Shufa (calligraphy)

[bailewen]

Anyone else here practice it?

Anyone else here got the guts to post your lousy attempts?

This is my latest:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Bajibomber/Shufa#

Having lived in China, I am well aware that while impressive to your average "lao wai", my "work" as it were, is about what your average Chinese 6 year old does in art class. Nevertheless, it makes me happy to work at it. lol.

I'm pretty happy that these ones here at least look pretty reasonable and practicing them has definitely improved my regular Chinese handwriting. I think it helps my Taiji too. Sounds corny I know but it really does seem true.

[Bao]

Thanks for sharing! It was a long time since I practiced calligraphy, so I am not going to comment it more than saying that you are doing good.

I think you are right about the taiji. A lot of taiji practitioners where also painters and a whole lot of painters practiced taijiquan. The history of these two arts go hand in hand. And when we practice, the two of them seems to follow the same rules, as fluid and smoothness, concentration, one movement blend into the new movement etc.

The famous painter, Qi baishi, is said to have practiced the taiji movement of "lu" with a gigant brush. And then he used this "taiji" technique to paint gigant flowers with only one or two brush strokes. And this was a painting technique he became very famous for. You can google his magnificent works:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=sv&q=qi+baishi&gbv=2

[Harvey]

My friend told me that when he aske Chen Xiaowang why he practiced taiji he said is was to help his calligraphy

[nianfong]

not a bad start, omar. I'd focus more on fundamentals man... I practiced 川 and 三 several hundred/thousand times the first few weeks I started learning. Also, try to look at proportions of your strokes and overall composition more. That will help you improve.

Here's one I wrote for an ex-gf of mine:

[Bär]

Lemme guess...you told her it meant "enduring love" and it really means "ho' fo' sho'", right?

[bailewen]

Thanks for the suggestions Fong.

Believe me, I have done endless 一二三 and several rolls of paper of 永 and just because it's my name in Chinese, 白。Hadn't thought of using 川 to get those verticle's going. It really is even harder for me to look at my own calligraphy online than looking at my own form performances. It's probably because my kung fu really is better than my calligraphy. lol. I think my 鸿 came out alright. Usually I have good luck with 法 as well.

You really do have a HUGE advantage as a native speaker. I didn't even pick up a brush untill I was about 30. I mainly started because my regular(Chinese)handwriting was humiliatingly bad. It took me a few years of living in China to even get the vaguest sense of why. It was like...maybe 3 years of living there before I felt I was able to point out anything specific. I could go to town on my own "work" now. That's actually where the satisfaction comes from. It's not just "bad". I can look at specific strokes and even in a bad character I can find parts I like. And it has helped my handwriting a bit too.

Where's Doc anyways? Seems like on his own site http://www.Shenmentao.com he has a fair bit of space devoted to "the five excellences"...what are they anyways? Poetry, Calligraphy, Music。。。。？Rites and rituals maybe?

[nianfong]

dude if you have the original "ti3" that you based those characters on, I can give you some more detailed critique.

Overall, I can tell you that the proportion of the strokes needs improvement, and there is a certain lack of strength in your strokes. If I were you I'd focus more on the beginning and end of your strokes, and pausing especially at the end. And there's a certain unsteadiness in your horizontal and vertical strokes. My teacher told me that a good character must have good bones. Even in running or grass script. You should focus on your kai script for now.

-Fong

[nianfong]

Here's one I wrote before that other. I wrote many many characters varying slightly to get this one. and it has plenty of points I can improve on. But I post these to show you the horizontal and vertical strokes. Your horizontal strokes need to be tilted upwards more--the "flat" horizontal is more indicative of japanese style calligraphy. Really, I'd focus on san1 and chuan1 right now, if I were you. They are extremely difficult characters to get right--the less strokes, the harder to get the proportion/balance right. And you will learn how to proportion them.