Chinese brush painting can be classified into three categories mainly, according to different subject matters, namely, landscape, bird and flower and figure paintings.Each category can be further divided by different painting techniques. But in one painting, different techniques can be used simultaneously.
Landscape paintings
1)boneless landscape: Instead of drawing out the outlines, colors are directly applied, creating the form.
2)monochrome ink landscape
3)light umber landscape: Umber and other light shades of colors are added to a landscape done primarily in ink.
4)detail style with color: Outlines are carefully drawn to create precisely the forms, and then rich colors are applied layer by layer. Gold can be added for outlining.
Figure paintings
1)detail style with color
2)outline method
3)freestyle sketch: it also can be called expressionistic drawing. Expressionism is valued in this kind of painting, and whether or not to create the precise form is not important.
4)wash method: light shades of colors are applied to a painting outlined in ink.
Bird and flower painting
1)detail style with color
2)outline method: after the outlines are drawn in ink, light ink washes can be sparingly added for highlighting.
3)freestyle sketch
4)boneless method
5)flower-outline and leaf-wash style: flowers(or a part of the painting) are outlined and filled with colors, while leaves are dotted or dabbed with washes.
