Page 23 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

3 FAMOUS…
How not to… get stuck in the past
Shodo is still taught in schools stages or street corners, the JAPANESE
across Japan, but young people artists paint characters to the
have found a new way to put their beat, often drawing the lyrics to CALLIGRAPHERS
brushes to use for self-expression: the songs and adding in extra
performance calligraphy. choreographed dances alongside
This vibrant and energetic their brushstrokes.
take on the beloved traditional One of the biggest events in
art form involves teams or this style of calligraphy is the
individuals using huge 4x6 National High School Performance
metre paper canvases, oversized Calligraphy Tournament, where
brushes and large paint pots to every year school teams battle it
perform large-scale calligraphy out to be crowned performance
to pop music. Performed on calligraphy champions.
ONO NO MICHIKAZE
894-966, Japan
Known as one of the ‘Three Brush
Traces’, Ono no Michikaze was one
of the key calligraphers that added
distinctly Japanese elements to
the medium. He is known as the
greatest of his time for square,
cursive and semi-cursive scripts.

RELAX YOUR MIND TAKE UP THE BRUSH FUJIWARA NO
Mushin is an integral part of all Japanese arts. It is a Once you are relaxed, it’s time to pick up the brush.
03 state of mind that allows things to happen naturally, 04 Hold it with your index and middle fingers at the axis SUKEMASA
with no conscious thought. It usually takes years to perfect — and place your thumb underneath. Make sure to hold the 944-98, Japan
your sensei will be able to help you with this — but you brush higher on the handle than you would a normal The second of the Three Brush
can start by adopting a relaxed posture and completely paintbrush as this allows for less forced control and for the Traces, Fujiwara no Sukemasa
became the leading calligrapher
emptying your mind. strokes to come from within.
after Michikaze. He became
official brush writer for Emperor
Enyu at the age of just 27, and his
fame spread far and wide.

FUJIWARA NO
YUKINARI
COMPOSE YOUR KANJI STAMP YOUR WORK 972-1027, Japan
Now begin drawing. Calligraphy is made of harmony A traditional hanko stamp usually bears the The son of a courtier, Fujiwara no
05 and balance — to balance your kanji, you can use a grid 06 calligrapher’s last or family name, but you can have Yukinari was a refined calligrapher
to get used to the spacing or just jump straight in. Vary your your nickname or even a favourite phrase or saying on yours. and skilled poet — many of his
beautiful calligraphy poems are
brush strokes between straight, strong lines and curved, delicate When you have finished writing your shodo, take your stamp,
still on display today. His work
ones to show fluidity. Most importantly, commit to your work dip it in some red ink and apply it next to your kanji to claim showed an elegant blend of © Ed Crooks
and let your ki flow through the brush onto paper. your masterpiece. cursive and semi-cursive forms.

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