Japanese Calligraphy Online

What you will be able to do

Shodo is not only about neat letters. In ten short lessons you will set up your tools, find a comfortable posture, learn to load the brush with the right amount of ink, and practise the basic strokes. Then you write 和 together with the instructor, adjust its balance, sign it and keep it as your first work.

• Prepare brush, ink, paper and a mess-free workspace
• Draw horizontal and vertical strokes and see how a stroke starts, travels and ends
• Write, balance and sign your own 和

Curriculum

1. C01Discover Shodo5 minSee finished works and the course goal, and understand that shodo is enjoyed for more than neat letters.
2. C02Tools and Workspace5 minUnderstand the roles of brush, ink, inkstone and paper, plus the felt mat and paperweight.
3. C03Posture and Brush Grip6 minCopy a comfortable posture and brush grip.
4. C04Prepare Ink and Brush6 minUnderstand how to load the brush with ink and shape its tip.
5. C05Horizontal and Vertical Strokes7 minWatch how a stroke starts, travels and ends, and draw the basic horizontal and vertical lines.
6. C06Stops, Hooks and Sweeps6 minRecognise the typical ways a stroke ends — tome, hane and harai — and try them.
7. C07Write 和 Together8 minWrite the character 和 once, following the instructor's model and stroke order (added after the instructor has checked them).
8. C08Balance and White Space8 minReview how your character sits on the paper and use of white space.
9. C09Names, Meanings and Signing6 minLearn how to add your name to the work, and understand the nature of choosing kanji for a foreign name.
10. C10Finish Your First Work8 minSign the sheet you chose, look at it as a work, and clean up your tools.

What to prepare

• A calligraphy brush (a medium brush for hanshi paper) — a brush pen is fine for extra practice, but the lessons use a real brush
• Bottled sumi ink (bokujū) or an ink stick and inkstone
• Hanshi paper (about 24 × 33 cm), several sheets
• A felt mat (shitajiki) and a paperweight (bunchin)
• Newspaper or an old cloth, and clothes you do not mind getting ink on

Sumi ink stains clothes and furniture. Keep it away from small children and pets. The course does not award any calligraphy school rank or licence.

Instructor

Masami Oginuma

Instructor, Sushi Master Online and Japanese Calligraphy Online · Founder, J-Catalyst LLC

Calligraphy master, sushi chef, firework artisan and cultural producer. With world cruise experience and international cultural activities, Masami shares Japanese culture abroad and has performed at the Cebu Bon Odori festival.

About the certificate

The Certificate of Completion shows that you finished every lesson check and the final understanding check. It is not a government qualification, professional licence or school/lineage credential, and it does not assess your practical skill.

Questions