Playful Animals in Chinese Ink & Watercolor
Discover the beauty and spirit of animals through Classical Chinese ink and expressive watercolor with prof Hanbing Hua. Each lesson highlights a different creature, guiding you in capturing personality, movement, and texture with lively, confident brushwork. From powerful tigers to gentle pandas and elegant swans, you’ll learn to paint with vitality, sensitivity, and a strong sense of character. Students are welcome to share photos of their favorite pets or animals as course references.
Playful Animals in Chinese Ink & Watercolor
Playful Animals - by professor Hanbing Hua, is designed to help you confidently capture the life and spirit of animals through expressive watercolor while introducing you to the foundations of Chinese ink painting. With Prof. Hua’s clear and confident guidance, the simple, fluid lines and purposeful brushstrokes of classical ink painting become easy to pick up and deeply enjoyable. His “less is more” approach reveals how minimal strokes can convey powerful emotion, rhythm, and movement. Chinese ink fundamentals also reinforce stronger watercolor design and technique.
Course Outline & Schedule
Lesson 1: Rhinoceros
Dec 6 Sat
Traits: Thick, stone-like armor; one or two jade-like horns; rugged, primal texture
Habits: Grasslands and marshes; herbivore; calm but strongly defensive
Artistic Depiction: Bold lines to define form, dense ink for armor, and reserved white space to highlight the horn — combining strength and grace
Lesson 2: Panda
Dec 13 Sat
TBC
Traits: Iconic black-and-white fur; round, gentle appearance; dark eye patches
Habits: Bamboo forests; feeds on bamboo; solitary, calm, and enjoys climbing
Artistic Depiction: Simple strokes to outline form, varied ink tones for contrast, and negative space to soften fur — capturing playful charm
Lesson 3: Tiger
Dec 20
TBC
Traits: Bright fur with black stripes; powerful build; distinct “king” mark
Habits: Forest dweller; nocturnal; swift, solitary hunter
Artistic Depiction: Strong structural lines, layered ink for bold stripes, and white space for sheen — radiating power and presence
Lesson 4: Cow
Jan 10
TBC
Traits: Black-and-white coat; gentle, rounded build; soft ears and glossy fur
Habits: Pastures; grass-fed; calm and social
Artistic Depiction: Soft lines for roundness, ink to define spots, and light washes to reveal softness — warm and approachable
Lesson 5: Puppy
Jan 17
TBC
Traits: Agile form; soft fur; bright eyes; playful and affectionate
Habits: Social, lively, intelligent omnivore
Artistic Depiction: Gentle lines and light ink to shape its form, with white space for fluffy texture — full of lively warmth
Lesson 6: Rooster
Jan 24 Sat
TBC
Traits: Red comb; colorful tail feathers; golden-brown plumage; sharp claws
Habits: Farmyard companion; active by day; territorial; heralds the dawn
Artistic Depiction: Vibrant hues for crest and feathers, bold lines for structure, and layered ink for patterns — bursting with vitality
Lesson 7: Eagle
Jan 31 Sat
TBC
Traits: Broad wingspan; sharp talons; golden-brown plumage; piercing eyes
Habits: Cliff nests; hunts by day; solitary and fierce
Artistic Depiction: Powerful strokes to capture stance, rich ink for plumage, and open space to suggest force and motion — majestic and commanding
Lesson 8: Horse
Feb 7 Sat
TBC
Traits: Strong, athletic build; slender limbs; flowing mane; sleek coat
Habits: Grassland herds; fast, spirited, and intelligent
Artistic Depiction: Dynamic lines for movement, ink gradients for coat texture, and white space to suggest wind and speed — strength with elegance
Lesson 9: Swan
Feb 14 Sat
TBC
Traits: White plumage; arched neck; graceful posture; vivid beak
Habits: Lakes and rivers; migratory; feeds on aquatic plants; lifelong pair bonds
Artistic Depiction: Delicate lines for the neck, soft ink for feather sheen, and white space for poise — ethereal beauty
Lesson 10: Penguin
Feb 21 Sat
TBC
Traits: Black-and-white plumage; plump, charming form; sturdy flippers
Habits: Antarctic habitat; group-living; feeds on fish and krill; excellent swimmer
Artistic Depiction: Rounded lines to define form, ink tones to separate black and white, and light washes for downy softness — irresistibly endearing
Bonus feedback Lesson
TBD
In this final session, Prof. Hua will review selected student works and offer personalized critiques to help you refine technique, strengthen expression, and consolidate what you’ve learned. It’s a focused chance to receive targeted feedback, ask questions, and end the course with clarity and confidence.
Course Outline & Schedule
Lesson 1: Rhinoceros
Dec 13 Sat
Traits: Thick, stone-like armor; one or two jade-like horns; rugged, primal texture
Habits: Grasslands and marshes; herbivore; calm but strongly defensive
Artistic Depiction: Bold lines to define form, dense ink for armor, and reserved white space to highlight the horn — combining strength and grace
Lesson 2: Panda
Dec 27 Sat
TBC
Traits: Iconic black-and-white fur; round, gentle appearance; dark eye patches
Habits: Bamboo forests; feeds on bamboo; solitary, calm, and enjoys climbing
Artistic Depiction: Simple strokes to outline form, varied ink tones for contrast, and negative space to soften fur — capturing playful charm
Lesson 3: Crabs
Jan 17
Traits: Resilient, alert, and structured, with hard shells, jointed legs, and expressive, asymmetrical forms
Habits: Moves sideways with quick, cautious steps, often pausing to observe and defend, thriving along shores and shallow waters
Artistic Depiction: Focus on structure and movement first, using bold shapes, rhythmic legs, and textured brushwork to convey solidity, motion, and coastal energy.
Lesson 4: Peacock
Jan 31 Sat
Traits: Elegant, calm, and dignified, with delicate plumage, refined posture, and a gentle yet alert presence
Habits: Moves slowly and deliberately, pausing to observe its surroundings, resting comfortably on elevated ground
Artistic Depiction: Emphasize posture and silhouette first, using soft washes, subtle tonal shifts, and loose edges to convey grace, light, and quiet atmosphere
Lesson 5: Tiger
Feb 14 Sat
TBC
Traits: Bright fur with black stripes; powerful build; distinct “king” mark
Habits: Forest dweller; nocturnal; swift, solitary hunter
Artistic Depiction: Strong structural lines, layered ink for bold stripes, and white space for sheen — radiating power and presence
Lesson 6: Sheeps
Feb 28 Sat
TBC
Traits: Calm, gentle, and observant, with soft wool textures and expressive, trusting eyes.
Habits: Often seen grazing slowly, staying close to the ground and to one another, moving with a quiet, steady rhythm.
Artistic Depiction: Focus on soft edges, layered textures of wool, and subtle shifts in light and color to convey tenderness, stillness, and a peaceful countryside mood.
Lesson 7: Cows
Mar 14 Sat
TBC
Traits: Black-and-white coat; gentle, rounded build; soft ears and glossy fur
Habits: Pastures; grass-fed; calm and social
Artistic Depiction: Soft lines for roundness, ink to define spots, and light washes to reveal softness — warm and approachable
Lesson 8: Horse
Mar 28 Sat
TBC
Traits: Strong, athletic build; slender limbs; flowing mane; sleek coat
Habits: Grassland herds; fast, spirited, and intelligent
Artistic Depiction: Dynamic lines for movement, ink gradients for coat texture, and white space to suggest wind and speed — strength with elegance
Lesson 9: Swan
Apr 11 Sat
TBC
Traits: Strong, composed, and dignified, with powerful forms, textured scales, and a calm, watchful gaze
Habits: Often rests motionless to absorb warmth, moving slowly and deliberately, blending into its surroundings while remaining alert.
Artistic Depiction: Emphasize structure and proportion, build layered textures for scales and skin. Use controlled brushwork, subtle color transitions, and light–shadow contrast to convey weight, age, and quiet strength
Lesson 10: Penguin
Apr 25 Sat
TBC
Traits: Expressive, intelligent, and social, with agile bodies, alert eyes, and strong emotional connections.
Habits: Rest in groups, groom, and interact closely, they stay aware of their surroundings while maintaining a calm, balanced presence in rugged terrain
Artistic Depiction: Capture posture, interaction, and hierarchy. Use warm–cool contrasts between fur and rock formations, soft edges for atmosphere, and simplified background shapes to emphasize mood, scale, and storytelling
Bonus feedback Lesson
TBD