It All Starts with a Calligraphy Pen

calligraphy penIf you are interested in calligraphy, here’s what you need to know about one of its most basic tools, the calligraphy pen. Using a calligraphy pen is preferable to other writing implements. Learning to use a calligraphy pen with great skill is rewarding and may be profitable. However, choosing your first pen may be a difficult task, given the huge variety available.

When it comes to the art of calligraphy, it pays to start with the right implements. Although you could probably use a standard, refillable pen for the task, doing so would put you at a disadvantage. The more specialized calligraphy pen is designed to be more comfortable to use. Its very design trains you to use a lighter pressure, which means that using it will be much less tiring. It’s also designed to help you work quickly, creating legible and attractive calligraphy at almost the same speed as standard writing. Plus, most calligraphy pens are low in cost, so there’s no advantage to using something else.

As you continue to work with your calligraphy pen, you will begin to develop skills in several different styles of calligraphy. This is totally satisfying as nothing more than hobby, but many people find their abilities translate into profits. Skilled calligraphers are in demand for creating custom lettering on documents or even works of art.

Choosing a calligraphy pen can be a daunting task, simply because of the huge number of pens available. They come in different sizes, weights, shapes and prices. Assuming the pen will accomplish the tasks you have in mind, the most important element to optimize is comfort. A good calligraphy pen feels good in your hand. Holding it at the proper angle should cause no discomfort or straining. Don’t give in on this point. If it feels just a little bit uncomfortable in the store, that discomfort will be greatly magnified as you continue to use it over time. When a calligraphy pen is perfectly comfortable in your hand, that means you’ll have greater control over what it creates.

The Beauty of Chinese Calligraphy

chinese calligraphyIf you’re interested in calligraphy at all, you may want to check out Chinese calligraphy. It is an ancient custom with centuries of history. It is a mental exercise, synchronizing mind and body as the calligrapher chooses the best style to express the passage. Westerners have recently discovered the unique beauty of Chinese calligraphy, so it’s something that you should really consider looking into, if only to spruce up your home with some beautiful works.

Chinese calligraphy has ancient roots, dating back centuries. It is the art of turning Chinese characters, normally square and arguably dull, into significant images through the receptiveness of rice paper. A pointed Chinese brush is used with exact speed and pressure to produce each work. But that’s not all!

Chinese calligraphy requires a great deal of thought, which is played out through the calligrapher’s artistic action. It requires much discipline, yet it is highly relaxing to one’s physical and spiritual well-being. This may even have an effect on one’s health; historically, many calligraphy artists were renowned for their longevity.

Now you know the basics of Chinese calligraphy, but why would you be interested? Because, like many westerners, you’ve discovered the great beauty of it. You perceive that every character is written as though it were a beautiful flower. You understand that calligraphy is the most ancient and most condensed of the abstract arts.

So now that you know about the history and method and appearance of Chinese calligraphy, you should get out there and get involved in it! Maybe you want to pick up a few pieces as decoration, or learn more about what it means and where it came from, or maybe you even want to learn how to do it yourself. Now you can!

Finding the Best Calligraphy Set

calligraphy setIf you’re interested in calligraphy, you may want to consider getting a calligraphy set. A calligraphy set consists of several different pens. They are perfect for nearly every occasion and event. I’ll even tell you a little secret about how to find the best calligraphy sets. This will improve your calligraphy, writing, and marketability whether calligraphy is your hobby or your profession.

A calligraphy set is made up of multiple pens with special handles and distinctive nibs. Those nibs have multiple variations; some have an ink reservoir, which is permanently attached, while others have a slip-in version. Metal nibs have a wide range of inks which are mixed to achieve a variety of consistencies and colors. The handles on these pens are normally made of metal, plastic, bone, glass, or wood. But there’s more!

Calligraphy sets are perfect for almost every occasion and event. You can use your set to produce invitations for weddings, parties, or other special events, or to make greeting cards, menus, envelopes, and more. It can be used in school, for artwork, drawing, hobbies, and designs. You can even use your calligraphy set for fun.

The very best calligraphy sets include a pen holder. This gives you a lot of flexibility while you work with your calligraphy set. It simplifies the process of changing designs, because you can change the nibs instead of changing from one pen to another.

Now you know about calligraphy sets. You know what they are, how useful they are, and how to pick out the best one. So go get yourself one and be prepared for nearly every occasion!

Traditional Japanese Calligraphy

japanese calligraphyIf you’re interested in calligraphy, you might consider studying Japanese calligraphy. It’s all about movement. To get started, you’ll need six elements that I’ll tell you about. Traditional Japanese calligraphy is formalized and exact. Knowing about this can help you with your own calligraphy work by expanding your knowledge about other styles; you could even learn to produce Japanese calligraphy yourself.

Japanese calligraphy is all about movement. It is the art of drawing certain characters using a brush. Each work expresses spiritual depth and beauty. This ancient art is still captured today in numerous works. But that’s not all you need to know!

In order to get started with Japanese calligraphy, you need a complete set of six elements: shitajiki, bunchin, hanshi, fude, suzuri, and sumi. The shitajiki is a soft, black mat that provides a comfortable place to sit while you work. The bunchin is a metal stick used as a paperweight during writing. The hanshi is a special, thin calligraphy paper. The fude is the calligraphy brush. The suzuri is a heavy black crucible which holds the ink. Sumi is a solid black material which is used by more traditional calligraphers; it produces the black ink used for writing when it is rubbed in water. These six elements are essential to Japanese calligraphy.

You should also know some details about traditional Japanese calligraphy. It is both formalized and exact. Artistic expression and genius are both necessary to proper implementation of this art. Yet the expressions are confined within the technical excellence required by a standardized art form.

Now you know the basics of Japanese calligraphy and the details of the traditional style, as well as the six elements you need to start work on your own Japanese calligraphy. So if you’re interested in this great art, get out there and start-and you’ll be doing great work before you know it!

Calligraphy Books are Important Resources

If you want to know more about calligraphy, then getting a book on the subject is a great place to start-especially if you want to learn how to do calligraphy yourself. A calligraphy book is an important resource for every calligrapher. I’ll even tell you about a starter book and a great place to buy more. You’ll be a fantastic calligrapher before you know it!

Calligraphy books are very important resources for calligraphers to keep around. They tend to include sample alphabets, as well as information on tools, materials, layout, and the basics of lettering. They can help you learn established styles and forms. Over time, you will master complex alphabets, layouts, and colors. Such books can expand your imagination as create gift wrap, greeting cards, posters, and other stationery, or as you copy poetry and prose of your own.

One such book is the Beginner’s Guide to Calligraphy. It’s a step-by-step book with easy-to-follow instructions. With it, you can explore over a dozen interpretations with tips and tricks to create a variety of styles. It will teach you the basics of calligraphy and the mechanics of lettering, including spacing and the proper weight and height of each character. It will also help you discover techniques for holding the pen so that you can create thick or thin letters, as well as calligraphic flourishes and swashes.

To buy more calligraphy books, you might consider Dover Books. Many seem to be practically unknown, except to teachers of calligraphy. Most are republished works, and all are reasonably priced.

Calligraphy books are important. Now you know why. You also know where to look to get the information you seek. So get out there and become an incredible calligrapher, armed with this knowledge!