Japanese One Stroke Dragon Paintings

Painters at the Studio Kousyuuya in Nikko, Japan, practice a skilful technique which allows them to paint the body of a dragon in a single brushstroke. The movement is called hitofude ryuu, which roughly translates as "dragon with one stroke" and has been passed down through four generations of painters. These Sumie artists only ever paint dragons but, as you can see from the videos, this has allowed them to get very good at it. In Japan dragons are considered to be talismans against evil and can bring good luck, which is why you see them adorning ancient shrines and temples.