The Research On Light Elements Of The Chinese Ink Figure Painting

The light and shadow allows us to perceive the color and volume of objects in nature,which is the precondition of how we know the world. Introducing this concept into thepainting and making it as an element in the picture has become a language of Chinesepainting.In western painting, the wide use and representation of light and shadow have madethe western painting dazzling in the entire painting history.When comes to Chinese painting,as influenced by the traditional Confucian culture, it innovates and develops the Chinesepainting language system with a unique form. The special effect by the capriccioso line andink on rice paper meets the need of traditional philosophy and humanism.“Rich nature,imitate the nature externally capture the mind internally” is the characteristic of ChinesePainting.The representation of the light and shadow was generally considered as the sign ofwesternization, as consequence, it was neglected in the Chinese painting history, whichfocuses on pursuing artistic conception much more than describing the objective existencethrough the naked eye. Nowadays, more and more artists began experimenting to representthe modern element, light and shade, with traditional inking, and there were even some artistsgoing against the principle of Chinese painting and excessively pursuing the lightrepresentation that deliberately aspire the picture impact. Only a few artists, who studied thelight representation in Chinese painting, have discourses on practical experience of theirexploring in creation.The theoretical system about how Chinese painting uses the element oflight and shadow still need to enrich and improve.Through history, from the ancient paintingsof light and shadow representation, this paper analyzed and proved that, ancient Chinese artists had different way of representation, instead of light and shadow, to the west.With thetime went by, the world of Chinese painting has shown its broadmindedness, and the artistshave paid more attention and strengthened the use of the light and shadow in Chinese painting,and have developed the Chinese painting from traditional one to the modern one, with theharmony of Chinese and western painting.After the practice by generations of artists, it hasgained a prominent achievements. With the development of the light and shadowrepresentation in Chinese painting and the works of many painting masters, this paper tries todiscuss how to describe the concept of light and shadow from the traditional writing andexplores the development of Chinese painting from that.