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Step 1
Use the right type of pen, ink and paper. The right choices will depend on what you are creating whether it is a formal document or a piece of ink art. Seek advice from the art suppliers and online (see Resources) to get the best results.
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Step 2
Practice forming individual strokes such as a "heng" or a "gai" stoke until you can produce them all without difficulty. Next, make combined stokes in one motion without taking your pen from the paper to make the characters more fluid.
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Step 3
Follow the correct stroke order by going from top to bottom and starting at the left to the right. These general rules work for the majority of characters but there are some exceptions such as bottom horizontal stokes always come last or making center stokes before wings. See Resources for stroke order and exceptions.
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Step 4
Be consistent in the form of characters you are using. Select either the simplified or the traditional form and stick to a single version, especially if you want your work to be legible for other people.
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Step 5
Personalize your own style of lettering. There are many different forms of calligraphy from the formal to the geometric which can make one character appear completely distinct in its various forms. Use a style that reflects your own personality as well as being suited to the task.
