As a beginner in Chinese calligraphy, you might sometimes need to add a seal stamp to your digital scans of calligraphy or traditional Chinese painting works. However, getting a proper seal hand-carved by a skilled seal engraving artist is not easy.Fortunately, there’s a solution for urgent needs – the Chinese seal stamp generator! Today, Qi…
Chinese calligraphy brushes come in many different sizes, which can be confusing for beginners. You might wonder: How do I know what size characters this brush is best for? Or, if I want to write characters of a specific size, what brush should I choose? Now, Qi Ming will explain how to distinguish brush sizes…
What is Xuan paper made of? This question fascinates calligraphy enthusiasts and traditional culture lovers worldwide. Understanding what Xuan paper is made of reveals the secrets behind China’s most treasured papermaking craft. Xuan paper is made of four natural materials: green sandalwood bark, sandy field rice straw, kiwi vine, and mountain spring water. This comprehensive…
Many people interested in Chinese calligraphy and painting art may notice that most Chinese calligraphy or painting works have seals on them. Chinese seal identification can be very difficult for foreign friends who are new to Chinese art or those who rarely encounter Chinese seal carving, yet it’s also full of fascinating charm that draws…
Many friends in Hong Kong might wonder: What Xuan paper brands are available in Hong Kong? After extensive research, Qi Ming found that Hong Kong doesn’t actually have local companies producing Xuan paper. This isn’t surprising, though.So there are no actual Hong Kong Xuan paper brands, because all authentic Xuan paper is produced in Jing…
Many people believe that for a brush to be considered high-quality, it must be made entirely from animal hair. For this reason, many calligraphy learners think that nylon calligraphy brushes are not good brushes, or even consider them to be fake or low-quality products. This misconception has likely troubled many sellers of the Four Treasures…
Professor Tian Yunzhang is the older brother of Tian Yingzhang. While he doesn’t earn as much from calligraphy training as his younger brother, Professor Tian became widely known through his video series “Tian Yunzhang Calligraphy Lecture: Daily Topic, Daily Character (365 Episodes Online, Ad-Free)” recorded for Northern Network. Qi Ming previously posted this video series…
In our previous article, we discussed “Chinese Calligraphy Ink: Ink Stick vs Liquid Ink Guide.” Today, let’s talk about ink sticks (also called ink cakes or ink blocks). Many calligraphy enthusiasts who want to buy ink sticks for grinding their own ink often wonder: How can we tell if an ink stick is good or…
Ink Stick vs Liquid Ink Guide: Should you use an ink stick or liquid ink when learning Chinese calligraphy? This question has been asked by more than ten calligraphy friends on WeChat. To be honest, if I want convenience, I would definitely choose liquid ink. But if we’re talking about the ceremonial feeling of writing…
