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Remembrance of Childhood Comics – Old Master Q Comics

First Experience with Pen and Wash

First try with pen and wash watercolour painting. After completing a pencil sketch on the drawing paper, I started to paint with watercolours. Since this is a wash painting, I used a more diluted combination of watercolours. Compared to normal watercolour painting, a wash painting results in a semi-transparent layer of colour, with a coloured ink pen outlining the details. This technique is also known as pen-and-wash drawing, ink and wash, or simply wash drawing.

You can choose to apply the watercolour first and then outline with a black-inked pen, or do it the other way around. Some people even outline with pen while the watercolour is still drying. There’s no fixed sequence—it’s all about how you want to present your painting in a way that suits your style.

Childhood Memories and Inspiration

While I was in the final step of drawing the lines, I was reminded of my childhood comics—Old Master Q Comics (老夫子漫画). I used to read these comics while waiting for my aunt, accompanying her at the salon, and enjoying tidbits and a pack of Milo. Another one of my favorites was definitely Doraemon.

Do you also remember the comic books you used to read as a kid? Back in the days without digital tools, reading comic books was one of the most popular pastimes. When the comics were printed in black and white, my cousins and I loved to colour them with coloured pencils or pens. We were creative in our own way! 😄

Thoughts and Reflection

This is one of my favorite paintings. I spent about 3 hours drawing the lines—you don’t feel tired when you’re doing something you love. My instructor even commented on social media that my painting is truly a “wash”! 😄

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Whether it’s the joy of reading Old Master Q Comics or the simple pleasure of colouring within the lines, art helps us reconnect with the wonder and innocence of childhood.