How to practice Chinese characters systematically

Before it is too late, let's start with a simple flowchart:

How to practice calligraphy systematically? When you ask this question, I believe you are ready for hard work.

It may be easy to "practice calligraphy". After all, dipping a brush in water and drawing a cloth with water is also called practicing brush writing. But if you want to practice calligraphy "systematically", then you must follow a relatively orthodox way of learning calligraphy and keep practicing, don't take the wrong door and try to avoid detours.

I think the so-called "system" can also be called "academic school", on the contrary, it is "Jianghu school" To learn calligraphy, we should stress inheritance and pursue the past. In short, we must face the excellent works of the ancients. This is the general direction. In the concrete implementation, first, it is forbidden to practice calligraphy with water books and cloth; Secondly, it is forbidden to practice calligraphy with pen ink and pigment; Thirdly, it is necessary to practice persistently and relatively consistently for a period of time, instead of fishing for three days and drying the net for two days.

Before formally answering how to practice calligraphy systematically, I would also like to introduce my experience in learning calligraphy.

I started to learn calligraphy at the age of six and a half, and I started to learn Liu Ti. I started with scattered strokes. Paint it red first, then write small characters, big characters and bucket strokes (the size of two 13 inch notebooks); Learn idioms, couplets, Tang poems and inscriptions. Liu Ti studied for four or five years anyway-this is my luck and my misfortune. Fortunately, I have laid a solid foundation for posting, and my writing style is tough, and I have a deep grasp of Liu Ti. Unfortunately, Liu Ti's brushwork is too simple, which hinders my further understanding of calligraphy (you can also call me stupid).

The reason why Liu Ti has studied for so long is that he really doesn't like Yan Ti. He feels as fat as himself, and he is not beautiful at all. Therefore, as soon as I learned to dress up, I took the initiative to return to Liu Tiban. I can't do it all the time. Later, I really didn't dare to do it, so I went directly to learn from Zhao Ti.

At present, I am still the most comfortable writer written by Liu Ti, and my ability to draw a tiger according to a cat is OK. A post that has not been practiced can also "draw" a great shape, but the weakness lies in seal script.

If you search for what posts to write now, the answers are varied, but there will also be a sentence that 90% will be mentioned: pick a favorite copybook. This is right, because with interest, you will learn and practice spontaneously; However, it should be noted that after getting started, the choice of copybooks should be planned according to your own learning goals, and don't be too capricious.

Before looking for your favorite copybooks, you must first know which copybooks are available.

Chinese characters began in Oracle Bone Inscriptions, but it doesn't mean that we should start writing in Oracle Bone Inscriptions. After Oracle Bone Inscriptions, there were bronze inscriptions, and the strokes changed from thin and straight to full and curved.

Then came the seal script, followed by the cursive script and the official script. If you are a beginner, you can learn seal script, the brushwork is relatively simple, and you need to use the pen center to grasp the structure as a whole; When you have been practicing calligraphy for a period of time (learning regular script and running script), you can still learn seal script-it gives you a deeper grasp of characters, and many calligraphy masters find inspiration from seal script and form their own style.

The introduction of official script is also good, and the brushwork is relatively simple, but it is a bit more "makeup" than seal script; The structure has also begun to enrich-leveling in ups and downs is becoming a new topic. Roughly speaking, official scripts are divided into two categories: rough northwest men and handsome southern girls. If you like the former, you can learn from B-Shadow. If you like the latter, you can learn from Cao Quan.

To be clear here, in our opinion, the order of learning calligraphy can be Kai, Xing and Cao, but the development of fonts can be reversed! With the development of official script, cursive script and running script are also developing vigorously. The most famous running script "Preface to Lanting" is the masterpiece of Wang Xizhi, the first brother of calligraphy in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. During this period, regular script was quietly bred in the form of small letters. (Preface to Lanting Collection is not recommended as an introductory copybook-it is too difficult)

There is Wei Bei after Lishu, but it is not recommended for beginners to dabble in it, because the brushwork structure is relatively difficult, so I will skip it here for the time being.

In fact, many students may have a question: If you really say (in the script) that I know Cao Li's script like the back of my hand, that's font, then why haven't I heard of this Wei Bei? In fact, "Weibei" is a vague and broad term. Weibei mainly refers to the fonts used in inscriptions and epitaphs in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, which is simply the ancestor of regular script.

After Wei Bei, regular script flourished (Tang Dynasty). We know that the four masters of regular script-Ou, Yan, Liu and Zhao, the first three are all from the Tang Dynasty. European-style "Jiucheng Palace Monument", Yan-style "Twin Towers Monument" and Liu-style "Mysterious Tower Monument" can all be used as introductory copybooks. At the same time, Jing was born and won the status of the lower case brothers in the previous dynasty. Its brushwork and structure mostly follow the road of two kings, which beginners can choose, but it is more difficult.

To sum up, Yan style is rich in brushwork and flexible in structure. Many calligraphers in later generations followed Yan Zhenqing all the way, so Duobao Cup is the first recommended entry (I'm sorry to have been with Liu Dada for more than ten years).

With the improvement of regular script, cursive script also ushered in spring. The big grass in Huai Su, Zhang Xu, is a colorful stroke in the history of calligraphy, but you certainly can't choose the big grass as the introduction, so I won't mention it here. If you insist on learning cursive script in an eclectic way, let's start with the book spectrum.

In the Tang Dynasty, people respected the law, and in the Song Dynasty, cursive script gained a second spring. But getting started is definitely not recommended-the brushwork, structure and composition are all difficult and the personality is too strong. It's like learning to draw. You can learn sketch at first, but you can never learn Picasso or Dali at first. There was another interesting person in the Song Dynasty-the life of the emperor, the soul of the artist, Song Huizong. Perhaps you are more familiar with the thin golden body. Don't choose fine gold for the entry font. Although it looks good and has its own network celebrity effect, it is really monotonous-the first person who eats crabs is a hero, and no one can remember you anyway. Don't choose the thin gold entry, promise me? Remember that you have to practice your calligraphy systematically! )

After the Song Dynasty, Zhao Mengfu had to mention. It is also a good choice for beginners to choose Zhao Ti (Xingkai). Many people criticize Zhao Ti for his kitsch and cowardice, which is related to the unfair evaluation of him by history. Those who like to be tough can choose "Three Stories". After Zhao Mengfu, there are many super famous calligraphers-such as our popular stars, abnormal Dong Qichang, Xu Wei, Wang Duo and ... but these are not recommended for entry. If you want to specialize in small letters, you can choose large letters, and the brushwork is relatively simple, but choosing other copybooks in the future is a bit incoherent.

Having said so much above, you may be lost again. Which entry should I choose? Here are five choices for you (really no more, no less to be scolded)!

Liu Gongquan's Mysterious Pagoda Monument

Cultural relics publishing house ISBN: 978750 1000982

Yan Zhenqing's "Duobaota Monument"

Cultural relics publishing house ISBN: 978750 1044955

Ou Yangxun's "Jiucheng Palace Monument"

Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House ISBN:9787547902509

(Tian Kai is an omega chi. Introduction can be written for several months, don't add it! ~)

Cao Quanbei.

Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Publishing House ISBN:9787547902394

Zhong Shaojing's 43-line ink version of Ling Fei Jing (Biography)

Hubei fine arts publishing house ISBN: 97875394427 16

If you still hold my neck and ask me to recommend one, just one, then I have to say "many pagodas and monuments"

First of all, don't use water-writing cloth, don't use water-writing cloth, don't use water-writing cloth! Water-writing cloth is not the five treasures of the study, but at most it can only be regarded as a toy for the elderly to kill time. Writing with water is completely different from writing with ink. The more you practice, the more stubborn your false feelings become.

Pen: Write big characters in Qi Ming's study and small characters in 90% of the studios. Don't talk nonsense, so you don't have to choose phobia.

Mo: Lions and Cao Sugong are both cost-effective. If the money is not bad, you can try Xuan Ming. If you are a little extravagant, you can hire someone to polish your ink. But be careful not to pour out the spilled ink because you are afraid of waste, so you can only cry and drink all the deteriorated ink (occasionally pour it out).

Paper: Pay more attention to the fine print, use the raw edges of cicadas (90% in the studio) and goose skin paper (relatively expensive). Large characters can be used with woolen paper (Fuyang Jiajiang can be used). Don't think the edge paper is bad. The bad thing is the burr of the machine-the thief is smooth and the hand is stung. Don't buy this!

Inkstone: If you don't pay attention, you can use ashtrays and jiaozi vinegar dishes instead of inkstones; Note that you can use the old pit black dragon tail (she inkstone). Anyway, just remember to wash the ink frequently.

Felt: Felt. I suggest you spend more money on wool felt instead of chemical fiber. The function of the felt is to hold the ink on your paper, leave it on the paper, and don't scatter it everywhere; But chemical fiber is even worse-it doesn't absorb ink, it absorbs ink. When you finish writing a word and move the paper, the place where you just wrote absorbs ink and rubs against other parts of the paper.

Post: After choosing the font to write, I suggest buying a cheap but easy-to-use copybook or printing out an electronic copybook. As for why, I will explain in detail in the later chapter [Learn to analyze glyphs], but probably because I will teach you the method of drawing auxiliary lines to analyze glyphs, it will be very troublesome to realize it in electronic copybooks. I also suggest that copybooks must be folded.

Keep the line you are writing close to the line you are writing, so that the post will not interfere with your text and ensure the most efficient writing.

Qiu Zhenzhong has a book-China Calligraphy: 167 Exercise. This book is good, with meticulous brushwork and even a little cumbersome. Because of this, I think the effect is discounted.

Be familiar with the basic brushwork before posting, mainly by touching your small brush and feeling how many rich and enchanting actions your small brush can make ~ Many people who have just started to learn calligraphy will follow the teacher to draw roads and mosquito-repellent incense, which is part of learning the basic brushwork of brush.

If you don't have the patience to practice all the brushwork well for a while, then you must learn the following three:

Lu Feng began to write.

In fact, the basic structure of Chinese characters is nothing more than single words and combined words (left-right structure, left-middle-right structure, up-and-down structure, up-and-down structure, semi-enclosing structure, three-sided enclosing structure and enclosing structure). Understand it briefly. In fact, there will be a relatively unified feature behind each structure, and you can consciously classify and summarize when practicing Chinese characters. Not much to say here.

I'm going to mark this chapter with little stars. This part is a methodology of your calligraphy and calligraphy.

As mentioned in the above copybook, you'd better have a paper copybook, because we have to get a pen and draw a circle on the copybook to help you read the font.

The first two pictures, these are the words I drew and analyzed. Please feel:

My process of analyzing glyphs is basically as follows:

A Find the center line and center of gravity, because this is the most basic part of a word.

B Observe whether there are prominent strokes or particularly important strokes (such as extremely long horizontal strokes and prominent oblique hooks). ).

Find the alignment between horizontal and vertical. This is just like those grids with auxiliary lines, mainly for positioning, distinguishing the long and short relationship and aligning the strokes. I call these auxiliary lines "longitude and latitude lines".

D look at the blank and pay attention to the contrast between retraction and retraction.

E Observe the characteristics (mainly thickness) of strokes in fonts.

When writing strokes, we should mainly pay attention to the brushwork. For example, in the horizontal direction, most of them are exposed from the front, or connected together, and vice versa. You need to see these before practice. It may be difficult to grasp the characteristics of a position at first, so you can buy some related books to help you study.

Basic strokes are nothing more than these:

Point, horizontal, vertical, left, press, hook, lift and fold.

Many classmates will say that I have never posted a post in font style. Is it because I was wrong?

In fact, this is not a mistake. I also practiced strokes when I was practicing calligraphy, and I pasted them directly. There is nothing wrong with that. Later, because I had to teach a class, I began to systematically investigate the Ling Fei Classic and sort out its words. I found that this process greatly improved my grasp of Ling Feijing. I think I can fly, so I recommend it to everyone. If you have difficulty, you can skip it and read 3.6 line by line.

Monographs generally have fewer strokes, but they are certainly not easy to write. There is a saying that the simpler the word, the more difficult it is to write. It is true-for example, if you write a "one", a bad beginning means that the word is destroyed by half. In addition, it is difficult to find the position because there are few strokes and big blanks.

We can regard a single word as a small block, grasp the shape as a whole first, and then decompose the strokes.

There are two single characters here:

about

When I get this word, I will first look at the big shape, which is a triangle, and then analyze the blank inside.

also

This word mainly analyzes an elongated vertical hook. The vertical hook is very stretched, and the blank formed by the horizontal hook is also the part by the word-white is black.

Monograph is a relatively simple (simple but not easy) structure, which can be regarded as a single chunk, so the left and right structure and the upper and lower structure are the combination of chunks. But it's not just 1+ 1. In the process of combination, we should pay attention to deal with many relationships-spatial relationship and visual contrast.

Take one word in each of the following situations as an example.

The relationship between space height and distance

Desire-high and low

Whether we are left or right, the word happens to have no obvious change in height.

Gap distance

Look at this word, I mainly want to emphasize the left and right distance. This word is closely interwoven.

Visual contrast-width, length and size

Female width

This woman's personality is obviously short left and long right.

Dirty length

The dirt is short on the left and long on the right, and one of the inclined hooks is more prominent.

In the upper, middle and lower structure, the most important thing is "straight", so it is very important to draw longitude and latitude lines.

In the surrounding structure, I want to emphasize correctness and avoidance. The fully enclosed structure is generally a Chinese character frame, and it is important to set the frame and the content step by step. The relationship of avoidance mostly appears as a formality, so there should be room for horizontal folding.

After some practice according to the structure, you can start writing posts line by line. Many friends here will have a question, that is, if I encounter a word that is difficult to write, should I write 180 times at a time or write it first?

According to my habit, if I encounter a difficult word, I will practice it several times in a row, but not more than five times, because a word has been written too many times, I really don't know it ... Many times, after we practice a word many times, it is not necessarily much better than the first time. Don't dwell too much on one word.

Face-to-face writing means face-to-face writing, so one step closer to face is back-to-face writing, which requires you to keep the font in mind and write without looking at the copybook.

If you encounter bad writing, you can write more appropriately.

After practicing for a period of time, you can begin to pay attention to the effect of the whole article. You are not required to come to this position at this stage, but the written work should be relatively complete. For example, if you write a small piece of writing paper, you should also grasp every line well, not scattered words.

When writing a post, you should read it at least a few times, and don't always write the first two lines. After a period of temporary writing and mastering the brushwork and structural characteristics of this font, you can try to create it yourself ~

In the early stage, you can consider creating a collection of characters, and then slowly create independently ~

I think writing calligraphy is really a long way, from copying to creation-with good qualifications, a copybook, diligent practice, and a year or so to write a look, you can try to create this style without posting it; If the qualification is slightly poor, it may be this position for one or two years. Regardless of your qualifications, I don't think you should be impatient. Learning calligraphy is an eternal truth. So in my opinion, don't rush to create, write one, write another!

Learning calligraphy is a lonely road, and it will be more motivated to have small partners to move forward together-this is also the beautiful original intention of our creation of Mo Ming.

I hope writing so much can help you, but it's better for you to practice a few words than to talk about the big day. Write quickly!

Before it is too late, let's start with a simple flowchart:

Before it is too late, let's start with a simple flowchart: