A step-by-step tutorial
Chinese seal carving is an artform closely related to Chinese calligraphy. Most artists signing off Chinese art pieces like painting and calligraphy have used customised seals for hundred of years. However, seal designs need not be confined to just names. They can include even motifs and graphics.
Step 1: Design
Draw the design you have chosen on a piece of translucent tracing paper. You can find standard character fonts for Chinese seals on some websites. Like this one.
Step 2: Sand off base of stone seal
The stones will typically have been treated with a layer of wax. Sanding off the base on a level smooth surface will not only remove the wax, but also ensure the base is level to stamp the design completely. Tip: Sand only in one direction (e.g. left to right) but keep rotating every 5 strokes so seal base will not be lopsided.
Step 3: Transfer design onto stone seal
As design has to be laterally inverted (mirror image) when drawn onto stone seal, do remember to flip the tracing paper before drawing it. It helps to use a pencil first as it is easy to remove markings with an eraser if a mistake had been made. Then write over with a permanent black marker carefully the design to be carved.
Step 4: Carve
Grasp the knife as one would a pen. Do take care to grip the stone seal lower to minimise chances of injuries on the palm. Characters can be carved using negative markings (bai wen, which translates loosely to “white characters”) or positive markings (chu wen, “vermillion markings”). It takes a lot of practice and patience to carve the stone with reasonable precision. However, one can simply sandpaper off the entire face to start again if mistakes that are irreversible have been made. Most seals are carved out of soap stones which are softer and crumble less. Do not use hard stones like jade or marble. Here’s a video of a master at work.
Step 5: Test print
A specific type of dye paste made from the Chinese mugwort plant and castor oil is usually used. After dipping it into the ink paste, be sure to apply a controlled and even pressure to stamp the design on Chinese rice paper. Touch up and make corrections accordingly if there are any improvements to be made.
Chinese seal carving is a great hobby because it is relatively cheap to start. Stones and tools are easily obtainable on the internet these days. Once a beginner gets the hang of the art, it can be a creative way to relieve stress, and in some cases prove to be addictive. Finished seals are personal collector items, or can make great gifts as well.
Jamessohs 