Calligraphy learning experience (1) How big a word is good to write in the post?

After a period of calligraphy learning, I have some experience and take this opportunity to share with you.

When it comes to how big a character to write in the calligraphy study post, it can be said that it is a clichéd problem, some advocate writing small characters, and some push to write large characters, each has its own reason, I think it is all right, but we should take the small characters and large characters as a whole, small characters are conducive to large characters, large characters and reactions to small characters, the two complement each other, give up any one can not learn calligraphy well. Today we will discuss this issue together.

The original works of ancient stele that we copy every day basically have small characters, especially the post. Friends who have been to the museum must have seen the authentic works of the ancients that are still well preserved, basically 1--2 centimeters in size, not to mention small letters.

Therefore, we should try to write to the original big one, so that it can be considered close to the original work. At present, the enlarged version of the poster on the market can more clearly observe the relationship between strokes, and even the stroke order. In the past, those who studied the posters also used a magnifying glass to see the posts, and with the enlarged version, it saved a lot of effort, and it was better to read the posts.

At the beginning of writing the original is not easy to master, you can first write 5--6 cm size of the word, and then gradually reduce the proportion of proficiency, the wrist should be lifted, the pen should be vertical, you can use the pillow wrist for a short period of time, but can not rely on it for a long time, to overcome the process of "excitement", so as to better exercise wrist strength.

In fact, writing small characters is to better exercise wrist strength, and it is a large-scale wrist strength exercise. If you stand up and write more than 10 centimeters of large characters at the beginning, the range of wrist strength is small, and the strength is more with the help of arm strength, shoulders, waist and legs, etc., such as the list book to mobilize the strength of the whole body.

Since most of the current calligraphy exhibitions are displayed in the specifications of more than four feet, the calligraphy works sold in the calligraphy and painting market, and the works of famous artists who have been donated, the majority of large characters are so large that when learning calligraphy, they prefer to write large characters. In addition, the signs, advertisements and slogans we see in life also use enlarged versions of calligraphy fonts, so that we are also accustomed to this aesthetic standard, and writing large characters has become a regular way to learn calligraphy.

There is no mistake in writing big words, which can be said to be in line with this era. In ancient times, there were no rich paper resources now, and there was no specific calligraphy exhibition, and the literati's appreciation of calligraphy only stayed in "play", and this "play" had the component of "reading posts".

Writing small characters can be better close to the original, many subtle movements on the strokes can be easily made, these subtle movements can better understand the brushwork, which is why many friends can not understand how to write some strokes when learning. As soon as I came up, I wrote big characters, many subtle actions could not be done, I did little homework in reading posts, and the words i wrote were inferior in form and god. Once you understand these subtle movements, you will play a multiplier role in the creation of large characters.

At that time, we did not have photos and videos of how the ancients wrote this book, but we can refer to modern calligraphy, such as Shen Yinmo, Qi Gong, etc., who are sitting on the post and writing close to the size of the original.

We describe a person's calligraphy pen power, mostly in the form of "three points into the wood", "force through the back of the paper" and "strong pen strength", etc., these adjectives always make people feel that writing is "force", this force is understood as vertical downward, just like we write with a steel nail on the cement floor.

Mi Fu once summed up the use of calligraphy: "No going, no receiving, no hanging, no shrinking". Calligraphy is the beauty of the line, but also the beauty of the power, we look at the seal book, the strokes basically do not have much change, are the same width, but when writing to control the balance of power, if one will be strong and one will be small, then the line will be thick and thin, the words written can be imagined. The same is true of other book styles. In freehand paintings, the control of this power is also used, such as bamboo and orchid, which must have the power to recover when the leaves are skimmed out, and the softness of the lines is also a manifestation of the strength to retract and release freely.

The above line power is easier to exercise when writing small characters, and you will understand the retraction of this power, indirectly improve the ability to control the pen, and you will be at ease in the creation of calligraphy.

Speaking of this, mention the experience of using the brush, I always felt that I could not buy a satisfactory brush, in fact, an ordinary brush will become a good pen in the master. It's not the reason for the pen, it's just that our own pen control ability has not been achieved. The brush is eight faces, we did not give full play to it, the wrist is too dead, so it is not flexible enough, and the brush is always deformed in the end. To write with a pen, use the first third, do not have to press down, but also always lift up. Many famous artists can use a pen for many years, which is the ability to exert force.

Writing small print can also effectively train your subconscious, although reading posts is also OK, but the lack of handwriting practice, which can be more profound. The level to which the subconscious of calligraphy has to be trained is good, I think it should be when writing certain words, and its appearance has already surfaced in the consciousness. Philosophically, "Consciousness determines behavior, and behavior determines outcome." What the final work looks like, we already have in our consciousness. You have twenty posters in your heart, and your level can be imagined.

The results of our general pro-post and jing pro are not the same, and jing pro is actually training the subconscious. There is a lot of fine input to have a good output. To give another example, we have memorized a poem, and the words involved in it have been skillfully written, and you are not very fluent when you create this poem. If you can't memorize it, and the words in it don't have font reserves, you have to stop writing. This is also what Su Shi said in the method of writing bamboo: "There is bamboo in the chest."

In summary, in our daily calligraphy learning, writing small characters can not be lost, enlarged version of the text can be approaching but do not write too big, remember the actual size of the original paste, the homework of reading the paste should also be arranged, to have the subconscious consciousness of training. When writing big characters, it is creation, don't stop and look at the post, and the content of creation should be memorized. The calligrapher Wang Duo of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties is a day of posting a day of creation, this method can be tried, so that it is not boring, a day of small characters a day of large characters, involving the strength, subconscious and other aspects have been exercised, usually memorize more poetry and the like, accumulate some commonly used calligraphy content, and then combined with the posters, your calligraphy performance will be further improved.

The above is a little experience of my recent calligraphy study, and if there is something wrong, please criticize and correct it.

2022-2-1 in Lanqing Pavilion