GongBi for Beginners

• 1). Secure white paper on the drawing board using white glue and then layer with one sheet of rice paper.
  
  
• 2). Sketch a design or image on transparent rice paper using a no. 2 pencil. Beginners should start with a simple drawing first, and increase the level of detail when the technique becomes more familiar.
  
  
• 3). Dampen the rice paper drawing with water and a brush. The white paper underneath will absorb any excess water. When the rice paper dries, it will lay flat against the surface of the drawing board. Remove the white paper underneath and glue the edges of the rice paper to the painting surface.
  
  
• 4). Place painting silk over the pencil drawing. Apply white glue to the painting surface to keep the silk in place. The lines on the rice paper should be visible through the translucent
  
  silk. This makes the initial sketch easy to trace onto the silk.
  
  
• 5). Trace the lines from the rice paper onto the silk using oil-soot stick ink and a thin, pointed paintbrush. Begin in an inconspicuous area and work toward the center of the piece. Do not rush this step. This is where the detail of the artwork takes shape.
  
  
• 6). Apply color wash between the lines of the dry, traced ink. Reapply the color wash until the desired color tone is created. Washes can be reapplied to a damp surface. Let the art dry before removing it from the painting surface.