Discover the Secrets of Chinese Brush Pen Techniques
Unlocking the Steps

Embrace the Elegance: Preparing Your Chinese Writing Brush

Immerse and Infuse: Submerge in a Cup of Water

Retrieve the brush once it attains a supple texture.

Grip the brush with either your right or left hand. Holding it higher yields gentler, more delicate strokes, while holding it closer to the bristles produces firmer, well-defined strokes.

Employ your ring finger, middle finger, and thumb to grasp the brush.

Maintain your elbow position above the table.

Submerge the ink stick in water and rub it against the ink stone until the ink achieves a smooth consistency. Refer to instructions on how to grind ink.

Pour bottled ink onto the ink stone.

Commence writing characters, adjusting the brush angle using your fingers, not your hands. Adjusting the angle can impart various effects to the characters, which may be intentional or unintentional.

Done.
Suggestions
Cautions
- If you aim to extend the lifespan of your brush, here are some tactics to safeguard it.
- Avoid placing the brush inside your mouth.
- Rinse your brush after each use.
- Avoid exerting excessive pressure, as it may tear the paper.
- Prior to usage, immerse the tip until the water nearly reaches the base of the hair. Avoid prolonged contact with water, as it can dissolve the brush's adhesive, resulting in shedding.
- Avoid using a dry brush, as the bristles become brittle and prone to breakage, causing undesirable forked tips.
- During writing, only submerge one-third of the tip in ink to facilitate easier cleaning after use.
- When cleaning the brush, ensure thorough removal of all ink. Chinese ink contains coagulants that can harm the brush if left to dry while still wet with ink.
- Before commencing writing, briefly submerge the tip in water and allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes as mentioned earlier. This helps prevent easy breakage of the brush hairs.
Materials Required
- Chinese calligraphy brush
- Xuan paper (or any absorbent paper)
- Ink stick or bottled black ink
- Ink stone
- A traditional calligraphy set includes:
- Goat hair brush
- Leopard or wolf fur brush
- Inkwell
- Ink stick
- Inkstone
- Brass spoon
- Brass box (for storing excess ink)
