Ink Paper Image

This is the ink painting that hangs in my office, and to a certain extent, still informs what I like to do in my work. The painting, done with a medium size watercolor brush and traditional chinese ink is large, about two feet by three feet. There were probably just half a dozen pencil lines sketched before I put brush to paper. I did several takes, working very fast, looking for a sense of spontaneity and grace, and chose the best. Ink, with a brush or a fountain pen, attracts me as a medium because there's no hiding. The line is there, or not. It demands commitment. But it also demands a level of constant practice, which is hard to maintain. Or else you find yourself working in a familiar way. So recent works have been done in pencil, using the lighter shades of grey to find my way, break out of drawing habits and look for alternate lines of expression.
A larger version of the painting can be seen on my DeviantArt account.