UNDERSTANDING GUO HUA 國畫 BY TIM LOH
(EXCERPTED FROM WWW.MEDICINEMAN-TIM.BLOGSPOT.COM WITH PERMISSION)
In Chinese society, one would use the term "Guo Hua" (Guo means national, Hua means painting; to paint) to describe Chinese brush painting. Guo Hua is done with a round brush, using ink or pigments, mixed with water and painted on Xuan (Hsuan) paper or Juan (silk). The finished painting is signed off with seal(s) and mounted either on paper or silk and presented as scrolls, or more recently, in frames.
Aside from the perfect complement of the Xuan (Hsuan) paper as a writing medium, the Chinese brush shoulders the most vital role in the discipline of Guo Hua. It has a round body that comes to a point. The mission is how to coordinate the strands of hair to the point, and with the belly of the brush to form lines with various thickness and shapes. Chinese use the brush for their calligraphy; thus calligraphy and painting are firmly intertwined. In fact, the Chinese often use the term to "write" a painting to describe the act of painting, and the audience is urged to "read" a painting. This symbiotic relationship has led to the term "Shu Hua" 書畫 (calligraphy, painting) and exhibition halls and museums catering to the art of Shu Hua.
Bi-Fa (Bi 筆means writing instrument, FA 法 means the method) describes the nuances of mastering the brush. Bi-Fa is also known as Gi Bun Gong 基 本 工 ( the fundamentals) in some circles. Center tip, side tip, rolling tip, line, hook, dot, wet, dry, split, heavy, are but just a few areas of concern when using the brush. Think of the fingers holding the brush as the a-arm of a car's suspension. Our job is to load the brush with the correct amount of water/ink/pigment and apply suitable pressure and speed, such that the tip, or edge, or the belly of the brush, or combinations of such, form a desirable footprint on the Xuan or Juan 絹. In other words, keep the tire on the road, mitigating sand, gravel, sleet, rain or snow, taking into account speed and tire pressure. Thus one can spin wheel, drive, skid, drift, brake or induce wheel hop! Sounds complicated? Well, when we walk we seldom think in terms of weight transfer from heel to toe, from one side to the other, which flexor or extensor muscles to use; whether our angles pronate or supinate, or how much bending is required at the knees. The same applies to learning to use the brush; it has to become one with your body and mind. Guo Hua is typically learned by rote. Practice, memorize and practice some more. Copying is one of the methods emloyed in this rote system. Students copy their teachers and other masters. Anybody who is serious about studying Guo Hua has labored with the Mustard Seed Garden, copying and studying different techniques, honing their Gi Bun Gong. It is perhaps due to this forced feeding that a lot of the Chinese paintings look similar to each other, especially with regard to subject matter and composition.
Aside from the perfect complement of the Xuan (Hsuan) paper as a writing medium, the Chinese brush shoulders the most vital role in the discipline of Guo Hua. It has a round body that comes to a point. The mission is how to coordinate the strands of hair to the point, and with the belly of the brush to form lines with various thickness and shapes. Chinese use the brush for their calligraphy; thus calligraphy and painting are firmly intertwined. In fact, the Chinese often use the term to "write" a painting to describe the act of painting, and the audience is urged to "read" a painting. This symbiotic relationship has led to the term "Shu Hua" 書畫 (calligraphy, painting) and exhibition halls and museums catering to the art of Shu Hua.
Bi-Fa (Bi 筆means writing instrument, FA 法 means the method) describes the nuances of mastering the brush. Bi-Fa is also known as Gi Bun Gong 基 本 工 ( the fundamentals) in some circles. Center tip, side tip, rolling tip, line, hook, dot, wet, dry, split, heavy, are but just a few areas of concern when using the brush. Think of the fingers holding the brush as the a-arm of a car's suspension. Our job is to load the brush with the correct amount of water/ink/pigment and apply suitable pressure and speed, such that the tip, or edge, or the belly of the brush, or combinations of such, form a desirable footprint on the Xuan or Juan 絹. In other words, keep the tire on the road, mitigating sand, gravel, sleet, rain or snow, taking into account speed and tire pressure. Thus one can spin wheel, drive, skid, drift, brake or induce wheel hop! Sounds complicated? Well, when we walk we seldom think in terms of weight transfer from heel to toe, from one side to the other, which flexor or extensor muscles to use; whether our angles pronate or supinate, or how much bending is required at the knees. The same applies to learning to use the brush; it has to become one with your body and mind. Guo Hua is typically learned by rote. Practice, memorize and practice some more. Copying is one of the methods emloyed in this rote system. Students copy their teachers and other masters. Anybody who is serious about studying Guo Hua has labored with the Mustard Seed Garden, copying and studying different techniques, honing their Gi Bun Gong. It is perhaps due to this forced feeding that a lot of the Chinese paintings look similar to each other, especially with regard to subject matter and composition.