<p>Don't know if it counts, but in mainland China, some people write on the street with a huge writing brush, half as long as an adult is tall. And they only dip the brush in water to write. After the water evaporates, the writing vanishes. It's the same principle as 水写布</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/TVPJG.jpg" alt="Beijing - Public calligraphy"></p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/roman-harak/5144030020" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Beijing - Public calligraphy</a> by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/roman-harak/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Roman Harak</a> licensed according to <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC BY-SA 2.0</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-14T19:17:24.240Z
Exactly, and in a Korean movie you can see the same being done with a small tile and a cat's tail! ;)
Ludi
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-11T19:24:25.183Z
2017-04-13T21:47:26.227Z
2017-04-13T21:47:26.227Z
Hao Xiaotong Anton
<p>I'd like to practice my writing with brush, and came across this textile that I think is used a lot in schools at least in Taiwan:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/SH8at.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/SH8at.jpg" alt="水寫布 Water-writing textile"></a>
Image from <a href="http://detail.net114.com/chanpin/1018435996.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://detail.net114.com/chanpin/1018435996.html</a></p>

<p>It's called 水寫布 (water-writing paper). When wet it becomes black, so that writing in water is highly visible. After drying it returns to white color again. Great, but my thought is that there must be some tradtitional forerunner material to this &ndash; something simple that has been used in the same way? Like some chalk paint on black background or something? It seems like a too good an idea to not be older than this material :)</p>

<p><strong>Are there some traditional or readily available materials that can work in a similar way?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-06T11:59:25.260Z
Are you looking only for the material to write on? Because lemon juice held over ink is the most inexpensive invisible ink there is.
Teacher KSHuang
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-07T20:15:32.967Z
@TeacherKSHuang, thanks! Yes, looking for something else than paper to write on while practising so I can practise writing larger size letters without wasting so much paper ... :) Looks like I have to go to the sidewalk and write with water.
PetaspeedBeaver
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-08T07:43:34.300Z
Heh, yes, or chalk. But if you say that the water-writing paper in your example turns back to white, couldn't you just use it again? As in you wouldn't have to waste paper?
Teacher KSHuang
<writing><handwriting><calligraphy><practice>
Traditional alternative to 水寫布 (water-writing paper) for calligraphy practice?
# Traditional alternative to 水寫布 (water-writing paper) for calligraphy practice?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-24)

I'd like to practice my writing with brush, and came across this textile that I think is used a lot in schools at least in Taiwan:

[![水寫布 Water-writing textile](https://i.sstatic.net/SH8at.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/SH8at.jpg)
Image from <http://detail.net114.com/chanpin/1018435996.html>

It's called 水寫布 (water-writing paper). When wet it becomes black, so that writing in water is highly visible. After drying it returns to white color again. Great, but my thought is that there must be some tradtitional forerunner material to this – something simple that has been used in the same way? Like some chalk paint on black background or something? It seems like a too good an idea to not be older than this material :)

**Are there some traditional or readily available materials that can work in a similar way?**

**Tags:** writing, handwriting, calligraphy, practice

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Are you looking only for the material to write on? Because lemon juice held over ink is the most inexpensive invisible ink there is.  
> **username_0**: @username_1, thanks! Yes, looking for something else than paper to write on while practising so I can practise writing larger size letters without wasting so much paper ... :) Looks like I have to go to the sidewalk and write with water.  
> **username_1**: Heh, yes, or chalk. But if you say that the water-writing paper in your example turns back to white, couldn't you just use it again? As in you wouldn't have to waste paper?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-04-11. Score: 3

Don't know if it counts, but in mainland China, some people write on the street with a huge writing brush, half as long as an adult is tall. And they only dip the brush in water to write. After the water evaporates, the writing vanishes. It's the same principle as 水写布

![Beijing - Public calligraphy](https://i.sstatic.net/TVPJG.jpg)

[Beijing - Public calligraphy](https://www.flickr.com/photos/roman-harak/5144030020) by [Roman Harak](https://www.flickr.com/photos/roman-harak/) licensed according to [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Exactly, and in a Korean movie you can see the same being done with a small tile and a cat's tail! ;)  

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