Principles of Chinese Calligraphy
§
6.1
- Selecting
Different Brushes for Different Calligraphy Styles
There
are about four categories of brushes for Chinese calligraphy depending on
materials used. Each is suitable for different calligraphy
styles. Some may be used for all calligraphy styles but the result will be
sacrificed.
Weasel Hair Brush
“Lun Hao”
More
stiff and hard
Suitable for Tsao & Hsin Styles; may be used for Kai Style
Goat Hair Brush “Yung Hao"
Softer
than weasel
hair
Suitable
for Zuan, Li, and Kai Styles
Combination Brush “Jian Hao 兼 毫 ”
Typically
combines weasel
hair and goat (or rabbit) hair proportionally
May
be used for all styles
Brush
made of other types
Hairs
of rats, rabbits, deer, horse, baby hair and so on
Depends
on the calligraphers’ preferences
Different
brushes, whether they are big or small, stiff or soft, all serve for particular
styles. Generally speaking, a big and soft brush is suitable for large
characters while a small and stiff one is for small characters. However, there
are no strict or fixed guidelines to use a specific kind of brush for a specific style.
After one has studied and understood theories and principles, one will make a
better choice of brush.
毛筆依彈性分硬毫、軟毫及兼毫。初學者應依其所選擇字帖、書體來選擇不同之筆性。
§
6.2
- 擇帖時如何依帖擇筆
1.依線性擇筆:
視所臨帖之線條而定。依其直線之挺直度及曲線的曲率，可知書家使用毛筆之彈性屬硬毫，兼毫或軟毫。
2.依所適擇帖:
§ 6.3
- 書法學習難易度順序
1.筆劃粗細一致者(隸、篆)，較多不一致者(楷、行、草)。
2.筆劃為水平，垂直者(隸、篆)，斜向線條較多者(楷、行、草)。
3.筆劃直線多者(隸、楷)，曲線較多者(草行)。
4.結體單純者(隸、篆)，易於匹配混雜者(行、草、楷)。
5.運筆較有定則者(隸、篆、楷)，較無定則者(行、草)。
6.字形固定者(隸、篆)，較不定形者(楷、行、草)。
7.運筆速度慢者(隸、篆、楷)，較易於快者(行、草)。
前項擇筆1.節，概硬毫便於順筆性之法如撇、捺、鉤等，卻不便於藏鋒等逆筆性;反之軟毫便於藏鋒，卻不便於撇、鉤等筆法，二者各有所長短。
初學者未能善知其長，仍以擇兼毫為宜。古言以軟毫可以練腕力之說，對於初學尚未能體會筆毛提按彈性感覺的人來說，徒增學習困擾，
書法雖然有行草者，可以汪洋恣肆，疏影橫斜，然而倘若把這看成是任意為之胡亂涂抹那就大錯特錯了。實際上，正如早有人反复說過的那樣，怀素，張旭等大家的所謂“狂草”卻是最為章法謹嚴，結字規矩，筆法不亂的。
