Painting with Tea

The painting you see above is entitled simply "Strength". It is a painting done entirely in ink and tea. And how fitting THAT is considering this painting was created in response to the disastrous earthquake in Japan. The piece speaks to human resolve as well as the terrifying force of nature. How poignant to paint with tea. Look at it closely...it is incredible.

Surely as a tea purveyor, I am supposed to blog about tea, right? It is my duty to discuss the health benefits, the growing regions, how to steep a proper cup...RIGHT? I can certainly do this. But not today. You see, I'm also a little secretly obsessed with art and its role in society, in culture...and in every day life. For me, art is a bit of an escape; it takes me to the same place as a good cup of tea. A veritable symbol of peace and serenity, it is. So what the heck, why not combine the two for a double hit of serenity? Sound good? Ya!

The notion of creativity fascinates me. One is limited solely by her own mind. So - throw caution to the wind, steep a stiff cup of tea and pull out your painting implements. Here we go! It has been noted that tea has been used as a medium even in ancient Chinese brush painting, so I suppose this art form has existed for many moons.

How to Paint with Tea

Tea is a natural pigment that can be used to stain paper (and other materials) to create different effects. Depending on the strength of your brew, you can create paintings that play with light and dark shading. The key is to use several different teas (and you can mix them) to obtain different colours/shades. The longer you steep your tea, the bolder your colour shall be (I know, sheer genius). Black tea will create a soft brown, cream or wheat-coloured stain. Green tea actually seems to produce a reddish colour (unless you use Japanese matcha - now THAT is green!). Fruit teas are fun to use for their vibrancy, as well as hibiscus tea. And rooibos! Tea (like paint) will typically dry a shade lighter than it appears when wet. Several applications are required for a darker stain.

I like to use watercolour paper to make tea paintings - kind of makes sense, I guess. I sketch out lightly what I want to paint and then go to it! You can use sponges, brushes, cloths, whatever you want to paint. A blowdryer is handy to have to help the drying process along - especially if you are needing to apply tea several times for a darker shade. Once I've got all my shading in place (which can sometimes take days for me....I love the tedium), I take an art pen and reinforce my drawing. It is amazing what you can create. All natural. Tea produces a really surreal effect, actually. For HARDCORE artists, you can allow your paintings to dry in the sun - this will secure their colour forevermore.

My husband thinks I may have been a witch in another time and place (hey - be nice...he means a GOOD witch, of course). Perhaps that explains my inexplicable attachment to the earth and all her offerings. Painting with tea - of course....why, naturally. Grab the brush by the bristles and try it out, folks. If nothing else, you can sip a good cup of tea while spreading your arty wings. Have fun!