#Chinese seal maker verification#

A well-carved seal is characterised by symmetry, well-spaced characters, a balance of light and dark characters, and graceful character strokes. On average, a seal carver takes about an hour to complete a seal, averaging about five seals a day. 9 A slip of the hand means the carver will have to smooth out the surface and start all over again. 8 Carving is a skill that requires deft, steady hands, focus and patience as the designs have to be engraved on small surfaces, some as small as 12 mm. The carver proceeds to engrave using a set of special knives. He then turns the paper over and, with a sharp pencil, copies and transfers the design onto the seal. Since the characters have to be engraved in reverse image in order to be printed correctly, the seal maker first draws the design on a thin, white sheet of paper.

6ДЄfter deciding on the design of the seal, the carver commences work by levelling the base of the seal with sand paper and then emery paper, before fastening it to a clamp device. 5 To appeal to tourists, both Western alphabet and Chinese characters may be incorporated into a single seal done and in a combination of relief and intaglio styles of carving. It is not uncommon for a seal maker to make seals in pairs, one in each style. Chinese characters executed in relief are referred to as yang (йі)-style script and conversely, those done in intaglio are referred to as yin (йґ)-style scripts. In intaglio, characters are etched out instead, producing uncoloured characters on coloured background when stamped. In relief, the background is etched out, producing coloured text on uncoloured background when stamped. A Chinese seal can be produced in relief or in intaglio. A sample book of designs may be offered to help the customer explore options. Once the customer has selected a seal, the engraver decides on a design in consultation with the customer. Some seals also have pre-carved designs featuring an animal, human figure, fruit or a flower on their holders. They also come in various sizes and shapes such as square, round and oblong.

These seals, imported from China, are available in a variety of materials such as ivory, stone, horn and wood. The seal carving process begins with the customer selecting a seal from the seal makerвЂ™s assortment of blank seals.

They are also used in Chinese calligraphy and artworks, and in the printing of talismans. They functioned as company chops вЂ“ the word вЂњchopвЂќ is derived from the Hindi word chap, which means company stamps or trademarks) вЂ“ or personal seals to verify the validity of documents. 2 Seals were used for commercial, legal, artistic and religious purposes. The use of seals dates back to ancient China, and the art of seal carving was brought to Singapore by the early Chinese immigrants.

#Chinese seal maker verification#

By the early 1980s, however, the trade and profession had gone into decline as the signature and other methods of verification began replacing seals as means of authentication. Many seal carvers set up their businesses in Chinatown. Seal carving was a lucrative trade in the past as seals were used in Chinese business transactions to authenticate the validity of documents. We are delighted to announce that Between Seasons will tour to Gracefield Art Centre from 14th August to 23rd October 2021.Chinese seal carvers are traditional craftsmen who make Chinese seals by carving characters and designs onto the base of blocks of stone, wood, ivory, jade and other solid material. Kate hosted an exhibition of new work in The Gallery called Between Seasonsin June 2021. Her work is held in many public collections including Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art Kelvingrove, Art Gallery: Reitveld Kunst Academie, Amsterdam the BBC and Edinburgh Council. KateвЂ™s constant search for new challenges and inspirations has seen her set up studios in such diverse places as a brewery, an oil rig, and for her most recent show an abandoned Hydroponicum. The majority of her work is defined by geography, and the artistвЂ™s response to the landscape or subject in front of her. One recent project for Pittenweem Arts Festival saw Kate juxtapose large colour-field prints with architectural charcoal drawings with extraordinary results. Her skill not restricted to painting alone, she works across a diverse range of artistic medium. Over the past two decades Downie has established herself as one of ScotlandвЂ™s most prominent artists. Click here to see paintings by the artist.Д«orn in North Carolina, Kate Downie studied at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen before travel and residencies took her to the United States, England, Amsterdam and Paris.