Nankaku was strongly influenced by Sesshu, Shubun, Motonobu KANO, and learned painting by himself through copying such as 'Hasshu gafu' (Collection of eight picture books) that he himself criticized as vulgar.
南郭は雪舟、周文、狩野元信に私淑し、自ら俗書と批判した「八種画譜」などの模写を通じて独学で画業を学ぶ。