Chinese Calligraphy
The history of Chinese calligraphy is as long as that of China itself. Regarded as the most abstract and sublime form of art in Chinese culture, "Shu Fa" (calligraphy) is often thought to be most revealing of one's personality . In studying Chinese calligraphy one must learn something of the origins of Chinese language and of how they were originally written. Chinese calligraphy serves the purpose of conveying thought but also shows the 'abstract' beauty of the line. Rhythm, line, and structure are more perfectly embodied in calligraphy than in painting or sculpture.
Students will learn the following techniques :
- Learn how to handle the brush
- Practice strokes and lines by writing over in black ink the trace lines of characters.
- Copy from the good calligraphy models, using graph paper.
- Learn to raise the wrist and elbow in making a stroke. This is the method for writing medium sized or larger characters.
The course works well side-by-side with either Modern Chinese or Classical Chinese lessons (or both!).
Calligraphy
