The Sumi-e artist first learns to paint bamboo, copying and recopying paintings of his or her teacher and other masters. After bamboo, the student moves on to to other classic subject matter, such as the plum blossom, pine tree, and orchid. As the Sumi-e student progresses, he or she learns the importance of proper breathing, concentration, and finding the "essence" of the object being painted. Many consider Sumi-e a meditative experience.