According to a rule of four virtues:

Point1.
The brush tip must be sharp and pointy. There should be no irregularities in symmetry or thickness of hair of the tuft tip. This is especially important for brushes used for writing that requires precision (fine lines in sumi-e, standard script, etc.)

Point2.
The brush tuft ought to be well arranged. In other words that hairs are well organized and do not stick out, they are not broken and are of a uniform shape and quality.

Point3.
The brush tuft needs to be well rounded and symmetrical in its cross section. While looking at the brush from its tip, the tuft should form a perfect circle. Also, with the hairs released, the tuft should form a perfect cone shape with a flat top.

Point4.
The brush needs to be healthy and full of vigour. The hair (especially at the tuft base) should be flexible and responsive. No damaged hairs should be visible. Also the brush axis should be straight and free of cracks. Bamboo shafts tend to crack, especially when they get wet during the washing of the brush. Expensive brush manufacturers usually offer to change the brush shaft free of charge.

The goat’s hair calligraphy brush

Chinese Brush The goat’s hair brushes are white-haired brushes made from the hair of sheep, goats, cats or even deer. They are very absorbent and supple, and produce rounded forms and saturated fleshy brushstrokes.

This calligraphy brush is particularly suitable for the hidden brush tip technique, which requires many subtle bending movements of the brush tip.

The white-haired calligraphy brush is excellent for standard script, current and cursive script.

The wolf’s hair calligraphy brush

The wolf’s hair brushes are brown-haired brushes made from the hair of marten, horses, weasel or rabbits. This calligraphy brush is stiff and resilient and brushes sharp bony strokes. It is suitable for the direct attack technique of Japanese calligraphy that forms strokes with sharp beginnings and endings.

I use the brown hair brushes when writing smaller characters or when the aesthetics demands it. For instance, the long-haired horsehair calligraphy brush produces the flying white effect easily. In this technique the stiff horsehair splits easily and leaves white spaces in the brushstroke. Although the brush is a very helpful tool for achieving this effect, only a master calligrapher will be able to raise the brush in such a way that brings a pleasing result and prevent the brushstroke from looking harsh and broken.

The mixed hairs calligraphy brush

The mixed hair brushes are a special category. They are used very much in sumi painting. These calligraphy brushes are made from different types of animal hair, and combine brown and white hairs. The stiff brown hairs from the inner core of the brush are used for their resilient quality, while the outer white hairs ensure the suppleness of the brush tip.

I like to use a mixed hair calligraphy brush made from horse and goat’s hair to write the ancient seal script. This script has rounded forms but at the same time it needs a brush with a stiffer core to simulate the hardness of a knife that engraves a character in stone or bone.

For beginners I recommend a Chinese brush or Japanese calligraphy brush of goat or sheep’s hair of about 1.7″ or 4.5 cm in length.

The technique that you learn will determine if you begin with a hard or soft calligraphy brush. My advice is that you start with the hidden brush tip technique and a soft brush. At the beginning it is more difficult to handle it, but you will get a very solid basis that will allow you to work with any calligraphy brush.

How to take care of the calligraphy brush

A new brush is stiff because its hairs are covered with a layer of diluted glue to protect them from possible damage. Before you begin to use a new calligraphy brush you have to wash the glue away.

Calligraphy Brush Put your hand under the flowing tap water and form a well with your palm. Place the brush tuft in this well and rotate it in the water that collects in your hand gently and without pressure. Do not put the brush directly under the tap water as you could damage the hairs. Soon you will notice that the tuft hairs start to loosen. Continue soaking and rotating the calligraphy brush until all hairs are fully loosened. Some calligraphers or sumi painters open the calligraphy brush only one third or two thirds. This depends on the type of hairs and the technique you use.

Do not leave the brush in a jar with water, because the weight of the calligraphy brush can break or damage the tip of the brush.

Take good care of your calligraphy brush, because the hairs are very delicate. After each session you should rinse your brush under tap water in the same way as when you open a new brush.

Pay attention to the ink, which remains in the belly of the calligraphy brush, press it out with soft movements from the belly of the brush towards the tip until there is no ink left in it. Then squeeze the brush gently and bring it to a pointed shape. Hang it with the tip down and let it dry well.