Don’t Play With Sharp Objects
15 November 2015 No Comments
Using a seal vice is a good way to avoid accidentally cutting yourself if you hold your seal stone in your hands and the seal knife slips unexpectedly.
My random notes on Chinese-style seal carving.
Talking Seals
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Seal Ink Packets
1 November 2015 No Comments
Seal ink sold in packets is relatively moist, as opposed to ink sold in tins which is usually harder and dryer.
Is It Soapstone?
15 October 2015 No Comments
“What stone is it?” is one of the most often asked question about Chinese seals.
The Stone That Wasn’t
15 September 2015 No Comments
An elderly Chinese scholar once asked me to cut a seal for him from a stone he had purchased in Taiwan.
Hard, Soft, or Both?
15 August 2015 No Comments
You might take it for granted that an expensive stone should be carvable but, as always, it’s buyer beware.
How Many Seals?
15 July 2015 No Comments
You can use as many seals on an artwork as you like.
Yin/Yang Seals
15 June 2015 No Comments
If you have both first and last name seals they’ll usually be opposites: one yin and one yang.
Happy Accidents
1 June 2015 No Comments
Happy accidents can occur when carving a seal and the blade slips unintentionally or the stone chips unexpectedly.
Where Do I Put It?
15 February 2015 No Comments
Probably the most common question from beginning artists is where to put a seal on their art.
By Any Other Name
15 January 2015 No Comments
The Chinese word yinni 印泥 can be translated into English as seal ink, ink paste, or seal paste.
Don’t Eat It!
15 December 2014 2 Comments
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.
Not Too Fine
15 October 2014 No Comments
If you sand down your seal stone for any reason don’t use too fine a grit of sandpaper.