Line/talk: Chinese Characters Tips

This article began as a reply I made to a friend who asked me how to make
Chinese characters using ASCII. (Hi Amy!) She asked me whether it was natural
talent or can anyone do it.  I think everyone can do it!

I learned how to do it myself when I saw two characters someone had made in
their sig.  I liked the style of it so I tried making some of my own art
(beginning with my name), using the same technique, and eventually creating my
own style of making characters.  Hopefully the Chinese Characters List will be
able to help you and others to have a reference of characters so that can you
learn how to make your own characters, borrowing styles and creating your own
way of making them.  It's really fun (and easy!) once you begin and get used
to making it.

I guess one of the tricks I use is to first have an idea of what I'm going to
do before I attempt to draw it.  Sometimes the hardest part of it is knowing
where to begin :) Once I know how I'm going to go about it, I begin by making
a rough outline or skeleton of my character.  For example, if I wanted to draw
the charcter for water:  (Mandarin: shui3)


				||
				||   ||
			  ||||| || ||
			       ||||
			     || || ||
			   ||   ||   ||
			 ||     ||     ||
			       |||


Then I smooth it out, and add finer details to it using , ' and |  (the sig
below with my name, I used , ' : and ; for a different effect.)

				
				||,
				||  ,|,
			  '||,,,||,|''
			      ,||||
			     ,| ||'|,
			   ,|'  ||  '|,
			,||''   ||    '||,
			      ''||


And that's all there is to it!  If it seems like a giant leap from step one
to step two, it's really not that difficult.  Trial and error at first, and
then later you'll have an idea of what to do.  Personally, I like to do
my creating and editing using the DOS editor and then upload into my account
to post or mail.

So those of you who know Chinese, try making your own characters!  If you need
help, don't hesitate in sending samples to me.  I can try to help.  Please
send your art to me so I can also include it in my collection.  Mail me to be
put on the list and to receive a copy if you haven't gotten it yet.  (Note:
This technique can work with Japanese and Korean too!)

Mail me if you have any questions or suggestions or would just like to chat.
Create on!

Daniel
--
  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,    ,,    ,,         ,, ,,       .
  ::   ;'';        ;;  ,,;,,,;,     ;;,,::,,,,   |   Daniel C. Au
  ::   ''''      ,;':: .,;' ';,.  ,;'   ::       |   dca...@nwu.edu
  :: ;''; ;'';      ::  ,;,,,,,     ''''::''''   |   Northwestern University
  :: '''' ''''      :: ''';,;'          ;;       |   Medical School
  ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;    ;; .;;' ';;.   ,;;;;;;;;;;;  |   Chicago, IL