In-PERSON COURSE | SPRING 2025 | AT ATELIER TOWA, LOS ANGELES
INTRODUCTION TO SHODO:
Japanese Calligraphy COURSE
FOR FIRST-TIME BEGINNERS
5-day beginner's in-person Japanese calligraphy course for beginners taught by Aoi Yamaguchi. Learn the basics of brushworks through the meditative process of Shodo, finding balance between mind and body.
In this 5-day course of hands-on workshop designed for first-time youth & adult beginners, get an intimate exploration of fundamental Japanese calligraphy brushwork, and find balance within yourself through meditative calligraphy process. The workshop begins with the basics: an introduction to a brief history of Japanese calligraphy, Japanese writing system and calligraphy styles, proper use of the calligraphy tools, posture and manners. Participants will be practicing Kanji on hanshi calligraphy paper, with in-depth lectures on basic brushwork, focusing on the formal Regular Script called Kaisho (楷書).
SPRING SESSIONS
5-day Course
Session 1: SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:30pm PST
Session 2: SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2025 | 10:30AM - 12:30PM PST
session 3: SATURDAY, APRIL 5, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:30pm PST
Session 4: SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:30PM PST
session 5: SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025 | 10:30am - 12:30pm pst
at Atelier towa,
West adams, Los angeles
Address will be provided upon registration
$395
OUR PROGRAM
SESSION 1：Introduction & Basics I
You will receive our original booklet “書 SHODO The Way of Writing: The Art of Japanese Calligraphy”, which gives you all the fundamental knowledge of Japanese calligraphy to get you started, a day prior to the class. We will go over all the basics: a brief history of Japanese calligraphy and philosophy; tools and supplies and how to use them, how to take care of them; proper posture and connection between your mind and body. We will work on introductory kanji characters to practice basic calligraphic strokes and a few warm-up exercise to get to know with your brush.
SESSION 2: BASICS II
We will practice selected 2-Kanji phrase focusing on two of the eight most common strokes in regular script, and learn the techniques of ‘Break’, ‘Press Down’ and balance of the character. You will receive personal advice from the teacher on how you are doing and how you can improve.
SESSION 3: BASICS III - Radicals
You will learn about radicals, which is the building blocks of Kanji. We will focus on the radical shinnyo while practice a selected a 2-Kanji phrase.
SESSION 4: BASICS IV - YOUR NAME AND COMPOSITION
We will learn another radical rekka through practicing a selected 2-Kanji phrase. We will also learn how to write your name using a small brush to complete your work, while we pay close attention to the overall composition and its balance.
SESSION 5: EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF YONG & FINISHING A PIECE
By the end of the course, you will complete learning the The Eight Principles of Yong: 8 most common strokes in regular script. We will work on creating a final piece, with a new selected 2-Kanji phrase and focus on the balance between mind and body. You will be familiar with your own brush, and learn how to be present in the moment physically and spiritually stroke by stroke.
Common qUESTIONS
LEVEL & LANGUAGE
The workshop is designed to accommodate youth & adult beginners. No prior art experience or knowledge of Japanese language is necessary. The lecture will be taught in English.
BOOKLET & HANDOUTS
A printed booklet of "書 SHODO The Way of Writing: The Art of Japanese Calligraphy” will be provided at the first class. Thereafter, new model work handouts will be provided for every class. You can put all the handouts together in a folder and make one booklet.
SUPPLIES & MATERIALS
All calligraphy set and supplies will be provided for you to use during the class and are included in the fee, except brushes! It is important to use the same brush for proper practice, and to learn how to take care of it throughout the course. Brushes are naturally accustomed to your traits and personality over time.
You are welcome to bring your own brushes if you already have one that is similar to what we recommend for this course:
1) 1 Medium sized brush: A beginner's Japanese calligraphy brush made of a brown horse hair, brush length 4.5cm, whole brush length 25cm
2) 1 Small brush: designed for writing names and letters, mixed hair, overall length 20cm, brush hair length 2.5cm
If you'd like to purchase a beginner's brush that we recommend, you can add to the registration at the check-out page. We will have a brand-new brush ready to be used for you at the Session 1.
CANCELATION & NO-SHOWS
All workshop registrations are final sale. No refund will be made for no-shows.
If you miss a class, you can still receive the handouts from the missed class at the next class, or you can also make an appointment to pick up the handouts from the atelier. You can practice and bring your work for critique to the next session.
after completing this coursE
You can sign up for our Returning Student classes “A Journey to Shodo: Zen and Sho” and study further with us. In this program, you will be further refining your skill on standard script (Kaisho), and will learn more scripts such as Running Script (Gyosho), and Grass / Cursive Script (Sosho). You will be introduced to new characters / phrases every month, learn the historical background of those writing styles. You will also have access to members-only programs and events! Please inquire for more details.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
AOI
YAMAGUCHI
Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan, Aoi Yamaguchi has been trained to master the basics of calligraphy by learning under the Master Zuiho Sato since at the age of 6, and is a recipient of numerous awards. she has performed and exhibited her works in many galleries, museums, universities and festivals in the United States, across Europe, and Japan. Her works show her exploration in juxtaposing the traditional Eastern classics and her contemporary artistic expressions, as well as her unique ambition of transforming two-dimensional art of Japanese Calligraphy into the art of physical expression through performances. Currently residing in Venice, California, Yamaguchi continues her work on her conceptual calligraphy installations, exhibitions, and performances as she continues to push the boundaries of traditional Eastern classics and contemporary artistic expression.