Tips for selecting brushes
First, when you choose a brush, you must first choose the length and thickness of the brush. If you are a novice learning brushes, you can choose an entry-level ordinary brush. Now, men can use a slightly thicker brush when practicing calligraphy, while women are advised to use a slightly thinner brush.
Second, it is best for children to use student-type brushes when learning calligraphy, rather than choosing adult brushes. Generally speaking, children’s hands are smaller and the strength of holding the pen is not strong enough, so they choose brushes. When writing, choose a small and light brush, and slowly change it as the child's calligraphy level improves.
Third, if your calligraphy has improved to a certain extent, it is recommended that you use a better brush. I personally recommend that you choose a high-quality brush. When purchasing, you should pay attention to the brush. Soft and tough, everyone should pay attention to this feature when distinguishing.
Fourth, when we choose a brush, we need to check whether the barrel of the brush is straight. The barrel of some brushes is not very straight and is slightly curved. Then this type of brush has been deformed and will become awkward to use. It affects your writing feeling, so I suggest you pay attention to it.
Fifth, the cap of the brush is also very important. A well-made cap has good sealing performance and can protect the brush. In addition, everyone should check whether the brush you want to buy has any stray hairs on it. Is there any unevenness in the pen tip?
Sixth, if you are already a veteran in learning calligraphy, then when you choose a brush, you must choose a brush that suits your calligraphy. If you often write running script, couplets and flat foreheads, then I suggest this group of friends It is better to use a brush pen.
Seventh, if your calligraphy style is regular script, then it is recommended that you choose brushes such as Zihao and Langhao, because the texture of these brushes is very hard, especially the elasticity of this type of brush is very good , when we write calligraphy in regular script, we will get twice the result with half the effort. How to maintain the brush
After using the brush, you should wash off the remaining ink immediately to prevent the brush tip from sticking. It should be hung on a pen hanger to maintain the flexibility of the brush tip. If the ink is stuck or a new pen is used, it can be soaked in warm water. Do not tear it apart hard or soak it in boiling water to avoid breaking the edge. The new pen should be put into a paper box or wooden box and put some mothballs to prevent moths. Dry frequently to prevent mildew.
(1) To enable a new pen, you must first open the pen. Soak the purchased pen in warm water, and do not soak it in water for too long until the tip of the pen is fully opened. Do not let the glue at the base of the pen melt, otherwise it will become a "hair-shedding pen" and the hair will fall off easily. Purple hair is hard and should be soaked in water for a while.
(2) Refining the pen is a necessary task before writing. You cannot write as soon as the pen is stained with ink. The method is to soak the pen with clean water first, and then lift it up. Do not soak it for a long time to prevent the glue at the base of the pen from melting. Then hang the pen upside down until the tip of the pen regains its flexibility, which may take dozens of minutes. The pen must be dry when stored. If the pen is written without moisturizing, the hair will become brittle and easy to break, and the elasticity will be poor.
(3) You can start writing only after that. This "inking" also requires a lot of knowledge. In order to achieve uniformity and allow the ink to penetrate into the pen, the clean water must be absorbed first, and the pen can be gently dragged on the absorbent paper until it is dry. The so-called "dry" does not mean completely dry, as long as the water is removed to accommodate the ink. "The pen should be filled with ink three-thirds of the time, and should not be soaked so deep that it becomes weak and weak." If the ink is too little, it will be too dry and cannot move freely, and if there is too much ink, the waist will be swollen and weak, both of which are not good.
(4) Wash your pen immediately after writing. The ink has colloid. If it is not washed away, the pen will be firmly bonded with the ink and glue after it dries. It will not be easy to dissolve when it is reused, and the pen will be easily broken.
(5) After washing, first absorb the remaining water on the pen and straighten it out [same as before inserting ink]. Then hang the pen on the pen holder to allow the remaining water to continue dripping until it dries. Please pay attention to drying in a cool place to preserve the original shape and characteristics of the pen. Do not expose it to sunlight. The key to preserving pens is to keep them dry. The origin of the name of the brush
The brush is a unique writing and painting tool that uses feathers to write in ancient China and Western nations. Although pencils, ballpoint pens, fountain pens, etc. are popular in the world today, writing brushes cannot be replaced. It is said that the writing brush was created by Meng Tian, ??so Houdian, Hengshui, Hebei Province, and Shanlian, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, are known as the hometowns of writing brushes. Every third day of the third lunar month is like a Chinese New Year. Every family makes dumplings and drinks to celebrate Meng Tian's creation of writing brushes.
Since the Yuan Dynasty, the "Hu brush" produced in Shanlian Town, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, with the characteristics of "point, neat, round and strong", has become the most famous brush variety in the country. The writing brush has had different names throughout the ages. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the princes ruled the roost. At this time, different countries had different names for brushes. The state of Wu (now Jiangsu) was called "Bulu", and the state of Chu (now Hubei) was called "ca (bamboo)". After Qin Shihuang unified China, they were all called "writing brushes". Bai Juyi called the brush "hair cone", and the poem "Ji Wei Zhi" goes: "The eye is as piercing as a paper, and the hair is as sharp as a cone."
It is said that the brush used today was built under the supervision of the Qin Dynasty. Meng Tian, ??the general of the Great Wall, was the first to do so. There are also well-known "Mengtian brushes", also known as "Mengtian fine brushes" and Houdian brushes. But the invention of the brush cannot be entirely attributed to Meng Tian alone.
In 1954, a complete set of writing instruments was unearthed from a prehistoric tomb in Zuojiagang Mountain, Changsha, Hunan. This proves that there was already a so-called writing brush before Mengtian.