Japanese paintings: all the subtleties of eastern painting

Japanese painting is absolutely unique direction in the world art. It has existed since ancient times, but as tradition has not lost its popularity and the ability to surprise.

Attention to traditions

The East is not only landscapes, mountains and the rising sun. It's also people who created his story. It is these people who support the tradition of Japanese painting for many centuries, developing and multiplying their art. Those who made a significant contribution to the history of art, were Japanese artists. Modern works of art thanks to them preserved all the canons of traditional Japanese painting.

The manner of painting

Unlike Europe, Japanese artists preferred to write closer to the schedule than to painting. In such paintings, one can not find the gross, careless strokes of oil that are so characteristic of the Impressionists. What is the graphic art of such art as Japanese painting? Flowers, trees, rocks, animals and birds - everything in these pictures is painted as clearly as possible, with firm and confident lines of carcass. All items in the composition must have a contour. The fill in the contour is usually done with watercolor. The color is washed out, other shades are added, and somewhere the color of the paper is left. Decorativity is exactly what distinguishes Japanese paintings from the art of the whole world.

Contrasts in painting

Contrast is another characteristic technique used by Japanese artists. It can be a difference in tone, color or contrast of warm and cold shades.

The artist resorts to reception when he wants to isolate some element of the object. It can be a streak on the plant, a separate petal or tree trunk against the sky. Then the light, illuminated part of the object and the shadow under it (or vice versa) are displayed.

Transitions and color solutions

Drawing Japanese paintings, often use transitions. They are different: for example, from one color to another. On the petals of water lilies, pions, you can see the transition from a light tint to a saturated, bright some color.

Also, transitions are used in the image of the water surface, the sky. Very beautiful looks like a smooth transition from sunset to dark, dusk. In the drawing of clouds, too, transitions from different shades and reflexes are used.

The main motifs of Japanese painting

In art, everything is interconnected with real life, with the feelings and emotions of those who are involved in it. As in literature, music and other manifestations of creativity, there are several eternal themes in painting. These are historical subjects, images of people and nature.

Japanese landscapes are diverse. Often in pictures there are images of ponds - a favorite piece of Japanese interior. Decorative pond, a few water lilies and bamboo nearby - this is the usual picture of the 17-18th century.

Animals in Japanese Painting

Animals - too often a recurring element of Asian painting. Traditionally it's a crouching tiger or a domestic cat. In general, Asians are very fond of the cat family, and therefore their representatives are found in all forms of oriental art.

The fauna world is another theme that Japanese painting follows. Birds - cranes, decorative parrots, magnificent peacocks, swallows, invisible sparrows and even roosters - they all occur in the drawings of oriental masters.

Pisces is no less relevant for Japanese artists. Koi carps are a Japanese version of a goldfish. These creatures live in Asia in all the ponds of even small parks and gardens. Carp koi is a kind of tradition that belongs to Japan. These fishes symbolize struggle, determination, achievement of their goal. It is not for nothing that they are depicted swimming with the flow, necessarily with decorative crests of waves.

Japanese paintings: the image of people

People in Japanese painting - a special theme. Artists portrayed geishas, emperors, warriors and elders.

Geisha are painted in an environment of flowers, always in complex garments with many folds and elements.

The sages draw by sitting or explaining something to their disciples. The image of the old scientist is a symbol of the history, culture and philosophy of Asia.

The warrior was portrayed as a formidable, sometimes frightening. The long hair of the samurai was detailed and looked like a wire.

Usually, all details of the armor are refined with the help of carcass. Often, the naked body parts of the warrior are decorated with tattoos depicting the oriental dragon. This is a symbol of the strength and military power of Japan.

Rulers depicted for the imperial families. Beautiful clothes, ornaments in the hair of men, are something that abounds in such works of art.

Landscapes

The traditional Japanese landscape is the mountains. Asian artists have succeeded in depicting a variety of landscapes: they can depict the same peak in different colors, with different atmospheres. The only thing that remains unchanged is the obligatory presence of flowers. Usually, along with the mountains, the artist depicts some plant in the foreground and paints it in detail. Beautifully look paintings with a picture of mountains and blooming cherry blossoms. And if the falling petals are being drawn, the picture evokes admiration for the sad beauty. Contrast in the atmosphere of the picture - another great quality of Japanese culture.

Hieroglyphs

Often the composition of a painting in Japanese painting is combined with writing. Hieroglyphs are arranged so that it looks beautifully compositionally. Usually they are drawn to the left or right of the picture. Hieroglyphs can denote what is depicted in the picture, its name or the name of the artist.

Japan - one of the most rich in history and culture of the powers. Throughout the world, it is common to regard the Japanese as pedantic people who find aesthetics in absolutely all aspects of life. Therefore, Japanese paintings are always very harmonious in color and tone: if there are blotches of some bright color - then only in the semantic centers. On the example of paintings by Asian artists, one can study the theory of color, the correct transmission of forms using graphics, composition. The technique of Japanese painting is so high that it can serve as an example for working with watercolor and performing "cleaning" of graphic works.