Ref: S5D35890
This course is designed for the Japanese Week at West Dean to experience the essence of Shodo, the art of Japanese calligraphy and ink flow. Your tutor will share her expertise, demonstrating and teaching Shodo through a mindfulness-based method. You will learn a variety of techniques and brush movements, focusing on bringing mind and body into harmony, as well as developing your own mindful and creative process.
The course begins with brush warm-up exercises and an introduction to the mindfulness aspects of the art form. You will be presented with different calligraphy styles and their characteristics and learn about the utensils and Sumi ink.
Course Outline: Introduction Stage The course starts by connecting body and mind. You will learn how to create ink by rubbing the ink stick, practice basic brush movements through specially designed exercises, and focus on your inner energy flow, expressing it with brush and ink on paper.
Foundational Strokes You will learn to calligraph two essential strokes: side-brushing and direct brushing in both horizontal and vertical directions.
Creating Calligraphy Works Using prepared templates, you will explore various themes, learning techniques for composition, balance, and the energy movements of characters. These will be developed step by step throughout the course.
Combining Techniques Incorporate Sumie ink painting motifs into your calligraphy works. Experiment with ink lettering, calligraphic design, and asemic writing on different types of paper and objects.
Natural Brushes Explore the use of natural materials by creating individual brushes from plants and wood found in the garden, experimenting with their textures and effects.
Paper Collages Transform your calligraphy work and ink process into original paper collages.
Final Piece Complete your work by writing your first name in Japanese lettering and applying your name stamp to the final piece.
The course concludes with a presentation of students final works, followed by a Q&A session. The atmosphere is mindful and creative throughout.
This course is part of our Japanese influences week led by talented artist-tutors:
Yoichi Fujimori (Japanese paper making) Mieko Fujimori (Indigo dye on paper) Wayne Meeten (Japanese hammer chased and inlayed moon dish) Rie Tsuruta (Exploring Japanese pottery) Lucy May Schofield (Japanese woodblock printed landscape bound in a scroll) Rie Takeda (Japanese calligraphy and ink flow) Helen Turner (The art of imperfection in painting wabi sabi)
Each course explores a different aspect of the influences and techniques of Japanese art and craft and how they may be applied to contemporary practices.
Each tutor will be invited to give a short talk (10 minutes) about an aspect of their work relating to the theme of the week on Tuesday evening at 5.15pm. Participants will also be encouraged to visit other courses to see work produced across the varied approaches offered in the week.
On this course the tutor will supply, brushes, ink stones/sticks, calligraphy papers, scroll paper and a variation of tools to use during the course. The college will supply glues, sumi ink and Japanese calligraphy paper.
Available from tutor: Extra sized papers and mounted papers
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).
Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm for registration
6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included)
8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential
Daily timetable
Course teaching 9.15am - 5pm (lunch included)
Dinner: from 6.30pm (included for residential students)
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed
Departure day
Course teaching: 9.15am - 3pm (lunch included)
Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am
Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required
Rie Takeda has worked as a professional calligrapher, artist and teacher for more than 20 years. She started practicing calligraphy at the age of five under the supervision of her grandmother. Later she completed the master of the Gayu calligraphy school in Japan. She also trained her Sumie ink painting skill in the Okino school.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study.
Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.
