Chinese calligraphy.suggestions?

[Krodor]

I guess it has been building for years and I didn't know it. Chinese has always interested me, but seemed too hard to even start. Now with this fountain pen hobby, mixed with the repeated efforts of cutting out korean characters with an exacto knife for a micarta-based "karate" straight razor, plus the confidence I have in trying difficult things in general, maybe now is the time to try to learn some Chinese characters. I don't know the first thing about Chinese, but I think it would be cool to learn to do it as a hobby. Can it be faked with a flex-nib or 'brush pen', or does it have to be done with an actual brush?

Any suggestions on a poor-man's way to get started?

 

[PaulGeo]

I remember as a kid grinding ink on a slate for my dad for his calligraphy/paintings... it was very cool.

I would say, yes you can "fake" it with a flex nib, and definitely with a brush pen (Japanese makes some nice ones). If you want to be more authentic, a good quality brush would cost less than $20. After that, all you need are some pre-made Chinese ink and some rice paper (or newspaper for practice). I generally get my supplies from OAS (http://www.orientalartsupply.com/) but I'm sure you can find cheaper alternatives elsewhere.

 

[oc_in_fw]

When you order a large bottle of Noodler's you get a free FP and a brush pen. Tell you what, my brush pen is collecting dust. Shoot me your address and I will send it to you.

 

[Krodor]

When you order a large bottle of Noodler's you get a free FP and a brush pen. Tell you what, my brush pen is collecting dust. Shoot me your address and I will send it to you.

ooookkkay....cool! Thanks, man!

 

[oc_in_fw]

ooookkkay....cool! Thanks, man!

Hey, no problem. It is the one I got when ordered a large bottle of BSB, and should be a good intro to brush pens. Do you have any Baystate Blue?

 

[Krodor]

Hey, no problem. It is the one I got when ordered a large bottle of BSB, and should be a good intro to brush pens. Do you have any Baystate Blue?

no, but I got my son a bottle of 54th Mass. for part of his birthday present....cool color. I bet he'll let me use some someday if I'd like, since he's been using my Sequoia I'm not a big blue fan these days, but Ive noticed it's a pendulum thing. It swings back and forth every 4-5 years between blue and black. Right now i'm deep into the black-is-elegant phase.

 

[Doc4]

Hey, no problem. It is the one I got when ordered a large bottle of BSB, and should be a good intro to brush pens. Do you have any Baystate Blue?

Nice offer. I use that same brush pen as well (not with BSB though.)

BTW, it's not all 4.5oz bottles of Noodlers that you get the brush pen with ... only a few. BSB, Kung Te-cheng, Whaleman's Sepia, I think that's it ... check the fine print on the Goulet website ... but of course they work fine with any ink.