Based on principles of sumi-e at my recent workshop the aim was to encourage participants to make varied brush strokes and create works that were fluid.  I did show some traditional Sumi e strokes but with the limited time of a single day workshop thought “giving permission” to develop their own was valuable… and more creative. Numerous brushes were tried (including the one all loved which I made some 10 years ago from part of a feather… it is brilliant!) and loading of a soft sumi e brush  was demonstrated. The advantage of solid ink stick and grinding stone was experienced. We also played with ink and water on yupo after watching my dvd of freestyle Sumi e from a Japanese master. Looking back we covered a lot in a day

Jane eperimented with working on wood. She had even prepared the surface with different finishes. This is a meditation stool.

Stephen made some lovely free flowing marks… just beautiful

Caught on camera… and I was holding the brush low as I concentrated

we had lots of variations on bamboo… practise needed to perfect … but these are creatively different

using the rake brush can create echidna spikes. Not really Suumi e but all about exploring brushmarks