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Raccoons with Baoxing Zhang - April 15th, 2023

Raccoons can be entertaining, bothersome and also subjects for artists wanting to paint small animals. Baoxing Zhang began his workshop by showing the raccoons that artists would paint.

Raccoons can be painted in many settings. Raccoons on branches and raccoons shown from the back were also displayed.

Baoxing Zhang wanted artists to know that there are many ways of painting the raccoon.

The calligraphy for the raccoon tells an interesting story.

Since raccoons are often seen washing what they will eat, the calligraphy in Chinese is washing bear.

An approach to sumi-e painting is to use charcoal to outline the subject. Baoxing Zhang used a hexagram to outline the head.

Shading adds the well-known features of the raccoon like the mask.

Then add the sumi-e paint to these features.

To paint the body, Baoxing Zhang used clear water first.

The fur was added with a large brush with ink at the tip. This technique has the effect of outlining a feature like the leg while providing a lighter shade to the fur on the leg.

Dark ink on the tail created the raccoon's stripes.

To complete the scene, tulip petals were added behind the raccoon.

Using a dark tip, Baoxing Zhang created leaves with single strokes.

A painting of a raccoon in a patch of colourful tulips emerged.

To paint animals like the raccoon from the back begin by using a brush with a dark tip and turn the brush in an arc shape.

Ears and a tail are added to create the animal.

Don't forget the stripes on the tail.

Baoxing Zhang painted raccoons from the side too.

When you paint two raccoons, leave space between them or the ink will join the two.

Leave white space in the eye.

Rabbits can be painted using the same technique that Baoxing Zhang showed with raccoons.

Then it was the turn of the artists to paint raccoons.

Baoxing Zhang did lend some help to the artists.

Painting the mask of the raccoon is a challenge.

However, artists captured the essence of this well-known animal from attending Baoxing Zhang's workshop.

You can learn more about Baoxing Zhang in the links section.