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The four elements of calligraphy
By Zhang Bo |
August 28, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CALLIGRAPHY is considered as an art because it's always been closely related to philosophy. It displays the content of philosophy in every stroke. During the production process, calligraphers are always trying to achieve a balance in the contradiction between art and philosophy. Good calligraphers can display the charm of the art through their thoughts and feeling, through ink and lines, and through the content of their writing.
The four major elements of calligraphy are writing technique, structure, ink use and composition.
Everything in the world is universally connected, just like the different parts of a Chinese character. As the core of calligraphy, the correct writing technique can make different parts coherent and connected, creating a complete, organic and vital body. It's the best way to show a calligrapher's knowledge of the writing technique and the ability of controlling a writing brush.
The founding of a good structure should experience the process from quantity to quality. Good structure of a Chinese character is achieved on long-term reading and copy imitating. To solve the structure problem, a calligrapher has to read many excellent copybooks. It's almost impossible to overcome difficulties on structure without a certain amount of copies, because only imitating copybooks can improve coordination between the eyes, brain, heart and hands, thus improving control of writing brush, ink and paper.
Ink use lies in the law of the unity of opposites. It's an important part of calligraphy. The ink can be thick or light, dry or wet, rough or smooth. While they may appear contradictory, they are interdependent - without thick there is no light; without dry there is no wet; and without rough there is no smooth. They are the unity of opposites, but remain in opposition to each other. With such contradiction, ink is changeable and can be used to create various art effects.
Composition means how to lay out a whole art work and realize the beauty of the calligraphic work. To achieve the intended effect, a calligrapher has to respect the objective laws of calligraphy. The composition of calligraphy stresses the layout of points, lines, planes and blocks, the contrast of inked area and white space, and the coordination of the entire work. On the other hand, the calligrapher shall also perform an individual creative idea. For example, when to use thick ink and when to use light ink? When to write strongly and when to write lightly? What characters are suitable to be displayed in a block and what shall be stressed in strokes? It all depends on the ideas of a calligrapher, which shows the comprehensive ability of his or her skills, knowledge, accomplishment and mood. If the strokes are perfect while the composition is weak, the work will lack spirit and beauty. This will decrease the work's value.
(Translated by Momo Pan)
The four major elements of calligraphy are writing technique, structure, ink use and composition.
Everything in the world is universally connected, just like the different parts of a Chinese character. As the core of calligraphy, the correct writing technique can make different parts coherent and connected, creating a complete, organic and vital body. It's the best way to show a calligrapher's knowledge of the writing technique and the ability of controlling a writing brush.
The founding of a good structure should experience the process from quantity to quality. Good structure of a Chinese character is achieved on long-term reading and copy imitating. To solve the structure problem, a calligrapher has to read many excellent copybooks. It's almost impossible to overcome difficulties on structure without a certain amount of copies, because only imitating copybooks can improve coordination between the eyes, brain, heart and hands, thus improving control of writing brush, ink and paper.
Ink use lies in the law of the unity of opposites. It's an important part of calligraphy. The ink can be thick or light, dry or wet, rough or smooth. While they may appear contradictory, they are interdependent - without thick there is no light; without dry there is no wet; and without rough there is no smooth. They are the unity of opposites, but remain in opposition to each other. With such contradiction, ink is changeable and can be used to create various art effects.
Composition means how to lay out a whole art work and realize the beauty of the calligraphic work. To achieve the intended effect, a calligrapher has to respect the objective laws of calligraphy. The composition of calligraphy stresses the layout of points, lines, planes and blocks, the contrast of inked area and white space, and the coordination of the entire work. On the other hand, the calligrapher shall also perform an individual creative idea. For example, when to use thick ink and when to use light ink? When to write strongly and when to write lightly? What characters are suitable to be displayed in a block and what shall be stressed in strokes? It all depends on the ideas of a calligrapher, which shows the comprehensive ability of his or her skills, knowledge, accomplishment and mood. If the strokes are perfect while the composition is weak, the work will lack spirit and beauty. This will decrease the work's value.
(Translated by Momo Pan)
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