Colour Application According To The Picture Plane And The Space Display Of Chinese Painting

Shan Shui or Chinese landscape painting is a style of Chinese painting. One of the techniques used by the style is a combination of "application of different colours to different objects" and "arrangement of composition", i.e. application of different colours corresponding to atmosphere. The correlation between atmosphere and colours is a decisive factor in atmospheric display in Shan Shui painting. In general sense, Chinese painting takes into account the atmosphere when composition is arranged. In specific sense, the atmosphere of a Chinese landscape painting is best displayed through corresponding application of colours. When it comes to atmosphere, such factors as stroke, tone, form, compostion and spirit should be given adequate consideration. They work together to constitute a Shan Shui painting with an inherent atmosphere. Also, equal attention should be paid to other factors including the application of tone, such as cold tone, warm tone, rock tone and water tone, as well as the application of staining, such as staining by smearing, staining by dotting, and staining by filling just colours; moreover, there are the correlations between colour application and perspective, the seen and the unseen, layers and insertions, patterns and blanks. These factors contribute to atmosphere display in their own way. To sum up, application of different colours corresponding to atmospheres is a motif which could be analyzed into several important elements.To apply colours to a Shan Shui painting is to further work on its atmosphere display. During the process, the concept of application of colours corresponding to atmosphere should be used as the principle guidance under which the creation of a Shan Shui painting focuses on atmosphere display. The atmosphere displayed in a coloured Shan Shui painting not only represents the nature but also carries the spirit of the painter. In another word, colours are used not only to fill in forms and to display atmosphere but also to convey the emotions of the painter.