One Breath
Sumi ink on paper · 80 × 80 cm
The spark
Inspiration
The whole composition completed in the time of a single exhale. Practice work that became something I could not improve.
The blueprint
Color palette
Paper white
#faf6ee
Soft grey
#b8b0a0
Aged ink
#605648
Sumi
#1a1612
Pure black
#000000
Materials
What I used
- ·Handmade kozo paper
- ·Single large hake brush
- ·Sumi ink, freshly ground
The journey
Step by step
- 01
Background & Priming
I begin by toning the canvas with a thin wash to set the overall a single breath. The primer is allowed to settle so the texture of the weave still breathes through the first layers.
- 02
Sketching & Blocking
Loose charcoal marks map out the proportions. I then block the largest shapes with broad, diluted strokes — no detail yet, just the architecture of light and shadow.
- 03
Layering & Texture
Successive glazes build depth. I work wet-into-wet in some areas and let others dry between sessions, so the surface gathers a quiet rhythm of soft and crisp edges.
- 04
Highlights & Fine Details
Final touches — the smallest highlights, a few decisive accents, and the signature. I step back often. The painting is finished when nothing else asks to be added.