Hi Mrs. Mayhall
I wanted to say thank you Mrs. Mayhall. My mom bought me this video because I was interested in learning about Sumi-e art after my art teacher showed me another video on japanese art. I liked your video alot better because your video was like magic the way you put the ink on the paper and made the colors and design flow together so well. My mom liked the video too and shes not really even into art! :D Your video taught me alot and I am getting your book soon too. I never even thought about getting into art until I saw the video in my art class and after seeing yours I know this is what I want to do. Thanks again.

-Tana

Save your money

save your money. The picture quality is poor. Looks like a home
movie camera. She shows you a paint stroke and than spends all
her time showing off her stuff which is just average. Not enough
information here to really help the first timer. buyer beware.

Absolutely gorgeous and invaluable!
The perfect clarity and precise painting techniques from this obviously experienced teacher make this video a "must own" for any painting enthusiast. You will also want her new book, "Sumi-e Dream Journey" which was just released. I have both and they're wonderful!

A Sumi-e Dream Journey video
This excellent video by artist yolanda Mayhall covers the "four gentlemen" of oriental painting. The "four gentlemen" are the bamboo, wild orchid, chrysanthemum, and plum branch. The strokes used to paint the "four gentlemen" encompass all of the strokes needed to create beautiful paintings. She demonstrates each of the "four gentlemen" by painting a beautiful composition and then shows how the individual strokes are done.
She begins by demonstrating a lovely painting of a bamboo branch with birds as part of the composition. She explains that one stroke leads to another and teaches the "four gentlemen" in a certain order. The bamboo strokes are the most disciplined. The next step is the wild orchid where the strokes are still disciplined but with a little more freedom. The chrysanthemum shows more action and freedom. Finally, the plum branch is extremely free.
During her demonstration of each of the "four gentlemen" she shows another use of the strokes just demonstrated, i.e. a bird made with the bamboo strokes, a butterfly using the wild orchid strokes, a fish made with the chrysanthemum strokes, and a mountain and rocks made with the plum branch strokes.
She shows a "dream journey" using the strokes and demonstrates a beautiful landscape. She also shows other ways to use brush painting techniques to paint on ceramics, fabrics, and cards. The same brush strokes can be used for local scenery, too.
This is a great video that anyone interested in brush painting would enjoy.

Wonderful display of Art by an outstanding Master Artist.
I was recently thrilled to know that I had the possibility of seeing at work the Artist, who one day taught me through her excelent Sumi-e book, to start my painting career in Brush Painting. To look at this art teaching video is just sheer pleasure. Generously the Artist shares her great painting knowledge, unfolding step by step all her many years of painting experience. To be able to create a marvellous Japanese Sumi-e painting, with the sole use of ordinary watercolour paint and paper, just shows her outstanding mastership in this Ancient Art. Indeed it is a journey, a journey that will take you to where a poem can turn to image, and where a beautiful dream can come true.