作为一个独立的绘画品种，水粉画的含义主要是专指用水粉这种材料工具以丰富的艺术表现力绘制的人物、风景、静物画作品。近年来，冠以水粉画这一名称的绘画作品，在美术展览会和出版物里已不鲜见。但有关水粉画的专门论著更是罕见。最近看到曹辅銮老师撰写的《水粉画的产生与发展》一文后，很是高兴，联想起两年前曹辅銮老师举办的个人水粉画作品展览，深感他对于水粉画的一往情深和锲而不舍的探求精神是难能可贵的。

　　As a unique painting type, gouache painting mainly refers to those paintings using the gouache painting colour and based on its luxuriant expressive force to paint figure, landscape and still life. In the recent years, the painting works, named as gouache paintings, are not so unusual as before at art exhibitions and publications. But the professional treatise is still infrequent. Recently, I am glad to read an article by Teacher Cao Fuluan, “The Occurrence and Development of Gouache Painting”, and recollect the solo gouache painting exhibition held by Teacher Cao Fuluan two years ago, and become aware of his deep feelings to and perseverant exploration of the gouache painting, which are commendable.

　　曹辅銮老师在大学学生时代，受到过我国著名的国画家傅抱石、陈之佛、油画家吕斯百和水彩画家李剑晨的指点，因而具有良好的中国画和油画、水彩画的基础和素养。在参加工作后不久，即投身于水粉画、油画的创作与教学，在多年的勤奋实践中，创作了大量的作品，积累了丰富的经验，而今又结合自己的作画心得，对水粉画的历史发展和表现技法等方面作了深入的理论探讨，这是很有意义的工作。

　　Teacher Cao Fuluan has received the direction of the two famous traditional Chinese painters Fu Baoshi, Chen Zhife, the famous oil painter, Lv Sibai, and the famous gouache painter, Li Jianchen, in his college life, so he possesses solid base and achieves great accomplishments in traditional Chinese painting, oil painting and gouache painting. As soon as he started to work, he devoted to the composition and education of gouache painting and oil painting. During his many years of diligent practice, he has created a great amount of works and gained plenty of experiences. At present, combining with his own painting experience, he probes into a profound theory discussion on the development and the expressive technique of gouache painting. And that is a meaningful job.

　　水粉画的工具材料，使用起来较为灵便，由于它兼有水和粉的双重特点，既能传达轻盈明快的笔意，也能表现细致丰富的色调。它与油画和水彩有类似的表现方法，也有不同的艺术效果。充分了解水粉画材料工具的优越性和局限性，以期扬长避短，尽其所长，是水粉画表现技法研究的重要课题。对于一位学有专长的画家，择其代表性的作品，从构思立意，作画步骤，设色用笔，直到最终效果，一一悉心分析，是研究绘画技法的有益而有效的方法。从曹辅銮老师的水粉画近作中可以看到，作者熟练地掌握了水粉画的工具材料性能，在艺术表现上也很见功力，因此不妨从中选出几幅，以此来探讨一下水粉画的表现技法和作者的艺术特色。

　　The material and tools of gouache painting are convenient to use, for it has the characteristics of water and powder, which can express not only the lightness and liveliness of the brush, but also the delicacy and richness of tone. The gouache painting has a similar expressive method with the oil painting and watercolour painting; at the same time it can gain a totally different artistic effect. It is a key task in the study of expression technique in gouache painting to realize the advantage and shortage of its material and tool so that the advantage is completely developed and the shortage carefully avoided. To a painter who has acquired a specialty, it is a beneficial and effective way to study his painting technique through his master piece for a detailed analysis of its conception, its painting approach, its using of colour and brush, till its final impression effcct. Taking Teacher Cao Fuluan’s recent gouache paintings into consideration, we can conclude that he has expertly mastered the performance of the gouache painting material and gained a strong expressive force. Hereby we can choose several of his works for a discussion of the expression technique of gouache painting and the composer’s artistic characteristic.

　　在作者盈满的画夹中，花卉和静物作品，令人注目。有两幅先后画成的《丁香》，以各自独具的动人风采，吸引着观者，第一幅作于一九七七年，题为《丁香》(1980年作者个人画展时展出之后，在全国第六届美展中，由中国美术馆收藏)，构图饱满简洁，色调沉静透明、整个画面丰富，而不杂乱。在这幅画中，作者采用的是多层次的古典画法，力求表现得有深度。色彩处理由近浅而远深，层层推移，节秦鲜明。为了突出花的洁白可爱，背景与叶子，以及桌面的色调，处理得十分接近，差距微妙而富于变化。这些地方看来似不经意，其实却常常是作者匠心所在，画见细腻写实，然而，着色用笔却不见迟疑，干净利落。据作者说，整个背景用了两个小时，没有再涂改过，桌面上的透明面和散落的丁香花倒影，也是一个快速画完的，水与色，都是在上色之前于调色盒内准备好的，如临时边调边画，就不易那么得心应手了。

　　Among the fullness of his paintings album, the flower and still life are the most eyesight catching. There are two pieces of “Clove” created in different time; each exhibits a special elegant demeanor attracting the appreciators’ attention. The first piece is created in 1977 with a title of “Clove” (after its exhibition in the solo exhibition in 1980, it was stored in China Art Gallery during the sixth National Art Exhibition.). Its composition of a picture is rich, simple and clear; its tone tranquil and transparent; and its whole picture is abundant without any disarray. The composer adapts the classical technique of multi-administrative levels to express profundity in this painting. The arrangement of colour is from light to dark, developing layer by layer to display a brilliant rhyme. In order to give prominence to the whiteness and loveliness of the flower, the tones of the background, of the leaves and of the table resemble to each other, their difference is subtle while the changes abundant. That seems like an unconsidered arrangement, but all shows the genius design of the composer. The painting is slender and realistic, but its brush using is neat and efficient without any hesitation. The composer said that the whole background was painted for two hours without an amendment. And the tranquil surface of the table and the inverted image of the clove were also painted in expeditiousness. Water and colour were pre-prepared in the painting box, if they were temporarily modulated, it would lose the facility.

　　第二幅《白丁香》，作于一九八零年 。第一幅的成功并没有使作者满足，三年之后，他又一次描绘芬芳馨人的丁香时，完全改变了前次的表现手法，这一幅的艺术处理，似乎带有更多的主观因素。色调清新素雅，笔致明快酣畅，于洒脱中见婉约，是一幅颇受观众欢迎的佳作。比较起前一幅，这幅画较多地吸收了其他画种的长处，巧妙地溶合了水彩画和水墨画成功的关键。为了强调水色淋漓的滋润之感，作者有意将色调单纯化，基本上只使用了几种冷色。背景与桌面，以大笔饱蘸水色，趁显涂抹，在互相渗透融合的水色中，隐见笔势所趋，使人感到即柔和又不浑沌。前景的丁香花，以干画法，点缀而成，虽色度与背景相差无几，却因干湿的对比而十分突出。画中最精彩的部分，或可说是花瓶暗部的那一笔，类似浓墨的深色与未干的花瓶主体的兰灰色融为一体，既见笔意，又现厚度。听说在作画的那一阶段，作者正埋头苦练水墨写意花卉，看来这恰到好处的一笔，也正得助于此。

　　The second piece is “White Clove” created in 1980. The first success did not satisfy the composer. Three years later when he printed this fragrant clove again, he entirely changed his expressive method. This time there is more subjective factors in its artistic management. Its tone is distinct and elegant and the painting style bright, merry and lively, while grace and delicacy appears in pizzazz and ease. It is absolutely a popular and excellent work. Compared with the former one, this piece absorbs many advantages of other painting sorts and skillfully combines the successful points of the watercolor painting and Chinese ink and wash painting. To emphasize the moist sense of water’s dripping wet, the composer purifies the tone on purpose, only uses several kinds of basic cool colour. On the background and the table, the brush, plump with water, paints as the watercolour is still wet, which makes the force of the brush obvious and gives a feeling of gentleness while free of any sense of chaos. The foreground clove is painted by a dry brushwork with some decorations, though the chroma of the foreground is similar to that of the background, the contrast of watercolor and dry colour is obvious. The most wonderful part in this painting is maybe the dark side of the vase, the dark colour, like dense ink, melts in the wet grayish blue of the body of vase, presenting a remarkable brush force and thickness. It is said that the composer was just practicing the traditional Chinese ink and wash paintings at that moment, so it is a charismatic work of that period.

　　除了丁香、牡丹、绣球、玫瑰等花卉静物写生中，作者还有不少精心之作。总的来说，曹辅銮老师的水粉画以清新明快，华润潇洒的风格见长，仔细推敲起来，他作画有这样几个特点：

　　Besides the still life sketches of clove, peony, hydrangea, rose and so on, the composer has many excellent works. Above all, Teacher Cao Fuluan’s gouache painting is featured by clearness and brightness, splendor and vigor. Based on study, his works have the following characteristics:

　　其一，是他十分注重水粉画的艺术特色。长期以来他致力于水粉画所特有的表现的探索。他认为，由于水粉画是个 较为年青的绘画品种，不象其他画种那样有深厚的传统基础，因此能否在艺术表现上暗示出强烈的特色，是和它的生命力密切相关的。对于一些刻意模仿油画或水彩、水墨的画法，他颇不以为然，以为这样做的结果，不仅不会出现优秀的水粉画作品，反而会带来自身的变种或消灭的可悲结局。他认为水粉画既要有“水”的趣味，又要有“粉”的特色，模仿油画，总不及油画深沉，反而失去了“润”味;模仿水彩，也不如水彩轻快、透明，而粉色的艳丽感则大大减弱。所以，学习和从事水粉画创作，应当紧紧扣住“水”与“粉”的相互关系来研究。要充分发挥水粉画色泽艳丽饱满的优势，在保护其他画种的技巧方法。上面介绍的两幅丁香花，可说是作者观点的一个例证。

　　The first, he always pays attention to the artistic feature of gouache painting. For a very long period, he has devoted to the exploration of special expressive force of gouache painting. He believes that since gouache painting is a newly developing painting category without any solid traditional foundation as other painting categories, it is fatal for its vitality to possess a strong characteristic in artistic expression. He objects to imitation of oil painting, watercolour painting and ink and wash painting, and believes that by this method nobody could bring fine gouache painting works, but that may result in variation or even perishment of the gouache painting. He reckons that gouache painting must have the theme of “water” and the quality of “powder”. Imitating oil painting will never gain the profundity of the oil painting, but jut lose its sense of “moist”. Imitating watercolour painting will never gain the resilience and transparence of it, but just reduce the brightness of the powder. Then, to learn gouache painting and pursue success in it, one must fasten the relationship of the “water” and “powder” in study, fully developing its advantage in brightness and abundance and preserving the techniques of other painting categories. The above-mentioned two pieces of clove is an exemplification of the composer.

　　其二，是他很讲究作画的方法步骤。任何动人的艺术效果离不开具体的作画技法，这两者的不可分割已是一般的常识。然而由于方法步骤纯属技术性问题，它不为一些人听重视。而曹辅銮老师认为，必须对作画的基本技能有足够的重视，应当有较为纯熟的 技巧，而作画方法和步骤是 技巧的具体体现，对于绘画的“有法”和“无法”必须用辩证的观点来看待。他还认为，在水粉画的具体绘制过程中，最忌涂来改去，容易“脏”“灰”“腻”，最后弄得趣味索然。所以他地作画之前，先做好细致的准备工作。比如画丁香，他做事先对于花和叶的生长结构，形状特点均一一仔细观察，熟记在心，甚至用铅笔画 一遍速写，以加深理解。正因为这样，作画时才容易做到一气呵成。他有一幅牡丹花写生，是把丰富繁杂的描绘对象，处理得简洁概括的一例。在多次实践的基础上，作者首先对于牡丹的花叶特点做到心中有数，动笔时才能从容不迫，落笔肯定。一遍冷色打底，再罩上半片透明的暖色，使牡丹的花瓣玲珑剔透，质感毕现，待稍干后轻轻撇出几片光明下的亮叶，既生动又挺秀。要达到这样的熟练程度，不潜心钻研作画的具本方法步骤，是不容易的 。

　　The second, he is concern about the technique and process. No appealing artistic effect can exist without practical painting technique. It is the common sense that these two sides cannot be separated. Meanwhile, the technique and process are just neglected for they are nothing but simply techniques. Teacher Cao Fuluan considers that one must put an adequate emphasis on the basic painting technique and seize skillful technique. His technique will be embodied in the painting process. And for “having technique” or “no technique” in painting, we should consider it from the viewpoint of dialectic. He also thinks it is not a good idea to amend the painting in process, which would make it “dirty”, “ashy” and “greasy”, at last one will lost interest in it. So he usually does a careful preparation before starting a painting. Let’s take his “Clove” for example, before he began to paint, he firstly observed the growing structure and the features of shape of flowers and leaves, recorded them by heart, and even drew them in a pencil sketch to further his understanding. It is just based on that that he can complete the painting without a break. A peony sketch by him is a typical example of simplifying an abundant and multifarious object. After having many practices, he firstly knew the feature of the flowers and leaves in heart, and then when he began to paint he would take it at ease and put brush on paper with affirmation. Rendering with a cool colour once and for all, then covers it with a half transparent warm colour to outstand the exquisitely carved petals of the peony, thus the sense of reality is fully present. When it is a little bit drier, slightly smear several bright leaves in the full light, lively and elegant. Without an intensive study with great concentration on the practical technique and process, it is imposable to achieve such an artistic height.

　　再一点是他力求作品有意境。作画必先立意。习惯于对景写生的西画作者似乎有时并不自觉，所以有些写生作品，就只能当作一般的习作来看待了。能不能把一幅普通的静物写生画成一幅动人心弦的艺术作品，关键在于作品是否有意境，有情趣。中国传统花鸟画， 历来讲究意境，在一些优秀作品中，无论从题材选择，笔墨技法运用，都或隐或显地寄托着作者情思，含蓄地流露出作者个性、素质和修养。齐白石画青菜，决非一时心血来潮。同样，画油画的梵高一张接一张地画葵花，也完全是一种真情倾泻。看来，见什么画什么，不管自己喜欢不喜欢，有没有感受，激情，是难以画出像样的静物画创作来的。当然，作品的意境是一种由内容和形式综合而成的情景交融的艺术效果，“借景抒情”是作者的主观愿望，观者能否“触景生情”，则和作品形式处理密切相关。作画时，无论经营位置，设色用笔，都应当力求有助于抒情达意。古人说“神采生于用笔”，可见每一笔触，每一色块都关系到作品的艺术感染力量。曹辅銮老师有不少作品富于情趣，也正是运用了各种形式因素的成果。发表在文艺丛刊《钟山》的《月月红》是一幅花卉小品，逆光的三两技小红花，在墨绿、翠绿、橄榄绿组成的深色草丛前迎风摇曳，秀色可餐，细丝般的技茎如星点急驰，在画面上划过，叶子以偏锋迅疾撇出，显得生机勃勃。象这样构图简洁，用色凝炼小品，并不因取景小而失去诗情画意。

　　The third is his pursuit of artistic conception of the painting. The artistic conception always comes before a painting. The painters of western paintings, who have accustomed to practise sketch while facing landscape, are not cognizant of this truth, so some of the sketches can only be regarded as ordinary exercises in composition. A common still life sketch can become an appealing artwork or not depends on whether it contains an artistic conception and sentimental interest or not. The traditional Chinese flower and bird painting concerns on the artistic conception daintily. In most of the superexcellent works, no matter it is the theme choosing or brush and ink technique, all directly or indirectly involves the composer’s thought and passion, and implicitly outpours the composer’s personality, bearing and accomplishment. Qi Baishi’s printing a Chinese cabbage should not be on impulse. Similarly, the oil painter, Van Gogh’s painting the sunflowers again and again is completely an outpouring of affections. So it could be concluded that just painting everything one sees, regardless of liking it or not, without any feelings or passions, will not achieve any fine still life painting. Certainly, the artistic conception of a work is a kind of artistic effect with its content and form combined together. “Express one’s passion in the scenery” is just the subjective wish of the composer, but whether the appreciator can “obtain a passion by seeing the scenery” or not will closely depend on the arrangement of its form. In painting, from the management of viewing position to the management of brush using, one should try his best to express his emotions. The ancients said, “expression comes from brushwork”, which displays that each brushwork and each colour block are related to the artistic impressive force. Teacher Cao Fuluan’s many works are filled with interests, which come from the adapting of a variety of those elements. “Rosa chinensis Jacq” is a flower sketch published on the literature publication Bell, it shows two or three tiny red flowers against backlighting, joggling in wind on the dark coloured tussock that consists of black green, verdurous green and olive green, the entire beautiful expression of the sketch is just a proper treasure for one’s appetite. While the filament like stem traces through the picture just like a dashing star, the leaves swifts out by the edge of brush, visualizing vigorous vital force. In such a simple and small sketch, despite of its smallness of scope, the poetry passion and painting perfection are expressed inside out.

　　以上仅就上述几幅作品，探讨水粉画的表现技法，而研究绘画的技法，由于涉及的内容过于具体，虽然会有很实际的启迪作用或参考价值，都不能因此视作教条。纵观古今中外画家，凡循规蹈矩者多为庸才，而才华出众者往往正是不囿于现成画法，另辟蹊径，才取得成功的。因此，对于技法问题，似乎不宜说得太绝对。

　　Hereby we just discuss the expressive technique of gouache painting based on the above mentioned several works. For the skills of painting, since it involves too much content and thus is too concrete, though any discussion of it would have more practical meaning and value of reference, none of that could be regarded as an immutable creed. Looking over all the painters of ancient and modern, of China and abroad, all those cling to the routine and tradition are ordinary talents, while the genius are those who never be restricted by any existing technique but initiate a new path to the success. Therefore, it is absolutely improper to affirm any definite technique.

　　诚然，要全面介绍曹辅銮教授的创作特色，不是本文所能做到的，这里只是对作者的几幅水粉静物花卉作品作些介绍，此外他尚有大量的风景、人物画作品，各以不同的角度展示了作者的艺术创作能力。目前作者正在从事水粉画创作的同时，开始着手理论的研究工作，继《水粉画的产生与发展》之后，陆续还将撰写有关水粉画方面的文章。为了进一步增强水粉画的表现能力，他又尝试革新水粉画的表现能力，他又尝试革新水粉画的材料工具，改变目前用纸用笔偏于单一的状况。总之，为着发展水粉画这一画种，他正在扎实地努力地工作着，他是用众多的优秀作品来争得水粉画它应有的地位。可以相信，随着辛勤耕耘的人越来越多，水粉画这朵艺术之花必定会在绘画的百花园里，散发出沁人的芳香。

　　Honestly speaking, to give a over whole introduction of Professor Cao Fuluan’s creating characteristic is absolutely beyond the content of this article, it is just some introduction of his several still life and flower of gouache paintings. In addition to these, he has a great amount of landscape and figures paintings, each display from a various viewpoint of the composer’s artistic creative capabilities. At present, Professor Cao is starting an investigation on painting theory while continuing his gouache painting creations. So following the publication of “The Occurrence and Development of Gouache Painting”, he will write more articles on gouache painting. In order to enforce the expressive force, he has tried to renovate the gouache painting and the material of it to improve the existing indigent condition of gouache paper and gouache brush. Above all, for the development of the gouache painting, he is plunging into a harder job, and applying for a proper position for the gouache painting by his numerous superexcellent works. We believe that with more and more person devoting to this task; the artistic flower of gouache painting will emit its delicious fragrance in the garden of painting.

　　(原载于1983年艺苑第二期)

　　(originally published on Art and Literature, the second issue)