About

Enrich your drawings by learning the subtle art of Japanese ink painting. This weekend course considers the traditional subject matter of sumi-e: the natural world.

Sumi-e, or Japanese ink painting, has been practised in Japan since the 14th century, when Zen Buddhist monks from China brought over their own uses of ink. Japanese sumi-e today harnesses the power of the line to combine bold brushstrokes with poetry, creating paintings in which each element is alive.

Expert tutor Takumasa Ono takes you through the ‘four treasures’ of sumi-e: the paper, the brush, the ink and the stone. Learn how to choose and care for sumi-e brushes; about the varieties of Japanese paper; and how the traditional black ink can be manipulated to produce a range of effects, before experimenting with colour. Develop your ink painting skills and produce a number of artworks to take home with you.

This course is part of the Royal Academy’s ‘Kyōsai: The Israel Goldman Collection’ exhibition programme and includes an exclusive guided visit to the exhibition, where you can study celebrated Japanese painter Kawanabe Kyōsai’s bold and imaginative ink painting techniques.