Japanese calligraphy

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/japanese-calligraphy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the languages written?Japanese, utilizing Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana scripts
2. What is the artistic medium?Ink applied to paper using a brush
3. What is Japanese calligraphy called and why is it special?Japanese calligraphy is called Shodo. It turns writing into beautiful pictures using a brush and ink, showing how art and words can mix together.
4. Why do Japanese calligraphers use a brush, inkstick, inkstone, and paper?These four tools are called the Four Treasures of the Study. They help the artist make smooth, expressive strokes and focus their mind.

Shodo: The Japanese art of calligraphy, translating to 'the way of writing'.
Kanji: Logographic characters adopted from Chinese into the Japanese writing system.
Hiragana and Katakana: Two Japanese syllabaries, phonetic scripts that complement Kanji.
Fude: The traditional Japanese calligraphy brush, typically made from animal hair.