3 Benefits by Good Characters

Are you looking for fancy looking yet high quality brushes? Many retail stores sell fancy but low-grade brushes. They are fine if you want to display them rather than use them. However, real artists with trained eyes know that these types of brushes simply are not worth the money saved. The following are some of our best and most unique looking brushes. The prices of our high-grade brushes are better than the cost of some of the lower-grade brushes sold in retail stores because we eliminate middle men and our office and warehouse space costs less than an expensive retail store front. Many beginners opt for cheap brushes thinking they will buy better ones when their skill improves. However, a low quality brush does not perform and it will hinder your efforts and can even discourage you from continuing. In many ways it’s more important for a beginner to have a good brush that will make learning easy.

Bamboo. Bamboo.

Combination Dipper Brush Large

This is a combination brush with a long tip and medium hardness. The bamboo handle is made of natural bamboo with two or more grooves. No two brushes are identical. Ideal for Xing (semi-cursive writing), Grass (cursive writing), and Kai (standard writing).

Combination Dipper Brush Small

A smaller version of the above. The tip is about an inch shorter. This is also considered a long tip, medium hardness, combination brush. The bamboo handle is made of natural bamboo and has multiple grooves. No two brushes are identical. Ideal for Kai script (standard writing).

Destiny Brush Large
Destiny Medium
Destiny Small

A series of long tip, medium hardness, combination brushes. The bamboo handle has grooves and water buffalo horn ferrule. Brushes are made of natural bamboo and no two brushes are identical. Ideal for Xing (semi-cursive writing), Grass (cursive writing), and Kai (standard writing).

Dragon. Dragon.

Dragon Brush Large

Dragon Brush Medium

Fluid Dragon Brush Small

These 3 brushes have dark handles that look mysterious and bring to mind a black dragon. The brush includes ox ear hair. These are 3 of the few brushes we carry that have ox ear hair.

The Emperor and I.

Royal Brush Large

Royal Brush Medium

Royal Brush Small

These are 3 medium tip, combination, hard brushes. Unique brush handle colors are red and dark brown, inspired by the royal brushes used by emperors. Good for writing Kai, Xing, and Grass scripts.

Hopelessly Romantic.

Romantic Poetry & Painting Brush Large

Romantic Poetry & Painting Brush Small

These are two brushes designed for poets or artists who are hopelessly romantic. The color tone of the brushes is soft and creamy. Ideal for writing as well as drawing.
Small and Beautiful.

Prosperous Writing Brush Medium

Long Life Pine-Crane Brush Small

These two brushes are similar in style and very fine in grade. The water buffalo horn ferrules hold the brush tip better than imitation plastic ones sold by others.

The Treasure of Shaolin.

Shaolin Treasure Brush Large

Shaolin Treasure Brush Medium

Shaolin Treasure Brush Small

Not related to Shaolin Temple in China. These are unique brushes; the entire handle is made of horn with natural pattern and crack lines. Don’t confuse this collection with cheap imitation brushes that have handles made of plastics or acrylics.

Q. About washing the brush in water: I washed the brush initially and let it air dry. Now do I load it with ink directly or dip it in water first? Do I dip it in water and dry it a bit before dipping in ink? Or do I dip it in water, press out the water, and then load it with ink?

A. You can do either. I usually start with a bit of water. But calligraphy ink is quite watery, so you don’t have to dip the brush into water first. Try both and see which you like.

Q. I am a painter doing very large formats. Do you have GIANT calligraphy brushes—as big as a broom?

A. You are not the only artist doing calligraphy in large formats. Check out this video:

I do not have giant brushes, but like Master Chong, you might want to try an old-fashioned string mop.

The following brushes are designed for writing Xing Script, also known as Semi-cursive Script, Running Script, Xingshu, Gyosho (Japanese), Haengseo (Korean), or Hành Thư (Vietnamese). Click on any brush to see pictures/details.

• Wonderful and Clever Brush Large
• Wishing Brush No. 3
• Combination Moon Brush Small
• More Xing brushes

This is a sequel to The Making of Wishing Brush 1 article. 

Figure 7. Master Lin combines hair

Master Lin arranges the combined hairs on a straight edge by blending the hair. He continuously dampens the hair with lime water. He then inspects the hair and makes sure that they are smooth, flat and uniformed. 

Figure 8. Brushing out hairs with cow bone comb

Master Lin takes grasp of the hair and brushes it out with a cow bone comb. This will better mesh the hair and will help avoid knots and flyaways.

Figure 9. Rolling the hair

After combing the hair Master Lin places the hair atop a layer of dampen goat hair and then carefully rolls the hair together. The goat hair will remain as the outer layer. 

Figure 10. Tying the rolled hair

Master Lin makes about a dozen brushes at a time. He ties the rolled up hair with white thread at the bottom thickened end. He ensures that the hair is fastened together firmly with the thread. Tying the rolled up hair is a crucial step when binding together. The hair must be properly tied to avoid it falling out.

Figure 11. Cutting the rolled hair

After binding a dozen or so hair rolls, Master Lin individually cuts the hair rolls and sets them apart.

Figure 12. Attaching the hair to the ferrule

Master Lin attaches the hair to the ferrule using sea weed glue.  He ensures that the hair is in place and intact.  In traditional brushes the ferrule is made of water buffalo horn which is stronger than bamboo by itself.  The ferrule binds the hair to the bamboo handle and ensures a stronger grip on the hair. Using water buffalo horn for a ferrule also gives the brush a different feel.

• Wishing Brush No. 1 
• Wishing Brush No. 2 
• Wishing Brush No. 3

Wishing Brushes are sold exclusively by Good Characters outside of Taiwan.

Four generations of traditional brush making have long survived in the Republic of China’s grand capital, the city of Taipei. Lam Sam Yick, our exclusive calligraphy and painting brush supplier, is a family owned company established a century ago. They are famous for their development of high quality brushes by using all natural products. Their number one top seller is the Wishing brush which has been in the making for the past 96 years. What distinguishes this family’s success in the brush making industry is locked in their secret technique of creating their brushes. Their system entails using an exact percentage of different hair types to create a perfect brush. These brushes present the calligraphy artist with higher quality by maintaining its original shape during and after usage, as well as allowing the artist different characteristic in their script. Pictured below you will see Master Lin assembling the very favored brush.

Wishing Brushes are sold exclusively by us outside of Taiwan.

• Wishing Brush No. 1 
• Wishing Brush No. 2 
• Wishing Brush No. 3

Figure 1. Materials for brush

Traditional calligraphy brushes are crafted by using all natural products. The shaft is crafted out of bamboo, the ferrule is composed of water buffalo horn and the brush hair is gathered using various types of animal hair like goat and weasel (traditionally known as wolf).

Figure 2. Goat hair

Figure 3. Goat hair

Master Lin begins by dampening goat hair with lime water. He then lines up the hair on a straight edge and evens it out on the flat surface. He continues to dampen hair with lime water while flattening it out.

Figure 4. Lining up goat hair

Figure 5. Lining up goat hair

Master Lin pulls the goat hair with a needle like tool and aligns the hair on one side of straight edge. He makes sure the hair is even. 

Figure 6. Master Lin aligning hair

Master Lin proceeds with this same process for all five layers of different brush hairs that will be used to create the special Wishing brush. He ends up with five different layers of hair in varying lengths. The heart of the brush is composed of weasel hair that will allow the brush to have greater flexibility. The outer layer is composed of goat hair.

Continue to Figure 7-12.

 
Art-0013

1. Flow Brush Large
2. Flow Brush Extra Large
3. Orchard Bamboo Brush Medium
4. Silver Mountain Brush No. 2
5. Shitajiki Felt Mat Large
6. 3 Inch Engraved Inkstone
7. 6-Brush Brush Rest – Limited

1. Purple Haze No. 3 Brush
2. Special Writer’s Brush Large
3. Beginner’s Calligraphy Practice Paper Set 3
4. Student Grade Inkstick
5. Shitajiki Felt Mat Medium
6. 6-Brush Brush Rest – Limited
7. 3 Inch Engraved Inkstone

Good Characters has worked with Lam Sam Yick, one of the most reputable Chinese brush makers for over a hundred years, to develop this quality calligraphy kit for the advanced calligrapher.

Unlike unbranded calligraphy kits that are good-looking but low quality, this kit’s maker has put its reputation behind the product and the quality is guaranteed.

Includes four top grade brushes, one ink stick, one ink stone, one brush rest, and one absorbant felt. Packaged in a wooden storage case.