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Have you ever wondered how to properly hold a Chinese brush pen?
Using this technique, you will be prepared to write beautiful Chinese characters in the traditional manner.
Steps
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Prepare a Chinese writing brush. -
Soak it in a cup of water. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement -
Take the brush out when it is soft. -
Hold the brush in your right or left hand. Holding the brush higher creates weaker, softer strokes while holding closer to the bristles create solid, more defined strokes. [2] X Research source -
Use your ring finger, middle finger and thumb to hold the brush. [3] X Research source -
Keep your elbow above the table. -
Dip the ink stick in water and grind against the ink stone until the ink has an oily consistency. [4] X Research source See how to grind ink. -
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Begin writing characters, tilting the brush using the fingers, not the hands. Tilting the brush can add certain effects to the character that may or may not be desirable. [6] X Research source -
Finished.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat is ink stick and how do you use it?MongooXeCommunity AnswerIt is hardened ink in the form of a brick/stick. You grind it against the ink stone and add water to create the the ink needed for painting, writing, etc.
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QuestionWhere can I find a brush?Community AnswerYou can find a brush on eBay or Amazon. Just make sure it has a reasonable price and that the seller has at least 95.5% good reviews so you won't get scammed.
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QuestionWhat's the character for "China"?Community AnswerThe symbol for China is ä¸å›½.
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Tips
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Warnings
- If you want your brush to last longer, here are some methods to protect it.Thanks
- Do not put brush in your mouth.Thanks
- Wash your brush every time you use it.Thanks
- Do not press too hard or paper will tear.Thanks
- Before you use your brush, submerge the tip until the water level ALMOST touches the base of the hair. Do not let the base come into contact with water too much, as the glue holding the brush hairs together will dissolve and you get a "shedding" brush.Thanks
- NEVER play around with a dry brush. The hairs will be brittle and can break easily if you drag the tip on paper, causing "forked" tips which we don't want.Thanks
- When writing, only 1/3 of the tip should be immersed in ink. Any more, and you'll have trouble washing the brush after use.Thanks
- When cleaning the brush, make sure that ALL the ink is cleaned out. Chinese ink contains coagulants that damage the brush if left to dry while still wet with ink.Thanks
- Before you start writing, quickly submerge the tip in water and take it out as said above, and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes. This way, the hairs of the brush will not so easily break.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Chinese writing brush
- Xuan paper (Or any sort of absorbent paper)
- Ink stick or bottled black ink
- Ink stone
- A traditional calligraphy set includes:
- Goat hair brush
- Leopard or wolf fur brush
- Well (Ink bowl)
- Ink stick
- Inkstone
- Brass spoon
- A brass box (Used for storing excess ink)
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about writing, check out our in-depth interview with Katherine Rinewalt .
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b3WsbCM3XA
- ↑ https://education.asianart.org/resources/an-introduction-to-chinese-brushpainting-techniques/
- ↑ https://www.writtenchinese.com/learning-chinese-calligraphy-aka-chinese-shufa/
- ↑ https://www.theartofcalligraphy.com/ink-stick
- ↑ http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1000bce_calligraphy.htm
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSgoKEy-3QQ
About This Article
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 167,925 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I learned the basic of holding a brush, and that movement is through the finger and not the elbow."
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"I learned the basic of holding a brush, and that movement is through the finger and not the elbow."
"It was just something that I found useful. It taught me how use it better."
