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This item: The Simple Art of Japanese Calligraphy by Yoko Takenami
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An Introduction to Japanese Kanji Calligraphy by Kunii Takezaki
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The Sumi-E Book by Yolanda Mayhall
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Magnificent and plentiful images of finely wrought Japanese calligraphy teach the techniques and spiritual essence that underlie this ancient, elegant art.

In Japan, calligraphy is more than an art: it’s practically a religion, in which every stroke and every character should reflect the writer’s own spirit and personality. This lovely and illuminating introduction presents the wonders of Japanese calligraphy, and shows how to create the 3 basic sets of characters in use today: the Chinese kanji characters, which represent an entire word visually, and the 2 phonetic alphabets, hiagana and kakatana. Practical and detailed exercises demonstrate how to handle the brush; generously sized illustrations capture the characters’ every line and curve; and 15 beautiful paper, ceramic, and fabric projects provide dazzling examples of this uniquely Japanese craft. As your skills develop, decorate an Evening Fan with a short poem, draw a Four Seasons Hanging, make an Eternal Calendar with 12 sacred animals, adorn a lampshade, and many more exceptional items.
A Selection of the One Spirit Book Club.

Product Details

Hardcover: 128 pages
Publisher: Sterling (October 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402714394
ISBN-13: 978-1402714399
Product Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #666,393 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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› Visit Amazon's Yoko Takenami Page

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	44% buy the item featured on this page: The Simple Art of Japanese Calligraphy 4.3 out of 5 stars (3) $14.36
	23% buy An Introduction to Japanese Kanji Calligraphy 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) $18.45
	16% buy Brush Writing: Calligraphy Techniques for Beginners 4.0 out of 5 stars (5) $17.82
	9% buy Learn Japanese Calligraphy Lessons 1 - 6 3.8 out of 5 stars (5) $21.95

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3 Reviews

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent blend of oriental contents and western application!, January 7, 2006

By	F. Noda "Frank" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent book that brings life oriental cultures to western audiences by introducing not only the aesthetics but also practical applications of calligraphy. The book contains information and spirits that Japanese would want to communicate to the world in a persuasive way. Undoubtedly, there are many aspects of Japanese cultures that are under explained, partly because Japan has been closed to the world for a long time and its culture well preserved from the rest of the world. But this means there are not many Japanese who have enough international skills to fully explain what their culture and tradition are all about. In my opinion, the author has done a fantastic job doing just that explaining Japanese calligraphy together with its historical background as well as rich and deep cultural elements in a plain yet comprehensive language. In addition, it shows various applications for westerners who would want to try calligraphy. The profile of the author indicates she knows the ins and outs of Japanese culture and also well versed in western culture from her international experience which probably contributed to her writing and illustrating of such masterpiece. As a businessperson who sits between both oriental and western world, I can honestly say this book bridges the two worlds with full authenticity. Overall, the book is enlightening, entertaining, and artistic in its own right. The book is also good for value, and is surprising to come with a large sized hard cover full of wonderful pictures and illustrations - it itself can be a good interior to put on the bookshelf, even before mastering the skills and projects in the book!!

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3.0 out of 5 stars I knew it is not for me., December 30, 2007

By	Mikko Tuohiniemi (Helsinki, Finland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I already had the Chinese-calligraphy counterpart of this book. I just had to purchase this, too, even I did not expect much.

The book presents a brief history and the basic set of artist's equipment - two rating stars for that. The technique is also introduced but I recommend specialized texts instead. Only the dozens of pages concentrating on kana writing (both hiragana and katakana) were of some value as a model reference (thus +1 more star). Anyway, the project suggestions like seal carving or painting on a t-shirt are nonsense.

In general, this decorative book attracts one in a hurry to find a gift for someone else. I cannot recommend it for any other purpose. The same applies for "The Simple Art of Chinese Calligraphy" by Qu Lei Lei.

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0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Japanese calligraphy instructional and art book, January 11, 2007

By	Rosemary James - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

book is nicely done, an easy read and gives a good view for beginners on the Japanese written language and the arts surrounding it.

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