate.
Leaves can be painted in a downward direction. Leaves can be painted in clusters of three, four or five.
Leaves can face the left, right or upwards.
Everyone pays attention when Hiroshi Yamamoto paints a leaf.
Then it was the artists turn to paint leaves with help from Hiroshi Yamamoto.
Painting leaves takes patience and practice.
Hiroshi Yamamoto demonstrated how to paint the bamboo stalk with a hake brush. Adding dark ink to the ends of the hake brush results in the stalk appearing round.
The classic bamboo painting was completed with bamboo stems and leaves.
An abstract version of bamboo begins in a similar way.
However, unexpected twists like adding milk, change the final painting.
Painting leaves with milk along with the usual dark leaves creates a light and dark effect later when a wash is applied over the painting.
A toolbox of things to create interesting effects in abstract paintings helps Hiroshi Yamamoto as he works on a painting.
For example, dots added with Q tips.
A wide hake brush creates a startling effect as it sweeps over the painting. Leaves created earlier with milk appear as light leaves within the dark wash.
Tapping adds random splashes to the work.
Some colour creates a dynamic element in an abstract bamboo painting.
Hiroshi Yamamoto used a hand-made tool consisting of a row of Q tips on this painting.
Rolling a large brush adds another dimension to art.
The hake brush added a sweeping colour across the painting. Hiroshi Yamamoto created the paint from a powder mixed with non-acidic glue.
Then the artists experimented with their abstract bamboo.
This beginning abstract bamboo showed the courage and daring needed to paint an abstraction.
Abstract bamboo results in animated conversations with fellow artists.
You can learn more about Hiroshi Yamamoto in the links section.