What to do if your hands shake when writing calligraphy

Many people who want to learn calligraphy suddenly find that their hands start to shake if they hold the pen for a little while longer. In fact, this is a normal phenomenon. We usually do not practice our hands much, and now the hand muscles are highly tense when writing, so they will naturally shake. However, many experienced people also experience this situation. This may be related to our long-term incorrect way of practicing calligraphy, especially the way of holding the pen. As long as we make a slight correction, this situation will naturally not occur.

1. Holding the pen too high and shaking your hands

1. Reasons

Many people who are just beginning to learn calligraphy are worried that the ink will stain their elbows or clothes, so they hold the brush very high or even stand while writing. However, if my handwriting skills are not up to standard, this way of writing will easily cause hand tremors.

2. What to do

Taking Zhongkai (font size of 3 to 5 cm) as an example, the connection between the thumb and the pen shaft is 6 to 9 cm away from the paper surface. When writing, there is no need to move (just rotate) the fulcrum of the end of the elbow close to the table. To write a word with the wrist suspended, you only need to rotate, move the wrist and twist the fingertips.

2. Grip the pen harder than hand shake

1. Reasons

1. The tip of the brush is soft and has no force. When you apply a little force, it becomes thicker, and when you release the force, it becomes thinner. It is difficult to control it well when you first learn it, or because you need to use extra force to make the outside solid and the inside hollow when holding the brush, which may cause hand shaking after applying force for a long time.

2. What to do

Practice calligraphy more, master the strength of holding the brush, feel the strength required for each stroke of calligraphy, then gradually adapt and experience the changes in direction and speed when your fingers control the contact between the pen tip and the paper.

3. Incorrect pen holding posture and hand shaking

1. Reasons

Most people hold the brush for the first time in a similar way to when they learn to hold chopsticks, using a fist-like grip. Although this is more stable, it is difficult to control the strength to drive the pen to write.

2. What to do

Learn the correct brush holding posture. That is the five-finger pen holding method. Hold the pen shaft with the tips of your thumb and index finger (at an appropriate height) to ensure that the pen shaft does not fall off; place the middle finger on the outside of the pen under the index finger to both strengthen the index finger's holding power and hook the pen inward; the nail of the ring finger rests on the inside of the pen shaft to push the pen outward; the little finger is attached to the lower part of the tip of the ring finger to assist the ring finger in pushing the pen outward.

4. Psychological tension and hand tremors

1. Reasons

Most people will experience nervous hand tremors when they first start writing calligraphy or when they encounter important events such as competitions. This is caused by their psychological concerns about not being able to write well, their fear of not daring to write, and their fear. This is a very normal phenomenon.

2. What to do

Practice calligraphy more often, and your hand shaking will stop over time. At the same time, you need to relax, have more confidence, and tell yourself that you can write well.