1 June 2017
Talking Seals
No Second Chances
It is tradition that Chinese calligraphy be done all at once, with no corrections or reworking of the characters.
15 February 2017
Which is Easier?
People often assume it’s easier to cut a seal with fewer characters rather than one with more characters.
1 February 2017
Right or Left Hand?
Are you right or left handed? It wouldn’t have mattered in old China.
1 November 2016
Try a Little Color
Most carvers will sign their name on the side of a finished seal. Depending on the color of the stone you may want to fill in these lines with paint.
1 August 2016
Try Gouache
Try using some red and white paint—gouache works well for this as it dries quickly and is water soluble—to experiment with seal modifications.
1 July 2016
Round and Square
You can buy round, cylindrical seal stones but I recommend carving round seals from square stones.
15 May 2016
Cleaning Your Seal
The traditional way to clean a seal is, after use, to simply stamp it over and over on to scrap paper until nothing more appears.
15 April 2016
Side Inscriptions
Seal artists often write on the sides of their seals (in Chinese called 邊款 biankuan).
15 February 2016
Don’t Damage the Knob
Seals stones often have decorative knobs carved into the top of the stone but these can get in the way when carving a seal.
15 December 2015
Don’t Play With Sharp Objects
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.
15 November 2015
Happy Accidents
Happy accidents can occur when carving a seal and the blade slips unintentionally or the stone chips unexpectedly.
1 June 2015