GUA MUSANG, Oct 31 — It took a retired teacher Koh Keat Fu just five hours to complete a Chinese ink painting and earn RM368 for his work.
It may sound simple but Koh, 53, has had experience creating Chinese ink paintings since 2003, having learned the techniques from Chinese painting masters, Zhong Zheng Chuan, 72, and He Kuai Ling, 65, from Bentong, Pahang.
“Chinese ink painting is a unique branch of art as each painting carries an implicit message about animals, plants and landmarks that are usually not known to the general public except the Chinese community.
“This one-stroke Chinese ink drawing is not the same as watercolour painting. So if an error occurs, the painter has to change the painting spontaneously.
“Chinese ink painters usually leave a lot of space on the canvas so that people who view the painting can imagine filling the empty space,” he said when met at his residence in Bandar Utama, here, today.
Koh or his pen name Alfred Koh said that Chinese ink painting has its peculiarity as it can indirectly sharpen a painter’s creativity
“Actually, I didn’t know that there are three or four colours in one stroke and how to create such an interesting effect. Upon learning this, I was amazed and began to understand the technique,” he said, adding that he had produced almost 400 artworks as souvenirs for charity and the public who placed orders.
He sells some of his paintings at RM128 to RM238 each, depending on the size and time taken to complete it. A normal painting is completed within 10 to 40 minutes.
The Penang-born who has been living in Gua Musang for 30 years, said he was encouraged by his teachers to open a drawing class for students.
“Since the Movement Control Order (MCO), I have been actively teaching via online classes. My teacher said I needed to start teaching as I would be exploring deeper to further expand my art knowledge and drawing skills,” he said. — Bernama
