Seal Ink Packets
Seal ink sold in packets is relatively moist, as opposed to ink sold in tins which is usually harder and dryer.
1 November 2015
Talking Seals
Read More »
Is It Soapstone?
“What stone is it?” is one of the most often asked question about Chinese seals.
15 October 2015
The Stone That Wasn’t
An elderly Chinese scholar once asked me to cut a seal for him from a stone he had purchased in Taiwan.
15 September 2015
Hard, Soft, or Both?
You might take it for granted that an expensive stone should be carvable but, as always, it’s buyer beware.
15 August 2015
Happy Accidents
Happy accidents can occur when carving a seal and the blade slips unintentionally or the stone chips unexpectedly.
1 June 2015
Use the Masters
Artist’s often struggle over where to place their seals on their artwork. One of the best ways to learn is by looking at the old masters.
15 March 2015
Where Do I Put It?
Probably the most common question from beginning artists is where to put a seal on their art.
15 February 2015
By Any Other Name
The Chinese word yinni 印泥 can be translated into English as seal ink, ink paste, or seal paste.
15 January 2015
Don’t Eat It!
The red color of seal ink comes from the mineral cinnabar, which is then made into the color known as vermillion—and it’s poisonous.
15 December 2014
Not Too Fine
If you sand down your seal stone for any reason don’t use too fine a grit of sandpaper.
15 October 2014
Not Too Tight
Unless you’re working on a very hard stone I suggest you wrap your seal stone in a bit of cloth, tissue, or soft leather before you clamp it into your seal vise.
15 September 2014
Seal Ruler
Although usually translated into English as a seal ruler (印規 yingui) this tool has nothing to do with taking measurements.
15 August 2014