Oriental Art Supply Chinese Brush Painting Supplies
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General FAQs:  For BeginnersAbout OASTeachers
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Technique/Style FAQs:  General TechniqueGong-bi (Fineline)Calligraphy
Paper
What brushes and paper are used for fine line painting for Gong-bi style?
Different instructors recommend different equipment. For line work OAS recommends a Red Feather brush. For applying layers of color use two of either a Fine Soft Medium or a Fine Soft Small, one to apply the color and the other to pull the color. Fine line painting requires a sized shuen. Try OAS's Premium Sized Shuen.
What is Mature Shuen?
Mature Shuen is a Shuen paper that has been completely sized with alum. For premium quality, try OAS's Premium Sized Shuen. For more economic purposes, try the Glass Paper.
Do you carry Xuan Paper?
Yes we do, we just spell it as "Shuen."
What is the difference between Glass Paper and Premium Sized Shuen?
These two papers often categorized by some instructors as "no go through" paper. Since these papers are sized with alum, the color tends to float on top of the paper in other words the color does not go through the paper. Glass paper has a faint tea-like tint and the sizing tends to vary. Some areas may be more sized than others. Premium Sized Shuen is whiter in color and the sizing is done evenly throughout. For fine line painting OAS recommends the Premium Sized Shuen, however some may choose to go the more economic route of using Glass paper.
Is newsprint or newspaper good for practicing?
As you begin to experience brush painting, one of the first things you will encounter is the challenge of moisture control – and really this is the key. Newspaper breeds bad habits in this area because it is so wholly different than rice paper. With newspaper you do not have to be concerned with the amount of water in your brush so you miss out on the dynamic beauty of the paper and ink.
What are the differences between Chinese Mounting Paper (P15a) and Mounting Paper (P7)?
Chinese Mounting Paper (P15a) is machine-made rice paper imported from Taiwan. It is soft and flexible which makes it suitable for traditional scroll mounting as well as brush painting. In fact, Ning Yeh uses Chinese Mounting Paper for many of his oversized works. Mounting Paper (P7) is 60lb. weight American-made card stock. This paper is strong and yet flexible enough to stretch evenly when mounting, making it a breeze to handle. OAS has been using and experimenting with this mounting paper, among others, for over 30 years and we find that it is the best choice available for wet mounting.
I have trouble controlling my moisture/water, my strokes bleed and run. What can I do?
It is helpful to keep in mind that the amount of water you load on your brush is very important and changes depending on the type of raw Shuen paper you use. A good rule of thumb for this principle is the thinner your paper, the thicker your color and ink needs to be. In other words Double Shuen, a two-ply thick paper, is not going to be as apt to bleed from excessive moisture as Best Shuen, a single ply thin paper. Despite which rice paper you use, too much moisture is going to be a problem - the paper just determines the extent of the damage so to speak. The following are some tips from Ning and Ling that should help you conquer your moisture troubles: When you rinse your brush between strokes, before the brush touches the paper, it should be dry enough that you cannot squeeze any water from the body of your brush. Try painting this way and if you find your brush is too dry, then wet only the first 1/8th of the brush tip and try again.
I have a lot of practice work that I like but would not go to the trouble of mounting. However, I hesitate to just throw it away. Do you have any ideas about what I can do with my practice work?
Yes! Make use of all that hard work. You can use your desirable practice work to make pretty handmade cards. Single flowers work particularly well for this kind of project. Cut around the subject in a way that is appealing to you and that will fit on a card size of your choice. We think it looks particularly nice to leave enough room for the card underneath to show, creating a border; either even on all sides or off-set with a larger margin on the bottom, whatever looks good to you. Cover the entire back of the rice paper painting with glue (we like clear-drying glue sticks) and starting on an edge or corner, roll and press the rice paper painting carefully onto the card. If further pressing is required to smooth the surface simply cover the card with a piece of scrap paper and roll over with a cylinder (e.g. rolling pin, jar). Place under a heavy book to dry and flatten. Once dry, you may wish to accentuate your card design with hand ornamentation and/or paper effects. We sometimes like to decorate the edges of our cards with a thin gold or silver line in metallic paint pen, or spatter the card with other color(s), or go over the card with light washes of color, metallic color, gold, silver, sparkles, et cetera. The possibilities are unlimited! Be sure to sign your work and use a seal (maybe expressing a mood, wish or idea) to finish your composition. OAS sells lovely card & envelope sets that closely match the color of our raw Shuen papers. They come in sets of 10 cards/10 envelopes, and are approximately 7-1/4” x 5-1/4” unfolded (OAS Catalog Item POC). We often use these cards to send special greetings to our friends and families.
What are the differences between Best Shuen, Double Shuen AO, Double Shuen A, Double Shuen SP and Double Shuen?
While all four of these papers are raw or non-sized Shuen papers, meaning they are not treated with alum (glue), each has its own unique characteristics. Best Shuen, or Single Shuen, is a fine one-ply rice paper treasured by masters of Chinese brush painting. Best Shuen is the most sensitive of all the Shuen papers – allowing the best color variation to show - provided that you have the skill to control your moisture and apply quick brushstrokes. Without these skills Best Shuen can be frustrating to work with. Too much water, grainy colors, sluggish strokes will all show. Experienced brush painters affectionately call Best Shuen “honest” paper because if you excel it will show your work proudly, if you struggle it will tell the tale. Double Shuen AO is a single ply rice paper that is between Double Shuen and Best Shuen in thickness and sensitivity. For those of you who feel Best Shuen or Single Shuen is too thin but like its sensitivity, try this paper. Like Best Shuen or Single Shuen this paper is enjoyed by Calligraphers because of its sensitive characteristics but because of it is thicker than a Single Shuen it is a tad easier to control moisture-wise. Ning Yeh enjoys this paper because of its texture. It shows a velvety featherly or furry quality on color blending. Double Shuen A is a single ply rice paper that is between Double Shuen and Best Shuen in thickness and sensitivity. It is crispy to the touch and the fiber construction is not as uniform as the Double Shuen and Best Shuen. This paper is great for practice because it is economically priced and tends to bleed more than Double Shuen if exposed to excess water, which teaches you how to control your moisture. Double Shuen SP is a two-ply rice paper that shows brilliant color, reveals lively color variation and allows smooth delivery of strokes and color. This paper is OAS’s finest for flower painting, in fact, Ning Yeh’s Instructional TV Series “Chinese Flower Painting” centers on this very paper. Double Shuen SP is also great for other subjects such as plants, animals and low-moisture landscapes. While an excellent choice for painting, Double Shuen SP does require some skill in moisture control as it bleeds easier than regular Double Shuen. Double Shuen is a two-ply rice paper adored by brush painters everywhere. It is soft to the touch and has even fiber construction across its surface. The double thickness allows this Shuen to be extra forgiving to those who struggle with moisture control and subsequent color bleeding. While fun to paint on and great for beginners Double Shuen still manages to show lovely color variation – the best of both worlds!
Which of your supplies work best for calligraphy?
A. The best material choices for calligraphy are the Flow Brushes, Orchid Bamboo Brushes, Flower & Bird Brush, any of the inks we carry especially Best Bottle. The best papers for calligraphy are Practice Roll, Best Shuen and Double Shuen AO. For print style calligraphy we use the Flower & Bird Brush or any of the Flow Brushes. For grass style calligraphy the Orchid Bamboo Brushes work best. Add a touch of elegance and style to any special occasion calligraphy by mixing Pelikan’s Gold or Silver cake pan colors in with the ink.
What is the difference between Raw and Sized Paper?
Raw paper shows the dynamics of Hsieh-i or spontaneous style. Absorbancy, the moisture goes through. Paper that is sized have been treated with alum. It affects the absorbency paper. Some can be semi-sized while others often referred as "mature" fully sized. Semi-sized moisture partially goes through the paper, while fully sized or "mature" paper, moisture does not go through.
In Ning Yeh's Coastline College, Rebekah is using an offwhite yellow paper for her landscapes. What is this?
OAS has a limited stock of Jen Ho paper. It is a bark fiber paper used mainly for landscape painting. The appeal that seems to be liked by artists is its yellow, cream color and texture. Due to limited materials needed to produce this paper, Jen Ho is no longer being manufacturered. Rebekah occasionally takes scraps from her to day to day work in her shipping tasks to use in class. My warehouse has some pre-rolled 12 shts/16" x 24" approximate dimensions. Contact OAS for Jen Ho stock availability and mention that you saw this answer in the Frequently Asked Questions on our online website. Alternatively, try OAS's Pi paper. It is not cream colored look but comes close to Jen Ho's texture characteristics.
Are your papers archival?
Because of the number of papers coming to OAS and how the paper is stored when it leaves OAS, it is difficult to conduct tests on acidity. However, we have conducted some tests using an archival pen manufactured by Lineco. Just ask one of our customer service representative if the paper you wish to have has a Lineco Archival Pen test result. We have tried other archival testing pens such as ones that have a yellow-green-blue result, but our results are greatly skewed in each instance. Since we do not have the financial means to test the paper through special laboratory means, and only by Lineco Archival Pen testing, we can not guarantee any of our papers to be "Acid Free".
Do you paint on the smooth side or the rough side of the paper?
It is customary to always paint on the smooth side of the paper. However, if you cannot tell the difference, then do not worry about the difference.
Do you carry Washi paper?
Washi means Japanese paper. Often refers to the traditional papers made from long inner fibers of certain plants. Explain to OAS what purpose you would like to use it for and perhaps we can better assist you. Just send an e-mail or call us toll free at 1-800-969-4471.