Calligraphy

I am still learning about Chinese Calligraphy. It is definitely not just about writing or painting characters. It is all about understanding the brush and controlling the bristles. My brush still has a mind of its own.
I went to the shop to get some stuffies and asked for a receipt so I can remember the prices of the various items. So I got this challenge:

I bought some rice paper. Which one do you want? How am I to know if I don't know anything about rice paper?! So I chose smallest and cheapest - not that this stuff is cheap. It is so thin, I think my brush with its own mind will have a ball tearing the paper apart. So I will practice lots more on the newspaper first.

This paper is also very thin, but the lines are to help one place the characters in the correct position. I tend to try so hard looking at the lines that my characters still end up all in the wrong areas.

 Here is a sample of the paper where one uses only water. On the photo it looks like I used ink, but it is only water - the brush is clean. I made 3 lines and one can see where it was going dry already. The paper can be used over and over again.

 Newspaper practicing using the black ink.

 Using ink on the the paper with the blocks. Of all these characters I only know heart and middle (心，中) There is still lots to learn.

 I managed to engrave my Chinese name Yingqi (英奇) on the soapstone I bought. Mr Wong was so impressed with my effort that he gave me the one with the Chinese lion on the end. I see I photographed the small one with my name sideways. I first engraved my name - taking half a day - the way one can read it on the stone. When I tried to ink it onto paper I realized I had to do it mirror image. So I had to start all over. I also found that the one side inks better than the other - the one side was a little higher than the other. So I am still trying to make it all even and deepening the lines again and then I guess I have to learn how much ink to use at a time. Nothing is simple and straightforward here. The ink is not just an inkpad and you go stamping happily away. The ink is red and very sticky. Put too much on and you don't see your name, stone not flat and even, you don't see your name. I can now see my name - sort of. There is hope as Mr Wong could also desipher my name.

The best part of this Chinese art/calligraphy is that nothing must be perfect and of equal size and lenth! When perfect, is not beautiful - I am told.