Media: Painting — Sumi So sumi Sumi ink painting (also called sumi-e) is a Japanese tradition that many modern artists have adapted for their own expressive purposes. Sumi ink comes dried and molded into sticks, which the artist mixes with water in a special tray. Depending on the ratio of ink to water, the ink may be jet black or palest gray. The ink glides smoothly across the paper with a brush, enabling an experienced artist to create expressive, calligraphic images with confident, sweeping brushstrokes. Traditional sumi ink paintings are usually signed with a chop, a stamp with a stylized artist's signature that is dipped into red ink. Traditional yet modern Many abstract artists have found that working in sumi ink allows them to capture both dramatic gestures and subtle textures on paper and canvas. Other painters working in oils or mixed media have found that the sumi techniques of assured, spontaneous brushstrokes add dynamism and atmosphere to their pieces. Lynne Charles Jerry Iverson The main types of painting are: Acrylic  Encaustic  Gouache  Oil  Sumi  Tempera  Watercolor  Mixed Media