ZEN Sumi-e
Regulate your breathing
The shading and blurring of a single stroke reflect your breathing and the fluctuations of your heart at that moment.
The Zen spirit is about accepting the uncontrollable movement of ink and finding beauty in things as they are.
The drawing process itself becomes a deep meditation.
Focus on "Here and Now"
- Consciousness resting on the brush tip -
Step away from the unconscious daily routine, and turn your awareness to the moment you draw a single stroke.
The ink is a mirror reflecting the "now." Quiet your mind and simply look at the line in front of you.
This is the Zen mindfulness experience.
The Beauty of Imperfection
- Admiring the fluctuations of "as it is" -
Accepting unintended "blurring" and "scratchiness" as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter that can never be reproduced.
Letting go of the attachment to perfection and affirming yourself as you are is the essence of ZEN Sumi-e.
Experiencing the Etiquette of Brushwork with ZEN sumi
How to ZEN sumi
Moisten the Ink, Measure Your Breathing (Preparation)
Prepare the brush and ink in advance. Prepare ink ground to a certain density, and appreciate the smell and feel of the ink. Become one with your breathing each time you write a character.
Your mind calms down, and your concentration increases. It becomes a time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Move the Brush Without Hesitation, Draw a Line (Brushwork)
First, correct your posture and become one with your breathing. Lower the brush with a soft movement of the wrist as if it is fulfilled. Complete all the movements of "brushwork" within one breath. The characteristic is not to think too deeply with your head, but to leave it to the run of the brush. It is important to express the emotion that emerges from within.
Consider the Blank Space and "Blur" as the Completion (Finishing)
When you finish drawing, accept yourself as you are, and catch the silent blank spaces and blurring as part of the work. The concept of "completion" reflects your state of mind at each moment. Take a deep breath in front of the completed work, learn the importance of affirming yourself, release yourself, and complete the process of becoming a new self.
Gallery
ZEN Sumi-e
Introducing Brushes Suitable for "ZEN Sumi-e"
禅 心現 / ZEN Shingen
Using the brushwork of Tsuketate-fude used in Japanese ink painting,
this brush maximizes the expressive power necessary for "ZEN Sumi-e",
from thick and powerful lines to thin lines and scratchiness.
