Process

Sumi-e means black ink painting. The word Sumi is Japanese in origin. This type of painting originated in China in the 3rd century B.C. and gradually spread to Japan. It grew from the practice of calligraphic writing and is influenced by Buddhism and Taoism. Sumi painting can be called meditation with a brush. Then end goal is to become so involved in the process that you achieve unity with the subject you are painting. The paintings are intended to capture the beauty, essence, and spirit of what you see, rather than a photographic likeness.

The basic materials used to make sumi ink are made from soot acquired by the burning of pine wood and sap or vegetable oil. Vegetable oil is the most often used today. The traditional method is to burn pine wood in a stove in the center of a small hut with paper doors and to then scrape the soot off of the doors and the ceiling of the hut and knead the material adding glue, fragrance and other materials and then form it into ink sticks. The ink sticks are ground on a stone with a small amount of water to make ink for painting. Liquid sumi ink is also available. Ink must be made during the cool partof the year, mid-October to April.

Sumi Brushes are traditionally made from bamboo and goat, ox, wolf, or horse hair.