Introduction to Chinese Calligraphy

Begin by getting to know Thomas. He shares his journey as a calligraphy artist, and shows you some of his work. Hear about the calligraphers that inspire him and get an overview of the different Chinese calligraphy scripts.

Go through the different brushes needed and get recommendations on which ink and paper to use. Practice the correct form for holding your brush and learn the basic components of Chinese characters. Thomas guides you through the brush stroke techniques used to paint each element.

Discover the different structures that compose Chinese calligraphy. Start with the basic open structure and single component characters. Then move on to top-bottom and left-right structures with the help of a grid. Learn how to practice correct stroke order and keep characters proportionate.

After grasping the technique, explore the composition of more complex Chinese characters. Thomas shows you how to create enclosed structures, which are commonly used characters. Then, explore how to combine the different structures learned in the course to create more detailed characters.

Learn how to set up rice paper to create calligraphy artwork. See how to align, fold, and trim your paper before writing a Chinese poem. Thomas provides you with a famous poem from the Tang Dynasty, but you are free to use the poem of your choice. To conclude the course, Thomas shares some tips on photographing and sharing your artwork.