A book about the ancient style watercolor and lead hand drawn techniques of flying birds, allowing people to see... it transforms black-and-white verses into timeless chromatic splendor.
——Editor's Choice

★ Where Poetry Takes Flight: Features 17 classic avian motifs, blending romantic poetry with watercolor-pencil techniques to create a guide that celebrates both literary depth and artistic beauty.
★ Five-Step Method Made Easy: The signature "Avian Watercolor Five-Step Method" breaks down complex subjects into approachable stages—perfect for beginners seeking classical elegance.
★ Multidimensional Learning: Each bird pairs with:
Excerpts from Verses of Chu (China's earliest romantic poetry)
Ornithological notes
Step-by-step illustrations
— delivering literary, scientific, and artistic enrichment in one.

This series includes 3 titles:
"Illustrating Flora from the Classic"
"Illustrating Birds from the Classic"
"Illustrating Blossoms from the Classic"

This book carefully selects 17 representative bird motifs, systematically presenting the creative process of classical watercolor-pencil bird painting through four sections: "Tools," "Anatomy," "Methods," and "Painting."

Beginning with an introduction to painting materials and analysis of avian anatomical structures, it progresses to explain the original five-step painting technique, culminating in detailed step-by-step demonstrations for rendering all 17 featured birds.

A special highlight is the "Painting" section, where each bird is accompanied by:
Corresponding poetic excerpts from "Verses of Chu" - China's seminal romantic poetry collection
Ornithological knowledge
Clear instructional diagrams

This integrated approach allows readers to master painting techniques while simultaneously receiving literary and artistic enrichment.

Jie Ji
Pseudonym of Liu Xin, acclaimed illustrator and former university art instructor (2010-2016). Since 2015, he has specialized in botanical documentation, blending Western scientific illustration precision with Eastern ink-wash literati aesthetics. His signature "Five-Step Method" reflects classical Chinese poetry sensibilities, often applied to everyday objects.
Notable achievements:
"Flower Map" (2016) – Finalist, Frankfurt Global Illustration Exhibition
"Border Town illustrations" – Finalist, China's First Watercolor Illustration Exhibition
Published works include: "Illustrating Flora from the Book of Songs", "Illustrating Birds from the Verses of Chu", "Illustrating Blossoms from Tang Poetry", "Watercolor Notes" – multiple bestsellers with international rights sold.

Tools
Paper 2
Pigments 4
Brushes 7
Other Tools 9

Anatomy
Anatomical Principles 11
"Birds' Form Follows the Egg" 12
Avian Skeletal Diagram 14
Avian Silhouette Diagram 15
Beak Types & Head Characteristics 16
Feather Types & Features 18

Methods
Five-Step Method 22
Ⅰ Laying Foundations 22
Ⅱ Base Washes 23
Ⅲ Form Building 24
Ⅳ Refinement 25
Ⅴ Finalization 26

Painting

Crane 28
"Hear the black cranes' dawn cries,/On towering ridge so high"

Sparrow 38
"The sparrows and the magpies build their nests in halls;/The fragrant herbs die midst the brushwood"

Swallow 48
"The swallows, soaring high, now southward wing;/The cicadas grow hushed and cease to sing"

Magpie 58
"Magpies startled cry caw-caw,/I glance around in anxious awe"

Crow 68
"Where's the man-fish? Where's the owl?/How did Yi shoot suns? How did crows lose feathers?"

Kingfisher 78
"Swiftly fly the emerald birds,/While we chant poems and dance in throngs"

Swan 88
"At dawn the swans in formation fly,/With egrets crossing the autumn sky"

Wild Goose 98
"With one flight of the yellow swan,/All mountain curves become well-known"

Turtle Dove 108
"The lone phoenix sings on city wall,/While turtledoves nest in mulberries tall"

Pelican 118
"Swans flee through thorny underwood,/While pelicans perch where curtains stood"

Oriole 128
"The orioles warble with sweet tone,/The mountain magpies chirp alone"

Cormorant 138
"Cormorants flap their wings with grace,/Wild geese return to northern place"

Teal 148
"Teals nibble on the grains below,/While phoenixes soar high and glow"

Owl 158
"Owls advance with raucous cries,/As phoenixes soar through the skies"

Chicken 168
"The phoenix languishes in cage,/While barnyard fowls strut on the stage"

Pheasant 178
"King Zhao toured southern land with cheer,/What brought him there? A pheasant white appeared"

Peacock 188
"Peacoks fly to welcome and send,/While cranes ascend with light to blend"

Afterword 198