How to prepare ink

Add clear water to a ink stone and then rub with a stick until the desired ratio of pigment to water is achieved. Add water gradually if more ink is needed. Test it on a strip or rice paper. If it is too thick, it will not flow well; if it is too wet, it will blot and expand.

The right way to use a stick is to hold it in a vertical position and rub it in a gentle, slow, circular motion. “Apply to a stick the pressure as weak as the hand of a sick man,“ as an old Chinese saying goes.

The rubbing may take up to ten minutes; however, this is an essential stage to work out a composition and to prepare a calm mind. A well-thought-out plan will ensure a coherent whole, and a peaceful mind will free the innermost being, according to master calligraphers.

The rubbing must be complete. If light tone is desired, thin it with clear water. Semi-finished ink does not have the strength to produce full graduation of shade. Thick, dark ink was used in traditional Chinese calligraphy; tonal effect is preferred by many calligraphers today, though.