Jiayi
China · River and mountain scroll
A long scroll of rivers and mountains. Clouds join one peak to the next.
Now showing
The whole picture
A near pavilion, far mountains and a small boat on the river share one picture. Scan it slowly from top to bottom.
Look at spot 1
The mountains are green and ochre painted in layers, and the clouds are drawn with swirling lines. Each mountain shows its grain.
Look at spot 2
Trees are layered behind the pavilion to make depth. The front trees are dark and the back ones are pale.
Look at spot 3
The boat and the person are tiny on the page, but empty space around them makes them the first thing you notice.
Five colors
On a pale cream ground, the mountains' green, a peach tone and ink-dark trees go well together.
Where your eyes go
Your eyes come down along the line from the mountain to the pavilion to the boat, flowing from big to small.
Try it yourself
Mention something big (a mountain) and something small (a boat) together and the picture gains depth.
Jump to a scene
These videos have no sound. The same lesson is written out below each one.
Notes for experienced creators
Example sentence
A small boat floating on a misty river, with green mountains stretching far away
- Pick three spots at most for the eye to rest on. Any more and the picture blurs.
- Put one subject, one light and one mood into a single sentence for a clearer result.
- Paint the same sentence in different styles to see the differences between them most clearly.
