Suminagashi Painting on water

Beautiful art of floating ink – Suminagashi Painting on water

Suminagashi Painting on water
Originally ancient Chinese, then Japanese, this technique of painting on water, first of all, requires a steady hand. This art of floating ink includes applying the ink or paint to the water, and then placing the paper on the surface to pick up the ink. The success of the technique also depends heavily on a grasp of fluid dynamics, in addition to basic artistic ability. The artistic side of things takes on more importance depending on the complexity of the image being painted. Meanwhile, popular subjects for these types of paintings include natural elements like plants, mountains, clouds, and landscapes. In fact, the technique originated in China over 2,000 years ago, however Shinto priests in Japan starting began practicing it in the 12th century. Noteworthy, the basic technique remains largely unchanged, despite more modern tools sometimes being used.