Cherry Blossoms
- Hope Creek Studios
- Jun 24
- 1 min read
Japanese Cherry Blossoms with Mandarin Letters (Grades 3–12) Part of our Art Around the World unit takes us to Asia, where we dive into the graceful beauty of Japanese cherry trees. For this project, students used black India ink on rice paper, working slowly and purposefully to create flowing, expressive branches. The cherry blossoms themselves were added with simple marks and soft color (or left implied with negative space, depending on the grade level).
To tie in cultural elements, each student added Mandarin alphabet characters—usually their initials or a word with personal meaning. This thoughtful addition gave each piece a sense of identity and intention.
Why it works: This project is all about mindful brushwork, balance, and simplicity. Whether a 3rd grader or a high school senior, students respond to the calm, focused process and the beautiful results. A classroom gallery of these is breathtaking.
A Note About Rice Paper
Rice paper, despite its name, is made from the pith of the Tetrapanax papyrifer plant, a shrub native to Taiwan and southern China. To make the paper; it's pressed and dried from the spongy middle of the plant. It is smoothed and layed thin and results in a delicate piece of paper. Since it is so delicate it absorbs ink very well which makes it great for the use of calligraphy, painting and printmaking.
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