2. Soak it in a cup of water.

3. Take the brush out when it is soft.

4. Hold the brush in your right or left hand. Holding the brush higher creates weaker, softer strokes while holding closer to the bristles create solid, more defined strokes.

5. Use your ring finger, middle finger and thumb to hold the brush.

6. Keep your elbow above the table.

7. Dip the ink stick in water and grind against the ink stone until the ink has an oily consistency.

8. Bottled ink: Pour ink into the ink stone.

9. Begin writing characters, tilting the brush using the fingers, not the hands. Tilting the brush can add certain effects to the character that may or may not be desirable.

10. Finished Chinese calligraphy painting