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Art and Zen of Howard Meyer

Art to Zen
  • Welcome
  • About the Artist
  • Brush Painting
  • Soaring Dragon Gallery
  • Selected Exhibitions
  • Reflections
  • Lotus Blossoms
  • Three Perfections
  • Passages
  • Poetry

Howard Meyer Art to Zen

Asian Watercolor Paintings, Poetry & Passages

Welcome to my Artist's Website and Soaring Dragon Studio Let's Get Started

Welcome to my site

March 31, 2019 dragonrisinggallery 2 Comments

Thanks for visiting! Just published the new site, hope you love it – I’d love to hear what you think!

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  • Welcome to my site

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  • March 2019

Artist’s Statement

  • Welcome
  • Artist’s Statement
  • Chinese Brush Painting
  • Lotus Flower Zen Inspirations
  • Three Perfections
  • Selected Exhibitions
  • Poetry
  • Passages
  • Soaring Dragon Gallery
  • Reflections

Chinese Brush Painting

Three Styles of Painting:
*Gong-bi (meticulous/fine line brushwork)
*Xieyi (spontaneous expressive brush strokes)
*Mixed (detail and spontaneous)
Chinese painting has developed continuously over a period of more than six thousand years. Over the past several years, I’ve come to specialize in the traditional Gong-bi style, often referred to as “court style” painting. Gong-bi has a lot of meaning and is yet another discipline rooted among the long and enriched history of Chinese Brush Painting. In the word Gong Bi, Gong takes the sense of “meticulous or delicate.” Bi generally indicates the tools for writing, but it has also the meaning of “to write.” The technique of Gong Bi seeks the delicacy, the precision of the details and vivid colors. A collaboration of two artistries, calligraphy and brush painting. It requires a good technique, intricate line work and a great deal of patience. Specializing in this style of painting requires my total concentration and nearly a full reservoir of energy.

Commonly known as the art of fine line painting,” the technique of this style involves a strong foundation in calligraphy lines, then drawing an ink outline onto the paper and finally adding color in thin layers of wash. Sometimes nine to fourteen layers can be applied before the desired color depth gradation and intensity is reached.

There where basically two styles of Chinese brush painting: free style/spontaneous and fine line/meticulous. With evolution, there is now a combination style of the two (mixed style.)
Xieyi - This is a spontaneous style of the "bone-treatment-of-line" method. Space is defined, but details are often not filled in. The quality of brush strokes keeps line quality strong and expressive. Colors of paint are loaded on the brush at one time, and there is one opportunity (one line) to apply the paint. A strong line inevitably suggests an inner, flowing movement.

Gong-bi - Subjects are meticulously painted in detail, in an almost photographic approach. The objects are defined by first painting their outlines. Color is then applied within the boundaries on the sized (alum and glue) rice paper. Gradations of color are achieved by applying a layer of paint then dragging a wet brush over that color. That layer is allowed to dry. For more intense colors, additional layers are applied. Up to nine layers may be applied in any one area as the colors float on the surface of the paper. This painting style was most commonly limited to professional painters and eventually largely gave way to Xieyi painting.

Mixed Style - Some objects are painted with detail while others are created spontaneously. Mostly, the focal points are detailed and the other are freestyle. The main figure such as the bird or insect, is painted in the (Gong-bi) fine line style. The background plants are painted in the (Xieyi) free style.

Sometimes I think that the morning sun seems to shine just for artists. You may not agree with the exact order of things or understand why they turn out the way they do, but you take great pleasure as it all unfolds.

Xieyi

Gong-bi

Mixed Style

Contact Us

  • Email
    howardmeyer8@gmail.com

Passages

As a perennial student of Asian arts and culture, I am continually focused on enhancing and sharing my knowledge and resources regarding the aesthetics and artistic customs of the oldest and most productive traditions on earth. Another objective is to promote the study and practice of Asian brush arts and culture and foster a greater appreciation and participation in related activities.

As an author, it is a rare and delightful opportunity to present interesting, refreshing and a delightful cornucopia of Asian art, artists, places, mixed with the latest trends and achievements in this field. Through this process, the reader is enlightened and rewarded with a deeper insight and more intimate behind the scenes look at this genre. This is a way for us to connect and special relationships have developed in an ever-growing audience of young and old alike.

Scholar’s Studio Catherine Yiu-Yu Cho Woo The Treasured Ink Stone

Eight Immortals Seven Bowls of Tea

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