In this blog post, we will examine the essence of reproduction and expression in art through the observation methods and creative process of Oriental painting.
Art originates from life, and the expression of painting begins with observation and perception of real life. Art is a creative activity that naturally emerges from human life, and its roots lie in the various experiences and observations we encounter in our daily lives. Painting, especially Eastern and Western painting, differs in its methods of observation and expression according to their respective philosophies and aesthetic values. Eastern painters go beyond simply depicting the world as it appears to the eye and place importance on capturing the inner essence of their subjects. This process requires deeper spiritual insight than simply realistic depiction.
Therefore, an important process in painting is learning how to observe. The tradition of Oriental painting emphasizes that all artistic expression begins with observation. This is not mere visual observation, but rather a process of opening one’s mind and grasping the essence of the subject. Such observation is not only a way of looking at things, but also a process of understanding the hidden meanings and emotions behind them.
Oriental painting emphasizes comprehensive observation while at the same time making bold selections. Observation in Oriental painting is not limited to simply looking at things, but focuses on grasping their essential characteristics and expressing them in a bold and selective manner. Artists emphasize only what is necessary to reinforce the message they want to convey and boldly omit unnecessary elements.
In this process, the observed objects are combined with the artist’s ideals and reborn in a new form. Since artists observe their subjects with the content they want to express in mind, they observe their daily lives in detail and look at things that match their ideals and needs. For example, some painters look closely at specific flowers or trees in nature to find their own artistic inspiration.
What is important here is not just to look at something and move on, but to have a keen eye that sees through the essence of the subject. Such observation is an important source of inspiration for artists in their daily lives.
Conversely, they pay less attention to things they consider irrelevant or unnecessary. This is an aesthetic principle that is particularly emphasized in Oriental painting, where only the important elements are left and the rest is simplified. This is deeply connected to the unique aesthetic of Oriental painting, which leaves blank spaces in the artwork. These spaces are not simply empty, but become spaces that evoke infinite imagination.
Then, when expressing this in a painting, the artist carefully and accurately expresses the parts that embody the spirit, while simplifying or omitting the less important parts, including the background, and replacing them with blank spaces. Through this process, artists reconstruct their subjects through their own subjective interpretations, leaving a more powerful impression. The reason why Oriental painters are reluctant to imitate nature as it is is because such imitation can actually cause the subject to lose its vitality.
Therefore, Oriental painters considered imitating nature as it is to be the worst form of painting, viewing such paintings as lifeless, even if they were detailed and precise. In Oriental painting, it is more important to express the spiritual meaning contained within nature than to simply reproduce it. Therefore, Oriental painters strive to capture the energy flowing within the subject rather than its superficial form.
Western painting reveals light and shadow by observing the darkness and brightness of light, while Eastern painting expresses objects through the depth and blurriness of ink and the lightness and heaviness of lines. Western and Eastern painting show great differences in their methods of expression, even when looking at similar objects. Western painting focuses on how to accurately reproduce the real world, emphasizing three-dimensionality through light and the resulting shadows. On the other hand, Oriental painting attempts to express subjects in a more abstract and internal manner through ink.
In addition, Oriental painters observe the strongest impressions from different perspectives and angles, and express them in a prominent and exaggerated manner within a single screen. This is one of the characteristics of Oriental painting, which expresses subjects by combining various perspectives within a single screen. This allows them to transcend the spatial limitations of reality and capture multiple perspectives within a single scene.
To achieve this, artists undergo a process of detailed observation before painting to understand the structure of their subjects. Detailed observation is the foundation of Oriental painting, enabling artists to understand the essence of their subjects and grasp their structure. Through this process, artists explore not only the form and structure of their subjects, but also their symbolic meanings and emotions.
For example, they study and analyze various characteristics such as what kind of flower they want to paint, what color it is, how the leaves grow, how many sepals it has, and what the pistil, pedicel, and stem are like. This detailed analysis is a process of grasping the hidden order and harmony of nature beyond the external characteristics of the subject.
Through this process, artists seek to create profound expressions that encompass both the external form and internal meaning of their subjects. Once they become familiar with how to observe objects and express their structural composition, Oriental painters create their works based on their memory of the forms, rather than the actual objects themselves. Another important element of Oriental painting is the memory of forms. This is the process by which artists create works by reviving in their memory subjects that they have observed and analyzed over a long period of time. Shape memory is not simply memory, but a process of compressing and reconstructing the essential characteristics of an object. Shape memory is a psychological process of engraving experiences and lessons learned in the mind and then reviving them based on visual and auditory representations. In this process, artists reinterpret objects based on their feelings and experiences, enabling new creative expressions.
These memories are not simple reproductions, but become the basis for creation combined with the artist’s unique interpretation.
The images that remain in our memories are the parts that best represent the characteristics of the subject. The important thing in image memory is to accurately remember the essential characteristics of the subject and how to utilize them in the creative process. Through this, artists are able to go beyond the concrete forms of the real world and express deeper meanings and emotions.
Therefore, painters can express subjects vividly without being bound by them, as complex and minute details are removed from their minds. The details of the complex real world are simplified in visual memory, which helps to highlight the essential characteristics of the subject. This process gives artists more freedom to create, resulting in works with a stronger sense of vitality.
The fact that painters of birds and flowers throughout history have been able to beautifully express the appearance of birds and flowers and accurately depict the texture of grass and insects is closely related to the fact that they painted without looking at their subjects. This is also why many Oriental painters throughout history sought to express the inner beauty of nature rather than simply reproducing it. They did not simply imitate the outward appearance of their subjects, but sought to capture their souls.
If they had painted birds and insects as still lifes, they might have been able to capture every detail of their appearance, including the shadows cast by the light, but they would not have been able to create a work full of life. This is one of the reasons why Oriental painters valued creative interpretation over simple reproduction. Rather than simply depicting nature as it is, the effort to express the vitality contained within it became an important feature of Oriental painting.
Therefore, painting based on shape memory not only makes the subject more vivid, but also allows the artist to freely express their subjective views. Shape memory allows artists to freely reinterpret their subjects, enabling them to create their own unique expressions. This creative process is an important artistic foundation of Oriental painting, and it allows artists to imbue their works with deep emotions and meaning.
