sumi-e

[soo-mee-e]

noun

Japanese.

plural

sumi-e 

1. (in fine arts) a monochrome painting executed in ink.

   Zen painters were masters of sumi-e.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sumi-e¹

First recorded in 1935–40; from Japanese , equivalent to sumi “India ink” + e “drawing, painting”

Example Sentences

Most cards include cryptic, sometimes multilingual bon mots written with his beloved Sumi-e brush pens.

From Los Angeles Times

A part of “Art In Bloom,” the 26 outdoor installations include works highlighting Japanese art, Called “Art In Bloom,” the 26 outdoor installations include works highlighting Japanese art, such as Kalia Garcia’s vibrant “Flower Kuties,” inspired by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, and “Sakura+Seasons” by Tracie Griffith Tso, which mimics Japanese sumi-e, a traditional ink-brush painting technique pioneered by 14th-century monks.

From Washington Post

Sumi-e treasures the spontaneous gesture, the value of uncluttered empty space.

From Los Angeles Times

Their Hiroshima Panels consisted of 6-by-24-foot scroll paintings done in a mixture of Iri’s traditional sumi-e and Toshiko’s Western-style figurative painting.

From Los Angeles Times

You know, I moved to Japan for two-plus years to study Sumi-e and calligraphy, and four nights a week I trained and then I did homework.

From New York Times