some remarks on quality p.2
Therefore such an outside body of reference is herewith dropped immediately.
We need to focus on what is used to produce the painting, on how the painter used his tools and on how this corresponds with the subject and its representation.
The two technical categories we need to consider for Chinese and Japanese painings are first, the drawing, or calligraphic body, and second, the colouration or use of ink shade. They together form the more intellectual category of the composition, the arrangement of the displayed subject in the two dimensions of the painted area, usually with a clear intention to create a certain imagination of space.
Lets first talk about the calligraphic body of the painting.
One painter might be famous for his drawing, another painter is known for the intriguing use of his colours, and according to his strength the painting is following the preference of the painter.
For Japanese and Chinese painting the calligraphic body is the more important category when we determine quality. Many paintings might have no colours and not even ink shading, its black and white substitute.
To have a good starting point we should discuss first calligraphy, the brush written characters.
In calligraphy quality is determined by the distribution of unused and used space, in the characters and their placement on the sheet of paper, created with a free movement of the brush.
This tool used is a rather long haired brush. Just to use it, one needs to learn the right handling and a than lot of practice to master it.
Without thorough training how to write with the brush, it is very difficult to establish an understanding for the movement of the brush, represented by the strokes or dots on the paper.