Calligraphy beginners will be confused when practicing calligraphy. They usually encounter the following questions:
1. What copybook is suitable for me?
2. What pen do you use to practice?
3. How long does it take to practice to achieve results?
These answers can be found in [How to choose fountain pen copybooks and fountain pens for beginners of pen calligraphy]. Let’s briefly talk about them below.
1. What copybook is suitable for me?
You must first understand the characteristics of different copybooks and repeatedly compare their advantages and disadvantages before you can choose a copybook that is more suitable for you.
1) Copybook materials are divided into mold and paper. The mold can limit the strokes and movement of the pen to the maximum, and is relatively expensive, suitable for beginners who have a lot of money; the paper copybook is cheap, and comes in two types: red tracing and masking paper, suitable for all calligraphy practitioners.
2) In terms of fonts, every calligraphy lover has different tastes, so you need to read a lot and choose a font that suits your taste. Here we recommend the fonts of four great people: Pang Zhonghua, Lu Zhongnan, Sima Yan, and Tian Yingzhang.
2. What pen do you use to practice?
Ballpoint pens are too slippery and gel pens are too stiff. It is not recommended for them to practice calligraphy. It is recommended to use pencils or pens to practice calligraphy. I recommend this post [Top Ten Fountain Pen Brands in the World (with the Origin of Pens and Simple Selection and Maintenance Methods)], which summarizes a lot of little knowledge and skills, which is very practical.
3. How long does it take to practice to achieve results?
This is still a topic that varies from person to person, but the mastery of any skill is achieved through sweat and understanding. To write well, most people follow two rules: internally, step by step, study hard and practice hard; externally, be open-minded to ask for advice, read more and learn more.
(1) Understand the three calligraphy learning processes:
a. Copybook copying stage
Choose a classic copybook that suits your taste and copy it according to the Start practicing in the order of regular script - running script - cursive script.
b. The stage of seeking advice from famous teachers
When our calligraphy copying reaches a certain level, we will encounter a "ceiling", will be unable to improve our writing skills, and will enter a period of confusion. At this time, if there is a teacher there A little help from the side can get twice the result with half the effort. Whether it's ancient brush calligraphy or modern hard-brush calligraphy, everyone travels across thousands of mountains and rivers to find famous teachers and humbly ask for advice. Of course, self-copying and seeking advice from famous teachers can be carried out simultaneously.
c. The stage of becoming a self-contained school
After copying and teacher guidance, we have accumulated a lot of writing skills and experiences. At this time, we may want to break away from the shadow of our predecessors and write our own style. This is a relatively high realm, and it is also the realm that every calligraphy lover diligently pursues.
(2) To practice calligraphy well, there are two points that you should pay special attention to:
a. Study hard and practice hard. As the old saying goes: If you don't write for three days, you will be born. Especially in our pen calligraphy practice, the understanding and advancement of writing skills are gained through more writing and more practice. At that time, the great calligrapher Wang Xizhi practiced calligraphy diligently, and once used his brushes to dye all the ponds next to him black. Finally, he succeeded, leaving the eternal legend of "Ink Pond".
b. Have a persevering heart. Nothing can be accomplished overnight. Calligraphy practice is also a job that tests endurance. It is easiest to fish for three days and dry the net for two days, so you must be self-disciplined and practice persistently. You will definitely improve your pen writing.