How to Prepare a New Brush: Japanese Calligraphy Tutorials for Beginners

Here is the first video in a series of videos on how to get started practicing Shodo. First thing you have to as soon as you get a new brush is to prepare it for use. And what I mean to tighten a piece of string around the base of the brush hair to protect the hair.
Stay tuned for more videos about what you need to get started in Shodo.
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[@tamaramacginty1623]

I studied Shodo in Japan for nine years with two different teachers and one of whom was a very famous teacher. I never saw this technique done.

[@alsharpton8358]

lol

[@Pavlova8913]

I was given a brush by an exchange student when I was in primary school. Never really used it because I didn't know how. I have kept it in almost perfect condition and now I am taking the first steps in learning how to use it. Thank you for your educational videos.

[@LaPetiteCaps]

I get here because I brought 2 brushes on a garage sale and didn't kow how to use them. I'm glad I watched this video before starting to paint. I'm gonna watch all your videos in order to begin step by step and don't screwing it on the way xD. Keep like this, you're an awesome teacher! :D

[@Gohitsushodostudio]

La Petite Thank you so much!

[@lorenzoroman9072]

I'm surprised few have commented on your videos. I really appreciate all your hard work, I think your videos are great, very informative and you are an awesome teacher! If I lived in your state I'd sign up for private lessons! I am a new student of shodo and have been learning from a Japanese woman who lives near me. Your videos have supplied a wonderful supplement to what I learn from her and I look forward to your continued work. Btw your ki is beautiful, very controlled and beautiful form! Arigatogozaimasu!!!

[@Gohitsushodostudio]

Thank you for your kind words. Keep watching and share my videos to help get more views! Thanks.

[@marthamurphy3913]

Thank you! I have several unused brushes I purchased second-hand. Fortunately I haven't washed the wax off yet! This is very helpful.

[@michaeldignelli2595]

This is a very helpful video. I use calligraphy brushes for watercolor and this technique of tying a string works really well (no loose hairs fall out after tying). It takes a little practice, I am now really good at tying a new brush. It is very annoying when hairs come loose while painting and this does not happen after tying the brush! thank you

[@nancy222in47]

I was not aware of this technique to keep brushes in better state longer. I will try these with mine. Thank you!

[@noklarok]

thank you ,, i had no idea you had to do this.. doing it right now!

[@mistysanford1227]

Got mine yesterday!! I’m so glad I saw this!

[@danlucas9859]

From a Chinese calligraphy point of view this is crazy stuff! Putting glue and string on a brush defeats the purpose of the brush maker and can hamper the free use of the brush. Any new brush is liable to lose a few hairs but a good brush should be able to be used as is. But good brushes are hard to find and maybe this technique would be useful with a poor quality brush.There are major differences between Chinese and Japanese calligraphy practices.

[@PDS21st]

I dunno... a YT video made by Takumi Togo didn't show anything about putting glue or a string in new brushes. There is some BS about this video.

[@eileengoldenberg270]

Yes sounds like a stupid idea to do this.. a good brush shouldn’t need string on it if it is glued properOy inside..

[@joeleugene9735]

Instablaster...

[@sanji4ever]

@@PDS21st I saw some of my elementary school students in Japan do this in their calligraphy class. Now I know they have thread around their brushes.

[@tilasole3252]

So tying it will help prevent stray hairs from being all over the place and to have the brush stay relatively together instead of splitting while drawing?

[@alfo3576]

For those wondering about or criticizing the technique, he has gone back on this in a more recent video, and says he no longer does this

[@babutheboy2614]

Very nice sharing thnx bro

[@kallocarina8879]

I'm so glad I saw this video! To think I was just gonna open the brush and start using it 😂 Us calligraphy noobs really benefit from these videos :)

[@alinelaura7714]

The pain of watching this after using your brush wrong Oh well :(

[@chloedragon4697]

Lol! :/

[@mtwunk]

Aline Laura lol me

[@duchess8762]

Me too

[@fernandadeoliveira5110]

Me too! :/

[@sitavashidevi2247]

i agreee!!!!!

[@davidvandrunen3516]

I would not have thought of this, thanks for the tip!

[@ninjatops99]

wont the glue wash off from constant dipping? most glue sticks are made with water soluble glues...

[@McQuizzical]

That was my thoughts too

[@MaxCatAngel63]

I guess the glue works to help put the string in place when winding it on. Once the string is in place it doesn’t mater if the glue washes off.

[@sempaimike]

Hi Esteban, I was never taught to prepare a brush like this. As you seem knowledgeable in Shodo, I'm curious to know more and wondering if you could share the sources where you learnt it. Thanks for sharing!

[@shubhamsinha7]

what is the specific name of the particular brush you are using ? the one with straight wooden handle . it is used frequently in anime bg painting

[@royalfrostrose6545]

Wish I would have knew this earlier 😢

[@GoRiNa95]

I have tried Japanese calligraphy multiple times on my own but I always messed up the brushes. Decided they were simply low quality. Just got gifted a fresh pack of new brushes by a friend and your video found me.

[@ventoentreosdedos]

Thanks for all the tips!

[@Gohitsushodostudio]

You're welcome!

[@jasonturner0283]

Wow thats very cool. Never thought to set up a brush like that. I was always a little annoyed about the hairs coming off my brush.

[@VentiVonOsterreich]

Thanks for telling me this just after I began using my brush. Now I'm buying another brush XD

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Thanks. This is a very clear and helpful series. You are a good presenter. :-)

[@Zepistopheles]

Please, for the love of god, do not put glue on your brushes! I'm not saying this wouldn't work to keep bristles from falling out but this method is by no means common practive much less the traditional way. I have spent a year In japan and went to a Calligraphy course at a high school and at a community center among other things. Not only have i not seen ANYONE do anything of the sort; You are supposed to use the full expressive range of a brush and if you bind it a the bottom you limit that range. There are brushes with a very wide head of bristly hair and doing that would immediately destroy the brush's capability to make wide strokes. And while the difference in other brushes would be more subtle, it would still be there. Buy a decent brush and trust in the Brushmaker. They have a lifetime of experience making brushes, and know exactly how they want the brush to move and feel. don't ruin that over a 4 minute youtube video please.

[@isha9275]

Wonderful music in the beginning

[@ximobenedicto9596]

Do you doit before o after to take the coat of the protection that the brush came with

[@FranOnTheEdge]

What kind of glue? What kind of 'string'? It looked more like thick cotton or thin cord, not like any string I've used before. Where do I get these things from in the UK? I've just got a lovely set of Chinese brushes that I'd like to look after.

[@paulmoadib4193]

Hello,thank you for the video. Is it possible to save the ink ,in a bottle .

[@jmathsjmt]

wao great

[@xfunktion]

Fuck, I expected you'll tell how to wash a pen before first use and how to dry and preserve it.

[@wordreet]

Cool info. I've never really considered myself artistic, but I'm going to give Kanji a go. I was into kite making for years and made a few Japanese style kites, but without decoration. For interesting reading about the kites "The Art Of The Japanese Kite" By Tal Streeter.

[@arlyhelm6219]

Is it wax or is it starch which coats the hairs as they come to the consumer? TFS

[@Gohitsushodostudio]

Its a special waterproof paste.

[@gildejesus3714]

Esteban Martinez what is so special?

[@andymoshe]

Thanks for the tips! I went to Japan I bought these brush & was like ¿HOW CAN I USE IT? LOL. You saved my almostexplotemind. (:

[@Gohitsushodostudio]

Andeeh Aguilera That's awesome. You're welcome

[@kittycat6730]

Do you have to tie the brush with string

[@gregory_the_griffon]

This also can do it in Chinese and Korean calligraphy

[@yowatzefak]

Glad I haven’t used mine already

[@vuthiphuonghoa2541]

instead of doing like this, do you soak your brush in hot water before the 1st use?

[@kwek2798]

Soaking the brush in hot water will damage the bristles

[@poyss100]

Por favor activar subtítulos en español, gracias

[@ninjawarrior7376]

My name is Ty. That really helped. #you tube friends

[@alyssaleemusic]

Can we use any kind of paper ?

[@tumblingtanukis9772]

Please, for anyone who reads this, do not put glue on your brushes. If they were ment to be used that way, they would be sold that way. The glue will limit how much the bristles can move and it will make it harder to clean the ink from under the glue. So this will both make the brush less expressive and harder to clean.

[@charlesheyburn6498]

Esteban I want to make a seal how can I do this

[@tathagatchitrakar2818]

Can you make a video of how to protect a chinese brush😊😊

[@sdovas]

Tathagat Chitrakar One of the things you often see is Chinese brushes have string loops at the handle, and there are also special racks that are designed to hang your brushes from so that they dry point down. Lot of Western artists stend to put their brushes in cups point up which means that the water seeps into the ferrule and that can weaken the fastening of the hairs in the brush and potentially do real damage especially if we don't tend to clean our brushes too thoroughly. (Say hello to that guy in the mirror, for example) So 1 of the reasons there's this whole convoluted system of tying the bristles, and hanging the brushes, and the gentle motion of the brush in the ink, all work to preserve the brush longer. Having said all that, I would tend to agree with some of the other commenters here that glue sticks at least here in the US, are not a good idea, because they are water soluble come and most reasonably expensive brushes, that is decent brushes, don't need to be tied this way. But part of the appeal of sumi calligraphy and wash painting is that you are focusing and being mindful and meditative, and if something like this helps you concentrate then go for it.

[@ashtray3860]

@@sdovas this is the best comment on this whole video. You don’t deride the guy in the video for putting glue and string on his brushes, and you give genuinely good advice. You have my sincerest gratitude and respect.

[@lightishredgummi]

I'm probably gonna be a disgrace to anyone who values this traditional art. I got a Chinese calligraphy kit 10 or so years ago (I'm 17 currently) from my cousin, and my sister got one too, and it was really only because we were both interested in Chinese and Japanese styles and such. I recently found it in a drawer and was thinking of messing around with it, and I don't plan on using it a lot or actually using it for calligraphy XD

[@amritpalhh9836]

Shit I didn’t even know that I just went straight to drawing with it ok I know now

[@McQuizzical]

I don't understand why they aren't already prepared this way if that's how they are supposed to be?

[@jennw6809]

Seems strange to have to modify a brand new brush. Maybe that would be good for a bad quality brush, but this seems to be unnecessary for a good brush.

[@kittycupcakecutekittycute1836]

It does not work!!!!!! 😨

[@bezumiye9470]

I forgot to tie my brushes :(

[@fgll501]

Yooo

[@julianrosario4525]

NOOOO DON'T USE GLUE ON YOUR BRUSH PLS!!!

[@alyssaleemusic]

Can we use any kind of paper ?