In sumi-e, bamboo is painted in three stages — trunk (with nodes), leaves, and branches — and then arranged using three-point composition. This guide follows the video demonstration step by step, so you can watch and practise alongside a Japanese artist from the very first stroke.
Bamboo is one of the [Four Gentlemen (四君子)] — the four classic subjects of sumi-e alongside plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum. Mastering it builds the brushwork foundation you will carry across all of them.
How to Use This Guide | Watch the Video and Follow Along
This article is written as a companion to the video demonstration below. Each section corresponds to a specific scene in the video, with timestamp references so you can pause, rewatch, and practise each technique before moving on.
If you are new to Japanese ink painting, you may want to read the [Sumi-e for Beginners guide] first — it covers ink preparation, paper, and brush-holding technique before you dive into subject painting.
Otherwise, prepare your brush, ink, and paper, then press play.
What to watch for in this video:
- Trunk scene (approx. 0:01): Notice how the brush is laid nearly flat against the paper and pulled upward from the base. Watch how the artist stops the brush firmly just before each node, lifts cleanly off the paper, then begins the next section — the node gap emerges from that deliberate lift, not from any added marking.
- Leaf scene (approx. 0:21): This is the naimyaku technique in action — a single diagonal sweep that creates both the leaf blade and its central vein simultaneously. There is no second stroke for the vein.
- Branch scene (approx. 0:52): Fine branches connect the trunk to leaf clusters. Watch the dry-brush texture (かすれ / kasure) that appears naturally as the brush runs lighter — this is intentional, not a mistake.
- Composition scene (observed throughout the full video): The artist places three groupings of elements — long, medium, and short — and leaves significant areas of the paper completely unpainted. That empty space is as deliberate as every brushstroke.
Step 1 — Painting the Bamboo Trunk | Brushwork with Nodes