The Art of Sumi-e

In this beautiful book, Naomi Okamoto passes on her experience and knowledge of Sumi-e traditional Japanese ink painting that uses only ink, white space and simple brushstrokes to capture the essence of an object, person, animal or scene. With her deep understanding of both the technical and spiritual aspects of this ancient art, she guides the reader expertly through the materials required and the techniques involved, successfully conveying as she does so the cultural and historical background to this exquisite art form. There are numerous ink paintings and simple exercises throughout, making this book ideal for anyone wishing to acquire the skills associated with Sumi-e, as well as an understanding of the philosophy behind it.

Naomi Okamoto was born near Tokyo, Japan in 1951 and is a Member of the Federal Association of Artists (BBK). She studied painting, calligraphy, aesthetics, history of art and literature in Tokyo and moved to Germany in 1976. Naomi has studied under famous Japanese and Chinese masters of ink painting and works in various techniques from both the West and the East. She has exhibited in Tokyo, Kyoto, Westerland/Sylt, Hamburg, Dortmund, Bonn, Cologne, Mannheim, Saarbrucken, Stuttgart, Munich and Munster, and she teaches numerous courses in Germany, ink painting in Germany and the USA, and also under the pseudonym of Emi Akamatsu.