SH001
Calligraphy in the Classroom
A. Basic Materials
Brushes. Chinese brushes usually have bamboo handles but are sometimes made of other materials
such as hard wood, ivory and porcelain. The brushes used for calligraphy should have stiff tips.
Most commonly, these are made from the hair of wolves. A large-size brush is easier for the
beginner to handle. If Chinese brushes are not available, use Western-made paintbrushes (Number 12)
which can be purchased at any art supplies store.
Paper. Coarse-textured, absorbent paper is needed for practicing calligraphy. Blank newsprint is
suitable for the beginner and we recommend it over the traditional "rice-paper" because it is much
less expensive.
Ink. Ink can be purchased in two forms: liquid or stick. Grinding ink from an ink stick is laborious and
time-consuming. We suggest that you purchase the liquid ink (most commonly imported from Japan and bottled
in a plastic container) from an arts supplies store. This ink has a rather dense consistency and is easier
to use if diluted with water. Give each student (or pair of students) a paper cup with the ink-water mixture
of one part ink to four or five parts water.
Backing Paper. Three or four sheets of newspaper should be placed under the newsprint practice sheet to
prevent ink from seeping onto the desk. Impress upon your students that this ink is highly indelible once
it has dried and that they should avoid getting it onto their clothing.
Sink with cold running water. After the calligraphy practice, clean the brushes by holding them, tips
pointed downwards, under a cold tap. Do not rinse them under hot water as this would dissolve the glue
that holds the brush hairs together.
Stack of paper towels. For clean up.
An effective way to demonstrate the strokes is for the teacher to draw them on the blackboard using a
brush and plain water. Tell the students to watch each stroke done on the blackboard before trying it
on their practice sheets.
The students should be seated so that each one has a clear view of the board. School desks arranged in
vertical rows are not ideal for this purpose. If possible, have them sit at long tables arranged in a "U"
shape, facing the board.
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