Today I’m sharing a colored pencil penjing drawing I quickly drew this morning. Penjing, or penzai, is the Chinese version of Japanese bonsai. While bonsai often focuses on a single tree, penjing represents a scene in nature in a “three-dimensional painting.”
In China, these plantings have been created since at least the Han dynasty (206 B.C. to 221 A.D.).
My drawing is based on a penjing planting at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon. In my photo below, the wall of the gift shop made an interesting background.
I’ve always admired the artistry that goes into creating penjings. It requires a lot of patience and foresight.
Do you have artwork you would like to share? Be sure to include the First Friday Art tag.
Bend Branches always appreciates your comments and likes. Comments may not appear right away since they’re screened for spam prior to posting. Thanks!
Winter branches at Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland, Oregon Wordless Wednesday Bend Branches always appreciates…
a chill approacheskaleidoscopes of colorthe grandeur of fallenlightened in the darknessby a brilliant harvest moon…
I recently took a picture of a recreated old classroom at the Deschutes Historical Museum…
Norris Geyser Basin panorama in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Wordless Wednesday Bend Branches always appreciates…
Provide passage over barrierson elevated paths and roads.Built of metal, wood, and stoneon sturdy foundations.Create…
In June 2025, we had an excellent meal at the Brickhouse in downtown Bend, Oregon.…
View Comments
I see a man's kinda angry face. But that's just a first take.
C
We all see different things in art.
Nicely done 🙂
Thanks, Hammad!