Inspiration China Tour for Chinese Painting Practitioners

After breakfast, transfer to the train station to take a bullet train to Guilin (2.5hours). Transfer to Heshe Hotel or Guilin Yi Royal Palace Hotel and have lunch. Visit to a local tea house and listen to a lecture of tea and its connection with Chinese art and painting. Meet Master Pi with formal introductions. Visit art supply establishments and obtain any necessary art supplies for the course. Advice will be given by Master Pi on particular brushes etc. that will suit technique and personal requirements.

Meal: B, L

Morning: As this program is for those with experience there is no introduction to general skills.

1. Rock painting

2. Line painting

3. Advanced texture strokes for rock painting

4. Moss painting

5. Traditional 3D techniques (parallax and perspective)

6. Traditional composition techniques.In the afternoon, visit Banyan Lake Art Gallery and Flower Bridge Art Gallery Painting appreciation and copying skills.

Meal: B, L

Morning:

1. Trees

2. Trunks

3. Branches

4. Leaves

5. Traditional composition techniques and theory.Afternoon: Visit the workshop of Mr. Huang, who is a master of making traditional Chinese fans.

Meal: B, L

Morning:

1. Combination of rocks and trees into a landscape.

2. Clouds

3. Water

4. Traditional composition of a Chinese landscape scene.Afternoon, drive out of town to a workshop of making traditional lacquer ware.

Meal: B, L

Full day course: We will be outside to sketch and paint with pen or brush “plein air”. Please prepare a sketch book or painting clip. Mr. Pi will discuss materials for plein air technique that suits the individual. Guilin is in a perfect area for traditional Chinese painting, the Karst mountain formations are unique and the surrounding rock and forest formations of this type are best seen in this area. You will begin to construct a portfolio to continue with your paintings for years to come.

Meal: B, L

Morning:

1. Flower painting technique.

2. Line drawing using only brush work.

3. Gongbei (elaborate style)

4. Xieyi (free hand brush technique).Afternoon, drive to a farmer painters' village. The local farmers learn to paint landscape paintings to make a better life besides their farm work and sell at the low end art market. They also make painted cloth dragons for New Year celebrations.

Meal: B, L

Full day course: Drive to Xiong Village near Daxu old town with Mr. Pi, stroll in the village. You will see the old farmers’ houses, and even slogans during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) that have been well preserved here. Under the direction of Master Pi there will be advanced sketching practice. Later head for Daxu for lunch. Walk around the old street and pay a visit to a local resident. In the afternoon, more sketch practice at the old town.

Meal: B, L

Morning:

1. Continue rock, tree and flower technique

2. Individual time with Master Pi for technique fine tuning and precision brushwork.

3. Choose and prepare works started or completed in this week for exhibition.

4. ExhibitionAfternoon, walk around the downtown lakes and enjoy tea at a local tea house with lecture and sketching.Have a farewell dinner with Master Pi in the evening.

Meal: B, L

In the morning, explore Reed Flute Cave in the suburb of the city. Then transfer to Yangshuo for lunch. In the early afternoon, take a bamboo raft down Yulong River (1.5hours) to see the rural life of South China. This is a perfect area and activity for continuing your plein air sketching. In the evening attend the Impression Liu Sanjie Light Show. Overnight at Bamboo Leaf Hotel (2 nights).

Meal: B, L

Get up early in the morning, and have a Taiji course (7:30-9:00am). Then have breakfast. After that, drive to Seven Immortals Peak Tea Farm to see the tea trees and tea production, taste the organic tea. Have lunch at the farm. Free time in the afternoon. Both the morning and the afternoon are a perfect time and place to continue painting. Take this opportunity to capture the unique vistas of this area including farming practices and local plants and wildlife.

Meal: B, L

Transfer to Guilin train station to board a bullet train to Guangzhou to catch your international flight back home.

Meal: B