Beginner S Guide To Chinese Calligraphy

As one of the most fascinating artistic form in the world, Chinese calligraphy has long been an area of interest to both novices and researchers. This easy-to-use guide introduces all the basic elements of the standard Chinese calligraphy script, Kaishu, with step-by-step instructions and diagrams for each of the 8 basic strokes.The purpose of this book is two-fold. On one had, it contains a short history of Chinese calligaphy and an introduction to Kaishu style, which embodies the very essense of the "Eastern arts" for those who find themselves interested in the arts of the Asian countries. On the other hand, for those who know about Chinese calligraphy and want to try their hand at it, the book, with Kaishu as a starting point, introduces the basic skills of the ancient and exquisite art of Chinese calligraphy. The rules and methods contained in the book will make the learning process easier with clear diagrams and images.

Perfect for beginners, this calligraphy book teaches over 100 Chinese paintings and calligraphies along with historical and cultural information. Chinese calligraphy is a unique visual art form that can be appreciated regardless of having previous knowledge of Chinese characters. While modern Chinese calligraphy consists of five styles, this book focuses on the semi-cursive script, a practical style that emphasizes the transition and structure between strokes. The Beginner's Guide to Chinese Calligraphy Semi-cursive Script teaches how to write the practical and artistic semi-cursive script. Based on the style of Zhao Mengfu, a master of semi-cursive script, you will learn the distinct features of the script and what exemplifies the semi-cursive style. This guide, with step by step illustrations, reduces the difficulty for beginners to learn Chinese calligraphy and is truly a must for Chinese calligraphy amateurs.

Fold-out front and back covers include examples of lettering.

A Beginner's Guide to Chinese Brush Painting teaches this ancient art form in an easy-to-understand way--no prior experience necessary! As one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world, Chinese brush painting has been used for thousands of years to create images that harness the imagination, and capture the inner spirit of a subject--be it an animal, landscape or tree. All you need for this simple, but beautiful, art form is black watercolor paint, white paper, a brush and some creativity! An introduction tells you about the history of brush painting, and also gives tips for holding your brush, achieving different shades and collecting your materials. After that, the book takes you step-by-step through more than 35 hands-on activities--including basic strokes, putting them together to create an object or scene, the importance of leaving open space and even writing some Chinese calligraphy. With the help of this book, artists of all ages can learn to paint: Bamboo stalks, branches and leaf clusters A knotted pine tree and its delicate needles A snail with a spiral shell and little body peeking out from underneath A waterfall gliding down the side of a mountain And much more! You'll find that this activity will help you learn to center your mind and thoughts, and your masterpieces will be inspiring decorations or great gifts for friends and family. Get started learning this "soft martial art!"

This is the complete, step-by-step beginner's guide to creating the sacred characters of Chinese script. In this unique guide, renowned calligraphy artist Qu Lei Lei teaches the philosophy of this ancient art and demonstrates how to create the most important symbols of Chinese folklore--Luck, Love, Happiness, and Long Life.

The current book volume is Part 1 (第一册, dì yī cè), the second edition (Large print) of the Writing Chinese (学习书写常用汉字, Xuéxí shūxiě chángyòng hànzì) series. Book Features: 1. A dedicated chapter for learning strokes order of Chinese characters writing. 2. The Chinese characters in the book have corresponding English and Pinyin; 3. The large print book includes hundreds of commonly-used simplified Chinese characters; 4. It's originally designed for the beginners and primary school students; 5. The book is suitable for all levels of Mandarin Chinese learners (Level 1 to Level 6). The books in the Writing Chinese series, essentially the copybook to practice writing Chinese characters, provide you thousands of frequently used common Chinese characters. For the simplicity of the readers, each volume in this series includes about 400 to 500 unique characters. All the characters are provided with pinyin, and English interpretations. All the characters are organized in different chapters based on the radicals (部首, Bù shǒu). Free online Mandarin Chinese lessons (Ming Mandarin): www.MingMandarin.com -Jia Ming

My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy is a fun and engaging introduction to one of China's most popular arts and crafts for kids. Calligraphy—the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush—has been around for thousands of years. In this fun calligraphy for kids book, readers will follow along with Mimi, an eight year old, who takes her first steps towards learning this magical art. Dive in, and explore: The Evolution of Chinese Writing—how Chinese characters first began, thousands of years ago, and how they have evolved The Order of the Strokes—learn how to write the strokes in the correct order The Radicals—what are they, and how to unlock their secrets The Four Treasures of Calligraphy— the four essential tools to get started Movements and Position—how to master your mind's focus, your breathing and even how to move The Five Styles of Calligraphy—Zhuan Shu (seal), Li Shu (clerical), Kai Shu (regular), Cao Shu (cursive), and Xing Shu (running) The Eight Strokes— how to draw the 8 strokes; with them, you can write anything Writing a Character in Calligraphy—create an entire character in calligraphy

Suitable for college and high school students and those learning on their own, this fully illustrated coursebook provides comprehensive instruction in the history and practical techniques of Chinese calligraphy. No previous knowledge of the language is required to follow the text or complete the lessons. The work covers three major areas: 1) descriptions of Chinese characters and their components, including stroke types, layout patterns, and indications of sound and meaning; 2) basic brush techniques; and 3) the social, cultural, historical, and philosophical underpinnings of Chinese calligraphy—all of which are crucial to understanding and appreciating this art form. Students practice brush writing as they progress from tracing to copying to free-hand writing. Model characters are marked to indicate meaning and stroke order, and well-known model phrases are shown in various script types, allowing students to practice different calligraphic styles. Beginners will find the author’s advice on how to avoid common pitfalls in writing brush strokes invaluable. Chinese Writing and Calligraphy will be welcomed by both students and instructors in need of an accessible text on learning the fundamentals of the art of writing Chinese characters.