Yardworks Festival: Japanese Calligraphy

Relaxed, beginner-friendly 45-minute workshop exploring the art of Japanese brush calligraphy—with a Yardworks Festival twist.You’ll start by learning the foundations of shodō (Japanese brush calligraphy): how to hold the brush, control pressure, and create confident strokes using traditional ink. Through a few simple warm-up exercises, you’ll get a feel for the calming, mindful flow of ink on paper—focusing on rhythm, movement, and mark-making rather than “getting it perfect”.Once you’ve got the basics, you’ll be guided to write your name in Japanese (using katakana, the script commonly used for names). You’ll practise your characters, then create a final version on quality paper to take home.Then comes the Yardworks upgrade: you’ll remix your calligraphy piece with bold, graffiti-inspired styling. Think punchy outlines, tags, colour accents, highlights, and graphic shapes that frame or amplify your characters—bringing together the elegance of brushwork with the energy of street art. You’ll leave with a personalised artwork that feels both calm and loud in the best way.

What you’ll do:

• Learn basic brush technique, stroke order, and ink control
• Write your name in Japanese (katakana) with step-by-step guidance
• Add a Yardworks Festival twist with graffiti-style decoration and finishing touches

What you’ll take home: A finished calligraphy artwork of your name, customised in your own style
No experience necessary: All materials provided, and you’ll be supported throughout

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Host or Publisher SWG3