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Learn to paint step-by-step beautiful irises and magical dragonflies. In this lesson you will learn to paint water irises and dragonflies. We will begin this tutorial practicing a variety of brush strokes, which you will use to paint a single iris flower in ink - your first composition. You will then learn how to paint buds and opening flowers, to create your second composition. And finally, practice painting dragonflies in various positions to accompany your painting, you will be creating your own third composition with ink and a touch of colour. You will also learn about the aesthetic meaning of irises in Japanese art, and deepen into their meditative nature.

Step-by-step how to create beautiful Japanese ink paintings. Some living creatures, like shrimps and crabs, may not look as sophisticated, or as beautiful as other animals. Our challenge in these lessons is to find and bring out the beauty and quality that is within them. In this course, you will learn to translate the shapes and form of these creatures into brush strokes to create a finished painting. The first section of this ink painting course focuses on step-by-step learning of how to paint shrimps and crabs in their natural surroundings, creating your first composition in black ink. While the second section of the course provides opportunity to experiment with using colour to paint dragon shrimps and larger crabs. You will also learn to paint water plants, water pebbles and clam shells to accompany your shrimps and crabs. As part of the bonus material you will find additional compositions for you to enjoy working from and a short essay on the meaning of a crab in an 18th C. woodblock print.