In terms of fonts, some people advocate starting with official script or regular script, and think that learning official script and regular script is conducive to training basic skills. Of course, learning from Wei Bei is also good, because it already belongs to the regular script category. If you start practicing from official script, you will naturally master the official script style, but if you master the basic skills of structure and brushwork from official script and become the basis of mastering each style, I think it is better to start from regular script. From the current beginner's point of view, most of them start from learning regular script, and the arrangement of regular script structure is only an intermediate stage. It evolved from official script. If regular script is flat and even, then dennis gabor's brushwork is official script. Writing regular script is simple running script, and writing running script is simple grass. If we start with official script, it is difficult to master the brushwork of regular script, because the brushwork of regular script is richer and more complicated than official script.
It can be seen that practicing the basic skills of regular script can be used as the basis for practicing calligraphy and writing various styles. With the basic skills of regular script, master the structure and brushwork of regular script, and then write regular script, official script, running script, cursive script and even seal script, you can get twice the result with half the effort. Regular script can enrich and change the structure of Weibei and Lishu, such as Zhu Suiliang's regular script; Regular script permeates human running script and cursive brushwork, which can increase agility, such as some regular script inscriptions in Zhao Mengfu. Some beginners are eager to practice running script and cursive script. Because they don't have the basic skills of regular script, although they write "while flying like a dragon and dancing like a phoenix", they don't have the basic font rules and the basic skills of point strokes. As a result, they got twice the result with half the effort and took a detour.
What is suitable for beginners about small and medium fonts? Generally speaking, it is better to start with Chinese characters, which are two inches square, such as the mysterious tower of Liu Gongquan and the Shence Army Monument. It is easy to see the effect when writing small characters at first, because the font is small and the stroke spacing is small, so it is easy to master and control when writing. However, when you are used to writing small characters, when you encounter writing large characters, the stroke spacing of the frame structure is large, and it is difficult to master and control the strokes when writing, which is likely to be lax or tight and uneven. Write two inches square, there is room for stretching in writing big characters, and it is easier to master in writing small characters.
There are many famous regular script writers with different styles and schools. Some are rich and graceful; Some are tight and steep; Some lean on one side to show off; Some are tall and strong; ..... Beginners can choose a direction that is conducive to practicing basic skills and their future development according to their own personality and preferences, and they can also consider which style is conducive to practice according to their work needs. Nowadays, many people practice calligraphy and often choose one of the works of Ou Yangxun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan and Zhao Mengfu as a model. In addition, the inscriptions of Yu Shinan and Zhu Suiliang in the Tang Dynasty are often used as demonstration posts for practicing basic skills. The basic skills of practicing regular script at the beginning naturally don't have to stick to these families, and many epitaphs are well written, such as Longzang Temple Monument in Sui Dynasty and Dong Epitaph.
After selecting posts, you should submit them. The purpose of submission is to practice the basic skills of writing and experience and master the pen, structure, posture and charm of the model. There are two kinds of stickers: copy and temporary. Copying is to cover the paper on the copybook, hook it, then frame it and point it at the copybook.
Hook and frame
(1) hook and copy
That is, use transparent or translucent paper, such as glossy paper, Sydney paper, moisture-proof paper, cotton paper, sulfuric acid paper and so on. Cover the template, use a brush or pencil to draw the outline of the word (half inside and half outside) along the edge of the template and along the outline of the font, which is called "double hook". Then in the outline of the tick, use a pen to write according to calligraphy and painting (if the template is an ink book, it is necessary to
First of all, you should be loyal to the form of the original words in the copybook If the line is hooked outside the outline of the word, the filled word will be one circle larger than the original word; On the other hand, if the line is hooked on the outline, it will become smaller after filling the outline; If some lines are hooked outside the outline and some are hooked inside, the words filled out will lose their original appearance. When hooking, always follow the position where the edge of the word outline is half inside and half outside. So avoiding it requires care and concentration. Secondly, when filling the outline, you can't draw it flat like a pattern painting. You should write one by one according to the calligraphy and painting of the original post in the order of first left and then right, first up and then down. And we should ponder the brushwork of the original post words and conduct analysis and research. At present, give us the "double hook" first, and only do the "outline", that is, "drawing", which means "drawing red", that is, "contour filling", that is, beginners draw the printed red copybook with a brush along the handwriting, which speeds up the learning progress.
(2) Framework
That is, cover the template with transparent paper (glossy paper, Sydney paper, moisture-proof paper, cotton paper and sulfuric acid paper) or completely transparent thin corner pieces. In order to prevent the template from being polluted by ink, cover the transparent paper with thinner and more transparent historical paper and Xuan paper (such as tying flowers, connecting cotton and single announcement), and then trace the shadow of the words on the paper by "tracing red" along the strokes of the words. Because there are two layers of paper on the copybook, and the transparency of the paper is different, if you cover it on the template, the outline of the words under it may be blurred. You can buy an extra template as a reference and put it next to it at any time. This can save the time of copying process and increase the number of copies. Now beginners can buy photo albums directly to practice.
Kang Youwei once said: "Learning a book must be imitated first, and the ancients cannot be complacent. So if you want to post, you must imitate it hundreds of times first, so that you can transfer everything before posting. " Therefore, whether you fill in the outline or draw red in the shadow, it is to master the brushwork and charm of the ancients and exercise basic skills. Therefore, when checking, we should observe and study the characters used in model calligraphy and painting, and understand the characteristics of starting, turning and receiving pens, as well as their style charm. If it is an ink book, we should also study the dry and dark changes of ink color, which is the performance of pen-ink conversion, from which we can study ancient calligraphy and painting. In order to consolidate the memory, some long templates, such as the pagoda in Yan Zhenqing, the Jiucheng Palace in Ou Yangxun, the mysterious pagoda of Liu Gongquan, the Danba Imperial Monument in Zhao Mengfu, etc. , can be segmented copy, repeat. First of all, we should be familiar with and master a few brushwork, structure and charm, and then from less to more, so as to make the whole article smooth. Only through strict training can we master the brushwork, structure and brushwork of the model and form the habit of not scribbling every word. Therefore, in the beginning, instead of doodling for speed, it is better to slow down, otherwise haste makes waste. In addition, now learners often skip the copying stage and enter the temporary stage, and some even come without overlapping, which seems to be fast, the actual effect is not good, and even the interest in learning books is abandoned because of the slow progress. Only step by step can kung fu be solid.
Second, facing and facing backward.
Pro is to imitate the calligraphy and painting of the ancients or masters. Posting has two steps, one is to face and the other is to face.
(1) Facing the environment
That is, written on the words of the template. The first step is to use the grid.
The specific steps are as follows: firstly, draw a nine-square grid, a Mi Zige grid, a trapezoid grid and the like with corneal membrane (such as film, thin glass, transparent organic board or transparent paper, such as sulfuric acid paper). The function of Jiugongge is a basis for easily grasping the stroke position when copying. The proportion suitable for Chinese character structure, such as left-right structure, up-down juxtaposition structure, left-middle-right structure, upper-middle-lower structure, 90% squares are also divided into upper-middle-lower, left-middle-right nine squares, so that it is easy to see the position of Chinese character strokes in these nine small squares, and it is easy for copyists to grasp the proportion of each part, the length, thickness and inclination angle of strokes, so as to know fairly well. Mi Zige's role is the same as Jiugongge. Because the oblique angles such as apostrophe and accent are difficult to see accurately, Mi Zige has exactly two diagonals as the basis, and there are two centerlines in the horizontal and vertical directions, which is also convenient to master the horizontal and vertical drawing method and the proportion of each part. Both are advantageous tools for replication. Cover the template with nine squares or Mi Zige, and put a piece of backing paper with nine squares or Mi Zige under the paper to be written. Put the template obliquely in front of the table (the back can be supported by a wooden frame or other objects), which can be used for scribbling. Barbecue goes a step further than copying. Although there are nine squares or Mi Zige to determine the position of strokes, how to start, close and rotate, the thickness, length and inclination of strokes depend on the learners' mastery of brushwork and observation of model fonts, that is, they walk without crutches. In this way, with the help of Jiugongge and Mi Zige, we can master the process and brushwork of Chinese characters more accurately. In the second step, we can face each other, remove the nine squares or Mi Zige covering the template, and put a piece of paper with squares under the temporary writing paper.
When you are facing your face, you should first pay attention to sketching, not just reading one stroke. You should observe and remember all the stroke positions and strokes of Chinese characters, and master the structure, shape and expression of Chinese characters. Otherwise, when we look at a temporary stroke, we only pay attention to that part. Without a complete concept, it is impossible to grasp the shape and charm of the characters as a whole. Therefore, before you write, you must carefully observe the font and brushwork, and even with your eyes closed, you can visualize the shape of the word in your mind. Secondly, temporary writing can be slightly larger than template words, which is convenient to master the frame structure and brushwork of words, especially some template fonts are smaller and need temporary writing. After writing to a certain extent, you can enter the second stage of writing, that is, the back-to-back stage.
(2) facing the back
It refers to putting away the model and memorizing the model's style, which is the final stage of writing. On the basis of copying, shadow, grid and surface, it relies entirely on memory to face words. Only by mastering the structure, brushwork and font of the model essay, and vividly remembering it, can we write the model essay silently. Back-to-back focuses on mastering the form and spirit of sample books. When writing, the length and thickness of strokes may be different from the original model, but they should be consistent with the model in form and spirit. So the point behind is meaning. Of course, at the beginning, no matter the structure, brushwork and charm, there will be a distance from the model, relying on inspection and comparison to find out the gap, and then temporarily correct it for the second time. As long as you recite it repeatedly, you can master the structure, brushwork and charm of the model skillfully. If you can do this, you can get into writing. When you encounter words that are not in the model, you can write them according to the structure and brushwork characteristics of the book in the model. The written words will be consistent with the model's style, indicating that you have mastered a book.
After mastering the style of one school, do you still need to go through these processes to learn from another school? It doesn't have to be like this. Because, at this time, the ability to control strokes has been greatly improved, and the understanding of penholder structure, brushwork and style charm has also been improved after a long period of practice. As long as you directly enter the face and learn another style of calligraphy, the time and process will be greatly shortened. In fact, it has entered the creative stage of calligraphy art. In order to pursue and create its own unique style, it is very important to write and study several styles of calligraphy, compare their characteristics and master their advantages for our use.