In Part One, after a stimulating introduction to the subject and a demonstration of the necessary materials, the exercises concentrate on the painting of flowers. Instructor Jane Evans begins in the traditional way with the four friends': plum blossom, bamboo, orchid and chrysanthemum. An exercise in painting a peony is illustrated in detail followed by the art of applying the final wash.

In Part Two, Jane Evans assumes that the exercises of the four friends as demonstrated in Part One have been practiced and the student now feels confident to tackle more ambitious subjects. The demonstrations commence with the painting of a bird, followed by a fish, a duck, a panda, rocks and finally the fascinating subject of landscape painting.