Misulbu (미술부) is a Korean watercolor artist, or small studio of artists, that picked up a big following on Instagram and YouTube. Most of the paintings are portraits of young women wearing hanbok, and the detail in them is something else, especially for watercolor.
Every painting follows a similar pattern: the face and clothing are painted very precisely, while the background is kept loose and washy. The contrast between the two is what makes the work so easy to recognise. For another Taiwanese watercolorist who uses light and color with a very different rhythm, see Chien Chung-Wei.
Colors are mostly warm, lots of golds, creams and soft reds. Cooler shades show up here and there in shadows and backgrounds, but the overall feel is warm and calm.
Nobody really knows who is behind it. The name means “art club” in Korean, so it’s probably a small studio or team of artists rather than one solo artist. There’s no interviews, no bio, nothing like that. They post process videos on YouTube, but the most interesting parts of how they actually paint get edited out.
A warm gold background fades behind her while her face stays crisp and detailed, the two textures Misulbu is known for. A red haired woman looks up into warm light while the background swirls dark around her, one of Misulbu’s more dramatic watercolor portraits. An old man in a worn jacket stares off into the distance, cigarette in hand, painted with the same quiet realism Misulbu brings to every face. A young girl in a wide traditional hat and a blue robe trimmed in gold looks down, lost in her own thoughts. A young boy in a white hat and red shirt looks up, painted with the sharp detail and soft background Misulbu is known for. An old man plays a trumpet against a wash of deep blue, one of several musician portraits in the Misulbu gallery. An old man in a dark turban and grey beard holds prayer beads and looks straight out of the frame, one of the most striking faces in the Misulbu gallery. A young woman with dark hair and red lips is surrounded by cherry blossoms and a small bird, a softer, spring toned piece from Misulbu.
Is Misulbu a real person or a studio?
Honestly nobody really knows for sure. Most people think it’s a Korean studio or a group of artists working together, not just one artist. There’s no interviews, no biography, nothing like that — just the paintings.
Are Misulbu paintings done by hand or is it digital?
They are painted by hand using watercolor. A lot of people think it’s digital because the detail is so good, but it’s not. It’s all done with layers of watercolor paint built up slowly over time.
Can you actually buy a Misulbu painting?
That’s a tough one. There’s no official shop or website you can just go to. Some pieces might pop up through galleries or resellers, but it’s not easy to track down, and you can’t always be sure it’s legit.