Inkstick in the context of Incense

A Chinese writing brush (traditional Chinese: 毛筆; simplified Chinese: 毛笔; pinyin: máo bǐ) is a paintbrush used as a writing tool in Chinese calligraphy as well as in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese which all have roots in Chinese calligraphy. They are also used in Chinese painting and other brush painting styles. The ink brush was invented in China around 300 B.C. Together with the inkstone, inkstick and Xuan paper, these four writing implements form the Four Treasures of the Study.

Stone rubbing is the practice of creating an image of surface features of a stone on paper. The image records features such as natural textures, inscribed patterns or lettering. By rubbing hard rendering materials over the paper, pigment is deposited over protrusions and on edges; depressions remain unpigmented since the pliable paper moves away from the rendering material. Common rendering materials include washi paper, charcoal, wax, graphite or inksticks. Over time, the practice of stone rubbing can cause permanent damage to cultural monuments due to abrasion. For an artist, stone rubbings can become an entire body of creative work that is framed and displayed.

Rubbings are commonly made by visitors to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Visitors use pencil and paper to capture the name of a family member or friend who died during the Vietnam War as it appears on the wall. The rubbing forms a type of souvenir.

Four Treasures of the Study is an expression used to denote the brush, ink, paper and ink stone used in Chinese calligraphy and spread into other East Asian calligraphic traditions. The name appears to originate in the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589 AD).

Chinese pigments (Chinese: 中國國畫傳統顏料) are the traditional medium to execute traditional Chinese brush paintings, besides ink. Chinese pigments is similar to Western gouache paint in that it contains more glue than watercolours, but more so than gouache. The high glue content makes the pigment bind better to Chinese paper and silk as well as enabling works of art to survive the wet-mounting process of Chinese hanging scroll mountings without smudging or bleeding.

India ink (British English: Indian ink) or China ink (also Chinese ink) is a simple black or coloured ink once widely used for writing and printing and now more commonly used for drawing and outlining, especially when inking comic books and comic strips. India ink is also used in medical applications.

Compared to other inks, such as the iron gall ink previously common in Europe, India ink is noted for its deep, rich black colour. It is commonly applied with a paintbrush (such as an ink brush) or a dip pen. In East Asian traditions such as ink wash painting and Chinese calligraphy, India ink is commonly used in a solid form called an inkstick.