Long blades of grass (Fig. 1) virtually suggest their own technique. Each blade is an unhesitating, curving, upward stroke of the brush, guided by the natural continuous motion of iren as described on page 16. In the interests of composition, a cluster of grass may best be painted as emanating from a single visual source. Grasses tend to incline in one general direction but, in painting, one or two strokes in the reverse direction sometimes add interest. Shorter, new-grown grass (Fig. 2) assumes a sturdier character and finds expression in abrupt little downward strokes. Such contrasts of line technique as illustrated by these two grasses frequently appear together in one painting, the staccato accent of the one complementing the flowing grace of the other.
The infinite twists and turns of longer grassy reeds are familiar in their beauty to every nature observer. Ancient Chinese sumi artists had interesting names for each section of this natural design. The main grass stroke of Fig. 3 illustrates three main sections, all painted in one skillfully controlled sweep of the brush. This stroke is begun with a "nailhead," a slight pressure of the brush to the paper held momentarily before continuing to the second section. Here, the brush does not leave the paper but is abruptly raised to a thin point, immediately descending once more to become the broadest section of the grass. This section is known as toroto, or "mantis body."
Again the brush is lifted without leaving the paper and the stroke tapers off to a thin point in the third section, known as the "rat tail." This entire brush action consists of controlled manipulation of the pressure of the bristles against the paper in a sensitive expression of natural growth.
The groupings of strokes shown in Figs. 4 and 5, so often noted in nature, also have the distinction of their own names in the sumi-e vocabulary. Crossing the main, or twisted stroke, invariably is a second and less complicated one. This grouping is called hogan, "phoenix eye," because of its resemblance to the eye of a bird (Fig. 4). When yet another stroke crosses between these two, it becomes hahogan, "sundered phoenix eye" (Fig. 5).
The hahogan grouping is a traditional composition growing out of centuries of observation and painting on the part of many successive Oriental artists. There are many variations of design in nature and this particular formation may be noted in tree branches, vegetables, and flowers as well as in the grasses. Looking around, one will find countless examples of the "phoenix eye" supplying inspiration and suggestion for linear compositions.
