Sumi & Asian Art Supplies

Sumi-e is an Asian discipline, a style of painting where the least number of strokes should convey the spirit of the subject. Sometimes called 'Chinese Brush Painting' Sumi-e is also practiced in Japan and Korea.

Tools for Sumi-e include bamboo brushes and particular inks made from vegetable oil soot. Bamboo brushes are round - generally a soft, absorbent hair surrounds a stiffer core. Hake brushes are extraordinarily soft and flat. The tools for Sumi-e painting also lend themselves to ornate and expressive calligraphy.