inkstones
Calligraphy preparation surfaces
Inkstones are flat stones used in East Asian calligraphy and painting for grinding solid ink sticks with water to produce liquid ink.
The stone's slightly abrasive surface breaks down the ink stick, and a shallow well or depression collects the resulting ink.
Fine inkstones, particularly those from certain Chinese quarries, are prized by collectors and calligraphers: a centuries-old inkstone passed down through generations.
Bristled cleaning tool
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- East AsianFrom China's neighborhood
- Chinese calligraphyArtistic writing with brush
- Japanese calligraphyArtistic brush-and-ink writing
brushwork · strokes · characters · kanji · hanzi · rice paper · seal · chop
Fissile metamorphic rock
- sheThat woman there
- quarryPit for extracting rock
- hardnessResistance to penetration
- textureSurface tactile quality
grain · smoothness · reservoir · well · carved · engraved · natural · mineral
Cut to create form
- engravedCut into surface
- artisanSkilled manual tradesperson
- lapidaryWorker of precious stones
- motifsRecurring thematic elements
landscape · dragon · clouds · mountains · lid · case · decorative · sculptural
Clear essential liquid
- wellDug water source
- slantOblique angle or bias
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- circularForming a closed curve
preparing · consistency · viscosity · dilution · ritual · meditative · slow · gradual
Old valued collectible
- dynastySuccessive family rulers
- MingChinese imperial era, 1368–1644
- carvedCut to create form
- decoratedMade more visually appealing
inscribed · appreciation · connoisseur · auction · provenance · patina · rare · museum
brush
Bristled cleaning tool
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- East AsianFrom China's neighborhood
- Chinese calligraphyArtistic writing with brush
Japanese calligraphy · brushwork · strokes · characters · kanji · hanzi · rice paper · seal · chop · writing
slate
Fissile metamorphic rock
texture · grain · smoothness · reservoir · well · carved · engraved · natural · mineral · purple
carved
Cut to create form
motifs · landscape · dragon · clouds · mountains · lid · case · decorative · sculptural · relief
water
Clear essential liquid
circular · preparing · consistency · viscosity · dilution · ritual · meditative · slow · gradual · pooling
antique
Old valued collectible
decorated · inscribed · appreciation · connoisseur · auction · provenance · patina · rare · museum · heirloom
- ancient artifactsjade mask, Viking sword, bronze sculptures, antiquities, Roman coin
- Inkinkwell, inkwells, cartridges
- Chinese treasuresbronzes, Chinese ceramics, cultural relics, jade carvings, lacquerware
- Joseon KoreaJoseon dynasty, hangeul, civil service exam, civil service exams, Neo-Confucianism
inkstonespaper
Pressed pulp for writing
brushes · rice paper · parchment · silk · ink
inkstonesink cartridges
Replaceable printer reservoirs
ballpoint pens · fountain pens · printer ink · laser printers · ink bottles