Calligraphy is based on the use of brushes. The exquisite use of brushes is an important factor for a work to withstand long-term viewing, careful viewing and repeated tasting. What I bring to you below is, I hope you like it.
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The "Ten Beauties" of calligraphy
1. Beauty of form
Calligraphy is based on the use of brushes. The exquisite use of brushes is what makes a work stand out It is important to look at it for a long time, look carefully and repeatedly taste and rub it. "Several paintings are applied together, and their shapes are different. All the points are arranged in line, and the body is consistent with each other." If there is a mechanical and monotonous arrangement like "straight and similar, even top and bottom, and even front and back", it will inevitably destroy the structural beauty of the glyphs. Jiang Kui said in "Xu Shu Pu": "The ink left by the ancients, every bit and every painting, is clearly unique, because of the exquisiteness of the brushwork." It is said that Wang Xizhi's dot paintings were "ten thousand different". If we look at Yang Ningshi's "Leek Flower Tie" and Chu Suiliang's "Da Zi Yin Fu Jing", we can hardly find any dot paintings with the same shape. And these changes in shape are all produced under the action of the brush strokes, which appear natural. The basic strokes are coordinated and reasonable, with the grace of the round pen, the strength of the square bone, the subtlety of the hidden edge, and the air of the exposed edge. Different changes in form can give viewers different artistic feelings.
The changes in pen use are not only reflected in the form, but also include subtle changes in angle. Do not draw horizontally like a ladder frame, without seeing even strokes arranged together. Therefore, a good calligrapher must be able to seek balance from unevenness, seek uniformity from unevenness, and seek symmetry from unevenness, so as to give the viewer a beautiful feeling. enjoy.
2. Beautiful texture
"Quality" refers to the texture, texture, weight, strength, literary talent, etc. of stipple painting. The stipple painting with texture means charm, rich and subtle. Although its surface is simple and has no external decoration, its inside is "hiding bones and tendons, containing text and substance". This is an inner and profound beauty. Yan Zhenqing's "Nephew Memorial Manuscript", Yang Ningshi's "Leek Flower Tie", Li Jianzhong's "Tumu Tie" and Zhang Xu's "Four Ancient Poetry Tie", although their styles are different, they all give people a rich, full, calm and relaxed style. , an artistic experience that is full of joy and proportion to flesh and blood. This kind of line is rich and substantial in terms of "content". "There is something in the pen" refers exactly to this. Therefore, the two sides of pointillism paintings with beautiful texture are often not only smooth and hairy, but also straight and powerful, or graceful and concise, as if flying into motion, with smooth rhyme and no rigidity. This kind of "quick and astringent" pen use, without accumulated profound skills and proficient pen and ink skills, as well as strong pen power, would not be able to achieve this artistic effect. On the contrary, some strokes that are thin and flat, have ink that does not enter the paper, are smooth in engraving, are timid and weak, expose muscles and bones, are bloated and expose flesh, and are dirty and residual, often lose the natural beauty of the pen, and are not suitable for calligraphers.
3. Rhythm
"Rhyme" has a wide range of meanings. In pen and ink techniques, it often indicates the rhythm of the pen and the changes in ink color. A beautiful and touching poem, with its ups and downs, sonorous rhythm, makes the reader's teeth and cheeks sweet; a pleasant music, with its smooth, harmonious and rhythmic melody, leaves the listener with endless aftertaste; a picture full of interest His calligraphy, with its lightness, weight, ups and downs and bright style, makes the viewer's attention and fascination. At this point, all kinds of art have their own universal points. The dynamics of things in nature, such as rolling clouds, swaying weeping willows, eagles flying in the sky, winding and rushing rivers on the earth, will inevitably lead to wind and rain, thunder and lightning, startling snakes, flying birds, running horses, flowing springs, and flying dragons. , phoenix flying, tiger crouching, insects eating, as well as people sitting, lying, walking, running, singing, dancing, fighting, etc., can also be in harmony with the expressions and interest in calligraphy. This makes the glyphs still on the paper become full of energy and vitality. When a calligrapher uses different rhythms of light, heavy and slow to express his artistic conception, his works will inevitably produce a kind of dynamic beauty, which will make the viewer's mind wander and create emotional excitement.
When writing, different rhythms can produce different artistic effects. A slow rhythm can give people a calm, rigorous and leisurely artistic feeling; a rapid rhythm can give people an exciting and joyful artistic feeling. Different rhythms can produce vivid changes in the rhythm of ink, with alternating dark and light shades, a mixture of dryness and moistness, making the whole work lively and lively. On the contrary, if you write slowly and slowly on the paper at an absolutely average speed, write hurriedly, or write monotonously without any ups and downs, your works will be dull and lifeless, and there will be no artistic appeal.
4. The beauty of strength
No matter what style the calligraphy art is, it must be backed by strength. "Strength" is the accumulation of an author's skill in long-term calligraphy practice. It is the pen and ink The expression of technique, without the power of writing, will make the whole work look lifeless and tired. In modern times, Mr. Liang Qichao took "the beauty of force" as the main basis for appreciating calligraphy, which shows the importance of "penpower". Many calligraphers in the past dynasties are famous for their writing skills. The strong force is like an iron painted silver hook, strong and square; the soft force is like a needle hidden in the cotton, graceful and concise. Although there are differences in styles, they all use different expression techniques to reflect the unique "beauty of force" in their works. As the saying goes, "Everything good will return, but you must keep your integrity." No wonder Wang Sengqian, a famous calligraphy critic in the Southern Dynasties, said with emotion: "The ancient and the modern are so different that there is no way to argue about their merits, but the power of writing is amazing." Full of power. The beauty of this work is precisely because it allows the viewer to appreciate the movement of life in this solid but not static glyph. Without the power of writing, beauty cannot be fully expressed and brought into play.
5. The beauty of momentum
Although my country's calligraphy art is a plastic art based on words, the production of "form" is inseparable from "momentum". Military strategists focus on situation, boxers focus on attacking momentum, articles focus on momentum, and calligraphy focuses on brushstrokes. The predecessors all talked about "shi" when commenting on calligraphy. It is said that "to write a calligraphy, you must first know the momentum". It can be seen that "shi" occupies a very important position in calligraphy and is also an important symbol for appreciating the beauty of calligraphy. In pen and ink techniques, it often represents the "muscles", "blood collaterals" and "circulation of qi" of the characters. In a work, if the dots and dots echo each other; the words and characters are each scene-by-moment; and the lines and lines are each other's, then the whole picture will appear to be united in spirit and spirit. It gives the viewer an artistic feeling of smooth brushstrokes, concentrated breath, and complete energy. There are many excellent works in ancient my country, some are majestic, some are unrestrained, some are slow and calm, some are irresistible, some are exciting and frustrated, some are high-spirited, some are quiet and lush, some are dripping and hearty, some are Some are stretched vertically and horizontally, and some are reunited in spirit. Although the techniques are different, they are all galloping, the writing is smooth, the mind and hand are in harmony, and the control is free, giving people an artistic feeling of being connected by blood and working together. Works that lack momentum are like clay and wood sculptures. They don't talk or smile, and are rigid and dull. The whole work will look relaxed and lifeless. Therefore, the beauty of "shi" is a spiritual state that runs through the entire calligraphy. Whether you can recognize "shi" is also an important criterion for evaluating calligraphy works.
6. The beauty of structure
"Structure" is the study of the matching method between the stipples in each word. As a text, each character has a specific and standardized combination form, thus showing its "regularity". However, as calligraphy, a writing art that is dependent on words, it also shows its "complexity". How can we find out from the ever-changing glyphs what have the same rules? The structure of a Chinese character is like a building, which includes aesthetics and mechanics. Different changes in stipple shapes and different combinations can produce different structures. The same word can express different postures, some sparse, some tight, some stretched, some flowing, some simple, some strange, some steep and some thin, some plump, the combination of these structures are all It is inseparable from the changes in Qi Zheng. If it is too plain and regular, it will be close to the vulgar and lack charm. If it is too dangerous, it will involve wild and weird meanings. The beauty lies in the inclusion of strangeness in the ordinary, and it is straight but not rigid. It's not weird, it's reasonable. The size, length, width, density, etc. of the characters must conform to the laws of natural beauty. They must not only fulfill the natural and uneven postures of the characters, but also must be combined under the control of strokes.
The more dangerous the structure, the more graceful it is. However, once it exceeds the balance range of the center of gravity, the structure of the glyph loses its reasonable natural beauty. It looks dangerous, but is actually flat, which is unbearable. It is worthy of scrutiny by the appreciators.
7. The beauty of composition
Zhao method is also called "distribution of white space", which is a method of studying the layout of words, lines and lines, and the entire word. The first impression you get when viewing a work is the artistic effect of its layout. Different layout methods are one of the important conditions for forming different styles. For example, some compositions are neat and well-proportioned, with careful attention, like a team of disciplined troops; some compositions are large and small, dense and scattered, like the twinkling stars in the night sky; some works are densely spaced between lines, reflecting the left and right; The works are spacious and clear, echoing up and down. Whether a piece of work is successful or not, the compositional layout plays a huge factor. Chapter method is a collection of characters that form a whole piece. Although it is an independent part of calligraphy skills, it is closely related to the rhythm of writing, changes in ink rhyme, writing power and momentum, structure and artistic conception. relation. A work is a unified whole. It combines the size, length, expansion and contraction, opening and closing of the glyphs, as well as the weight and speed of the pen, and the changes in the density and dryness of the ink rhyme, under the control of the brushstrokes, to form a balanced and unified work. overall. The structure of the final chapter of "Preface to the Lanting Collection" is consistent from beginning to end. The writing style is forward-looking and ups and downs. It seems strange anyway, connected by blood and concentrated. Therefore, the layout achieves the effect of connecting up and down, echoing left and right, stacking into one piece, and staying together throughout the whole chapter.
The beauty of the layout of the composition lies in its ability to conform to the laws of natural beauty, and the beauty lies in the fact that everything is in its place. The structure, size, length, density and other changes throughout Su Dongpo's "Huangzhou Cold Food Poems" are confusing, intentionally or unintentionally, revealing a kind of unrefined interest. The spirit stirs up the gathering and rushes to the bottom of the wrist, which makes the whole work show a bold and vigorous momentum. On the contrary, compositions that are too neat and neat without change, disorganized and lacking in charm, as well as those that are too congested and cramped, or too alienated and scattered, often fail to provide people with a kind of beautiful enjoyment.
8. The beauty of artistic conception
The "artistic conception" is the author's observation, thinking and experience of some phenomena in nature and life, and the use of skilled pen and ink skills, thus revealing in his works his thoughts, emotions and artistic accomplishments. It does not refer to a certain glyph or specific dot painting, but a spiritual state that runs through the entire painting. The higher the artistic conception, the more it can show its beautiful charm. With only laws and no artistic conception, one can only be called a "wordsmith". Therefore, all calligraphers regard verve and artistic conception as the pinnacle of calligraphy. However, although calligraphers devote all their energy day and night to calligraphy and history, they are just mere drawings and appearance, which is not enough to describe the calligraphy, only merit. Only when you have both can you be full of energy.
Ancient calligraphers drew nutrients from the changes in nature, thus greatly enriching the expression techniques of calligraphy art. For example, we can understand the composition of "sleet" from the stars scattered in the night sky, from the undulating but straight peaks and mountains, and the rivers to the brushwork that uses curves to get straight, and from the changing summer clouds and The rushing river water is used to describe the smooth brushstrokes, and the shape of the cliff's crumbling peaks and the shape of a retreat in danger are used to describe the dangerous structure, etc. This transition from image thinking to image creation is the result of their understanding of the true meaning and wonderful imagination in nature.
The beauty of artistic conception also reflects the author's thoughts, emotions, personality and temperament. Any living artwork always penetrates and breeds the author's rich emotions. Calligraphers of the past dynasties are no exception, such as Zhong Yao, whose calligraphy is powerful because of his majestic bird of prey; Wang Xizhi, who has a noble demeanor, so his calligraphy is elegant and elegant; Yan Zhen's calligraphy is like a pen carrying the wind and waves. The works of these calligraphers are full of expressions and interests, either to express their ambitions or to express their depressed feelings. Whatever "emotion, anger, embarrassment, joy, resentment, yearning, drunkenness, boredom, etc." does not seem to move in the heart. , it must be written in cursive script." It can be seen that the beauty of artistic conception is a beauty with deeper content, but it must be built on the basis of "law". Without "law", all the artistic conception in the mind cannot be expressed.
9. Beauty of style
Beauty of style is a primary condition for evaluating the art of calligraphy, and it is also an important symbol to distinguish between "calligraphy slaves" and "calligraphers".
The emergence of style is not only related to the inheritance from teachers, family studies, the influence of famous contemporaries and the traditional techniques absorbed, but also closely related to the author's personality, temperament, courage, literary and artistic accomplishment, aesthetic taste, conception and even character. relationship. Style is people, the unity of thought and art.
Ancient calligraphers can boldly innovate on the basis of their predecessors, find new ways, and create many different styles. For example, some works are strong and strong, like a majestic warrior; some works are graceful, mellow, and colorful, like a stunning beauty; some works are simple and vigorous, deep and vigorous, with an ancient quality. style; some works are graceful, elegant, and elegant, and have the elegance of a scholar; some works are strict, dense, and peaceful, with the attitude of a counselor; some works are graceful, elegant, and elegant, There is the attitude of a scholar... All these, different styles, show the personality and temperament of different people. They compete with each other, each with their own ingenuity, making the viewer fascinated by the strange flowers and flowers. Lingering in it. And works without style, such as Handan Toddler. But it is still following the old path. Even if it can penetrate the wood three-thirds, it is still regarded as a "book slave" and is ultimately not a masterpiece.
10. Natural Beauty
Natural beauty is the simplest formal beauty in the art of calligraphy. It takes off the coat of deliberate decoration and eliminates the traces of artificial axe-cutting, thus showing a kind of beauty. Natural, charming beauty.
Natural beauty runs through all aspects of the art of calligraphy, and is a unique form of expression of the art of calligraphy, such as some traces of roof leaks, folded hairpin strands, wall demolitions, and lines of sand ink in the brushwork. The structure requires the true state of each character and is similar to the natural and uneven physical state of nature. The layout of the "streets paved with random stones" and the charm of the brushstrokes such as flowing clouds and flowing water are all full of natural interest.
To achieve the artistic realm of natural beauty, we must start with intention. Nature is by no means casual, careless, informal, or non-abiding. On the contrary, it is a perfect combination of proficient skills and high artistic conception, so it must undergo long-term hard and strict training. "Both carving and polishing, returning to simplicity." Therefore, works of natural beauty appear to be light and simple on the outside, without any carvings, but they contain great inner beauty, which is the ultimate in wonder, craftsmanship, skill and beauty. Wang Xizhi's running calligraphy is so beautiful and natural that "It looks like the beauty of the sky and the beauty of the country. It does not use pink and white, and its radiance is moving." This is a superb artistic state. The ancients wrote the calligraphy, such as Yan's manuscript. His intention is not to write books, but to let nature take its course, and his innocence is revealed. It is said that he "works on his own without any schedule", so his works are often fascinating and make people have unexpected thoughts.