Chinese Calligraphy Course – Kai Style Beginner

Course Description:

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Kai Style (楷书) Chinese calligraphy, the foundational style for mastering Chinese characters. Designed for absolute beginners, the 10-week program offers a structured, step-by-step approach to learning the core techniques of calligraphy, focusing on precision, control, and understanding of character structure.

The course begins with an introduction to the history and significance of Chinese calligraphy, and an overview of the essential tools and materials, including brush handling and posture. Students will learn the fundamental brush strokes in Kai Style, starting with horizontal, vertical, dot, diagonal, and hook strokes. Each stroke will be practiced individually to develop control and consistency, which are key to mastering calligraphy.

As students progress, the focus will shift to understanding the correct stroke order and the structure of Chinese characters. Starting with simple characters, students will practice forming well-balanced and proportionate characters, gradually advancing to more complex forms. Throughout the course, emphasis will be placed on maintaining balance and symmetry within each character, ensuring that students can write with both precision and fluidity.

The latter part of the course will concentrate on character composition and layout, where students will explore how to arrange strokes within a grid to create harmonious and aesthetically pleasing characters. Practice sessions will include commonly used characters, allowing students to refine their brushwork and transition smoothly between strokes. There will also be an opportunity to work on smaller-scale characters, a challenge that requires maintaining clarity and structure despite the reduced size.

By the end of the course, students will apply all the skills they have acquired to create a complete calligraphy composition. This final project will allow them to combine their understanding of stroke order, structure, and composition into a meaningful and well-balanced piece of work.

Students will leave the course with a solid foundation in Kai Style calligraphy, equipped with the techniques and knowledge to continue their calligraphy journey with confidence, creating elegant and precise Chinese characters.