My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy - by Olive & Zihong He

About the Book

An essential and fun guide for young calligraphy artists!

Book Synopsis

My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy is a fun and engaging introduction to one of China's most celebrated arts and crafts for kids. Calligraphy--the art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush--has been around for thousands of years. In this fun calligraphy-for-kids book, readers will follow along with Mimi, an eigh- year-old, who takes her first steps towards learning this magical art. Dive in, and explore:

• The Evolution of Chinese Writing--how Chinese characters first began, thousands of years ago, and how they have evolved
• The Order of the Strokes--learn how to write the strokes in the correct order
• The Radicals--what are they, and how to unlock their secrets
• The Four Treasures of Calligraphy-- the four essential tools to get started
• Movements and Position--how to master your mind's focus, your breathing and even how to move
• The Five Styles of Calligraphy--Zhuan Shu (seal), Li Shu (clerical), Kai Shu (regular), Cao Shu (cursive), and Xing Shu (running)
• The Eight Strokes-- how to draw the eight strokes; with them, you can write anything
• Writing a Character in Calligraphy--create an entire character in calligraphy

The included interactive CD-ROM enables learners to play creative games to see, hear and try Chinese writing; listen to the pronunciation of the Chinese characters; observe calligraphers in action and print the characters to create practice pages.

Review Quotes

"A comprehensive review of the art of calligraphy (decorative handwriting) that also provides hands-on exercises and instructions for your budding calligrapher...The book celebrates the beauty of writing beyond alphabets and writing as an art form and meditative practice. Beautiful color ink wash illustrations throughout the book provide a lush and contemplative feel, and an included CD provides more information beyond the text. Anyone with interest in art, language or China will find this book a valuable and rich resource." --Asian Fortune News

About the Author

Zhihong He graduated from Beijing Academy of Fine Arts, where she studied traditional Chinese painting. She has authored and illustrated many children's books, including Long-Long's New Year for which she won the Peter Pan Award. She has also won the Saint-Exupery Prize.

Guillaume Olive is a Sinologist who spent many years in China. He is the author of several translations of Chinese folkloric tales, ancient poems and classic novels, as well as children's books published in his native France. He has received many prizes for his work, including the Nuit du Livre award and Saint-Exupery Prize.