Ancient calligraphers were not able to be calligraphers from the beginning, but were good at writing and could write beautifully. After years of practice, the art has been integrated into the characters, and the content and characters written have been highly praised by future generations. Therefore, before they were called calligraphers, they could work for others to make money.
I usually write and sometimes draw. Ancient calligraphers began to do the same things as ordinary literati, writing articles and letters to others, and some people specially invited manuscripts. The more economically developed dynasties, the more frequent business activities, the greater the demand for writing articles. Even a simple shop needs someone to write a plaque.
There are some women in the palace, who have heard that their handwriting is good and beautiful, and even make special contributions to ask people to write. And the king issued a decree, or everyone needs to read this information. Because there is no copier, a considerable number of people will be needed to copy the words, and these calligraphers will get part of the salary and the opportunity to practice the words. If there is market demand, someone can draw a picture and then add fonts next to it.
Writing articles and carving tombstones can make money. Calligraphers usually write articles, so they have to earn some money and make a name for themselves. Well written, there will continue to be customers in the future. Carving tombstones can also make money. For example, Li Yong, a calligrapher in the Tang Dynasty, was not only good at calligraphy, but also good at inscription. The inscription was written on the stone, because the stone was so big that the whole stone was scrapped if the lettering method was not good. Therefore, people who write well must be needed, and the genre of seal cutting should be well-known and orderly.
Tombstones are mostly used to praise the dead. Many famous families and temples attach great importance to appearance and will invite calligraphers to write them. Not many people can do this business, this part of the income is quite ok, and sometimes you can get a few pounds of gold.
Ancient calligraphers rarely only wrote all their lives, but usually held several posts.