Chinese calligraphy, also known as brush calligraphy, is a respected Asian art form. According to Dr. Siu-Leung Lee, Chinese calligraphy is "thought to be the most revealing of one's personality." Calligraphy consists of ink brush strokes on paper. There are a number of calligraphy styles, including clerical, semi-cursive and cursive, and each style has its own purpose.
Calligraphy Strokes
Although some calligraphers claim that there are more than 30 types of strokes, there are seven standard strokes. These seven strokes are called the "Seven Mysteries," and they consist of the horizontal line, dot, sweeping downward stroke, vertical line, sharp curve, and two types of downward strokes. A sweeping downward stroke is a diagonal line that is drawn from right to left. A sharp curve has an almost 90-degree angle, and the two downward strokes are diagonal lines drawn from left to right. One downward stroke looks almost like a backslash and the other downward stroke is almost vertical.
Calligraphy Tools
When practicing calligraphy, you will need paper, Chinese ink, a Chinese inkstone, a Chinese brush and a brush rest. The paper you use should be fine and a little absorbent. Chinese ink comes in stick shapes and is usually made from oil smoke or pinewood soot.
Chinese inkstones are hard and flat, and they are made from stone. To use an inkstone, you must put water on it, and then grind the ink stick alongside it. If you want the same shade of ink while you write, make sure to grind enough of the ink stick to finish your writing.
Chinese brushes are made of animal hair---usually wolf, sheep, rabbit, deer, fox, or mice---and bamboo reeds. The type of writing you want will determine the type of animal hair to use. If you want bolder strokes, use sheep hair. If you want finer strokes, use rabbit hair. Also, make sure you keep your brushes clean so the point remains stiff. Lastly, you will need a brush rest to hold your extra Chinese brushes.
Calligraphy Techniques
Writing Chinese calligraphy takes a lot of practice to perfect. When practicing calligraphy, remember to not touch the brush with the palm of your hand and always keep the brush straight up and down.
Also, when learning how to write Chinese calligraphy, keep in mind the stroke order of each character. This is important because not only does it make it easier to remember the character, it also, according to Think Quest, "creates the correct effect for the character."
