korean brush stroke class

I took my first Korean brush stroke class this morning. The classes are held at the Foreigners Club (see previous entry) - you either go from 9-12 or 1-3. It is taught by a Mr. Park - a little Korean man with thick black glasses. He speaks some English but I have found that he doesn't always answer your questions. So I think he either doesn't always understand you or doesn't know how to answer you or both. Anyway, the class is very laid back. You pay 90,000 won for 4 classes and 70,000 won for your initial supplies (which I will go over later). Instruction can depend on how many people come to class that day. We had 6 people this morning including me. Everyone is at a different place in their instruction, so he comes around to everyone and works with them a little at a time.



He will sketch (outline really) what you are to paint. Everyone learns how to paint pink peonies first. Some of the students draw their own pictures, usually copying a scene from a book. I saw a scene with a cow in it that I eventually want to learn how to do. But back to the peonies.... It is basically a type of watercolor and some of the techniques remind me of tole painting. The trickiest part to me is judging how wet your brush is. But I had a blast - I think this will become a long term thing for me.




You are provided with a long strip of black felt that you lay on the table. Then he gives you a long strip of rice paper that you weigh down on either ends with these little plastic black rods. He also gives you the colors and the mixing tray. We also have a black ink pad - not a traditional ink pad - but one that you add water and make the black ink by rubbing it with another black rod. I know I haven't been clear, so I will try to show you in the pictures.



You also have 2 paintbrushes, one large and one small, that you roll up in a little reed carryall. The only things I had to purchase were a water pail (which is kind of cute and ingenious) and a plastic tube with a shoulder strap to carry your artwork in. When you are through for the day, you roll your paper up in the black felt and put it in the tube.