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The University of Liverpool’s Confucius Institute recently started this semester’s Chinese ink-painting class, led by Wenjie Wang, one of LCI’s voluntary visiting Chinese tutors.
The lessons began with a talk on the aesthetic meaning of the orchid as one of the “Four Gentlemen”, stressing the integration of calligraphy into painting and the expression of spirit through the brush. The class further benefited from demonstrations, including the use of centre-tip and side-tip strokes for orchid leaves, explaining the lift-and-press rhythm and the stroke path of fold–move–finish.
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ALT text - Four examples of Chinese ink-painting from the class.
Students were guided to shape leaves that face the wind, remaining airy yet cohesive. The class distinguished five tonal layers—charred, dense, medium, light, and clear—using broken-tip and returning-tip methods to create turns and elasticity. Petals were washed with light ink; stamens were dotted with charred ink, balancing bone method and spirit resonance.
Students were then given the chance to practise on rice paper with mixed-hair brushes: first consolidating line quality through drills, then completing a small freehand composition of one clump, one flower. In the second round, many students could consciously switch between the belly and the tip of the brush; leaf turns became cleaner and the ink layering more refined.
LCI's Chinese ink-painting classes run this semester until 4th December 2025, and take place weekly Thursdays 3pm - 4pm.