We Try to Paint

Parker and Erik: Parker's mustache is real, despite the pose. I think the crab Erik is holding was painted by Du Laoshi. Parker and Erik are studying second year Chinese and often are called on to interpret. UPDATE: Whoops, I was wrong. This is Erik's own painting. Nice job, Erik!

Natalia and Forrest enjoying the painting lesson. Natalia and Forrest have both studied Japanese for many years and are expert at the stroke order I find so difficult! You can see Jim and Jeff in the background.

Du Laoshi (Professor Du) taught us how to paint today, and we got to imitate the watercolor crabs he had painted yesterday. In writing Chinese or Japanese characters, stroke order is important (something I'm not very good at remembering!) And in teaching us how to paint the crab, Du Laoshi showed us a diagram with a stroke order for creating the crab, similar to stroke order for a Chinese character. Three broad short strokes for the body: middle, left, right. Yi, er, san - one, two, three. Short strokes for the claws at the top: left, right. Four straight lines tipped upward for the legs: yi, er, san, si, on the left then on the right. Four more lines on each side for the lower part of the legs. Dip the brush back in the paint for the claw tips: yi, er, san, si, wu, liu, qi, ba. Close the claws at the top, and add the eyes.