Sumi-e and Chinese Painting

Basic Techniques

Chinese Painting In Four Seasons by Leslie Tseng Tseng Yu ****
Published by Prentice-Hall Inc. ©1981 ISBN 0-13-133025-X 185 well illustrated pages
Covers the basic brush strokes, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum, Plum Blossom and Orchid in great detail with a large number of excellent examples. Once you have mastered these brush strokes, you are ready for Jean Long's book. This is the next best thing to having a live teacher to show you the basics.
Possible sources: ABE Books, The Oriental Bookstore, Pasadena CA, USA or inter-library loan

Advanced Techniques

The Techniques of Chinese Painting by Wu Yangmu **** New November 26th, 2006
One of the best books on Chinese landscape painting that I have found. Covers all of the details and the major historic styles of landscape painting. Excellent illustrations, about 192 pages. It has a brief section on birds and flowers, but there are better books for this. If I was to recommend one book for learning traditional landscape painting, this would be it.
Possible sources: ABE Books, etc.

Oriental Painting Course: A Structured, Practical Guide to the Painting Skills and Techniques of China and the Far East by Nan, Wang, Jia; Xiaoli, Cai *** New November 26th, 2006
This books is broken into 24 lessons ans is very well illustrated. While I don't think this book would be a good choice for a rank beginner, it would make a great supplementary volume to something like Chinese Painting In Four Seasons. It has some excellent illustrations dealing with basic lessons like ink and water and bamboo, it also has a large number of modern Chinese works. I especially recommend this volume to Western style water color painters that want to incorporate some of the Asian brush painting ideas into their works.
Possible sources: ABE Books, etc.

Chinese Painting Techniques, a Complete Course by Jean Long ***
Published by Studio Vista/Cassel London ©1994 ISBN 0-289-80114-1 224 well illustrated pages
This is a compilation of some of her earlier works and the title states it all! It covers the basic brush strokes like the rest of the books though there are other books that are better for those. It also covers Chinese color painting in great detail. Loading brushes with multiple colors, landscape details, the works. Also, common color mistakes are covered along with some remedies. The last portion of the book deals with practical Chinese painting, color symbolism, color washing and other very advanced color methods. There is also a brief section on composition that is all too brief.
If you have mastered the basics of Sumi-E or Chinese painting this is the book for you.
Possible source: ABE Books, The Oriental Bookstore, Pasadena CA, USA

The Art of Sumi-E by Shozo Sato ***
Published by Kodansha International Ltd. ©1994 ISBN 0-87011-570-7 332 well illustrated pages
This book complements Jean Long's book very well. The first section covers the history and composition of Asian brush paintings illustrated by classic paintings. Many less advanced books leave out the theory, which is fine for beginners but a pain if you're trying to understand the Chinese and Japanese compositions. Of special interest is the coverage of some of the Japanese wet brush techniques such as Nijimi and Tarashikomi. Also covered are some basics in fair detail and extracts from the Mustard Seed Garden Book, originally published in 1679 and still considered a classic for Chinese Painting.
Jean Long's books give you the details, this book gives you the plan!
Possible source: ABE Books, The Oriental Bookstore, Pasadena CA, USA or inter-library loan

The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting Ed. Mai-mai Sze ***
Published by Princeton University Press ©1963 various editions roughly 600 well illustrated pages
The Mustard Seed Garden Book, originally published in 1679 and still considered a classic source for Chinese Painting. Covers many of the different painting schools at the time and has scads of details especially for landscapes. It comes in several sizes of paperback and hardcover, try to get one of the larger versions.
Possible source: ABE Books, The Oriental Bookstore, Pasadena CA, USA or inter-library loan

Instructors

Pei-Jen (Paul) Hau, ASACA member ASACA home page
Pacific Art League of Palo Alto, 668 Ramona St., Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 321-3891
My current painting instructor, generally teaches during fall, winter and summer. If you live in the Bay Area, I highly recommend attending his classes for advanced students. If you're a beginner, I recommend:

Chun Hui Yu, ASACA member ASACA home page Yu, Chun-Hui - Painting & Calligraphy
Pacific Art League of California and various locations, teaches beginning ink painting and calligraphy. My current calligraphy instructor.

Marie Hu, ASACA member ASACA home page
Teaches calligraphy at the Chinese Community Center located in Cubberly, Room 1-14, 3000 Middlefield, Palo Alto, CA,. Thursdays 4-6.

Ryuko Kokuzo - sumi-e instructor - My first instructor, I highly recommend attending her classes. Lately I've received e-mail that she no longer teaches in LA at the Long Beach Buddhist Church but has moved to Hawaii with her husband. Perhaps some students of painting in Hawaii will send some further information.

Nan Hai Art Gallery - This gallery shows a variety of Chinese artists and arts, Sandra Wong also gives painting classes.
510 Broadway, Suite 300, Millbrae, CA 94030
Nan Hai Co.

Chin Fung Tong Art Gallery - Bai Ru Wu, artist, gives lessons, sells some supplies and paintings, including some famous painters.
38 Waverly Place, San Francisco, CA
(415) 398-2286

Amy Da-Peng King, ASACA member, teaches in various locations Amy Da-Peng King's Brush Painting Circle

I have no experience with the following teachers:
Ichen Art Studio - Teacher in Silicon Valley

Suppliers

Kinokuniya Bookstore, San Francisco - Has a stationary annex with paper and brushes.

New Unique Co - Brushes, paper, ink, silk borders, chops, the works.
A very comprehensive selection of books.
838 Grant Ave,
Mezzanine floor (Second floor)
San Francisco
(415) 251-9288

Galleries

Helen's Art Gallery, Helen Chen Proprietor
591 S. Taafe St.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
(408) 733-5787

Mounting and Framing

Kee Fung Ng Gallery - Supplies and may do silk mounting.
757 Grant Ave. San Francisco, CA
(415) 434-1814

Long Sung Tong Art Gallery - Teresa Tao proprietor.
2293 S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 574-3389
Framing, mounting, scrolls and seals. The mounting looks very good as well as the scrolls. I have two made up which are illustrated above. Also silk borders for conventional frames available. I recommend her.

Nice n Right - Lucas Wong proprietor. High quality mounting and framing. I recommend him.
San Jose, CA
(408) 246-9119

Yong Bao Zhai - Handicraft and Fine Arts Center
275 Castro Street
Mountain View, CA 94041
(650) 969-5816