Setup and cleaning time before and after the writing will not be charged.
Setup usually takes 15 minutes before the event begins.
Cleaning will
take at least 20 minutes. Please make sure that
the building will be open after the event for at least 20 minutes
for cleaning, since inkstones, paper, and brushes are very fragile.
Hourly Rates for
Chinese Calligraphy Events
For travel within
10 miles of Preston & Campbell area, Dallas, Texas
Event Categories
Hourly rate
Paper
* (different colors), ink &
supplies
Notes
School, Church, Museum Events
$85
Included
Cultural Events
(e.g. Asian Heritage Festival)
$80
or Charge Per
Person
Included
Group
Class or Workshop
$80
(if less than 30 persons)
$85
(if more than 30 persons)
$90
(if more than 40 persons)
$100
(if more than 45 persons / up to 50 persons)
Not included
The "educational" rate does not
include students' tools and any supplies.
If
you are using your tools, please make sure that the brushes are pointy
and paper is smooth and flat (no folded or wrinkled paper.)
However,
if you are organizing a one-time group class and do not want to buy your
own tools and supplies, you may rent those from Joshua.
The
rental fee (including paper, ink, liquid bottled ink, brush, inkstones
& carrying, and cleaning/washing) of calligraphy tools is $40 for
each event if the number of students is less than 30; $50 if more than
30 students.
Eg.
Suppose a group of 35 students are having a two- hour class and don't
want to purchase their own tools, the cost will be (2 x $85) + $50 =
$220 (plus any applicable extra mileage charge)
Sample sheets
will be provided by Joshua.
Lecture notes (Tutorial) may be downloaded and printed by the event organizer.
Since it would not be possible to go over the whole
"Tutorial" in one hour, it's recommended that students have a
chance to preview the contents before the class.
Wedding
$100
Included
Joshua
may
provide special decorative pieces & other premium Xuan paper.
Small Business
$90
Included
If paid in advance with
credit card, $85 per hour.
Corporation
$100
Included
Charity / Fundraising
Negotiated
and/or Charge Per Person
Included
Recover cost of paper
*
Due to the technical considerations of ink absorbency and compatibility
between paper and brush, Joshua Hough only writes on authentic Chinese
calligraphy paper (Shuan or Xuan Paper is the exact name; rice paper is a misnomer), preferably chosen by Joshua. Chinese
brushes and ink are most compatible with Shuan Paper. Please do not
provide your own papers or cards if they are not authentic Shuan Paper
since they do not work very well with Chinese brushes and ink and will
probably take more than 30 minutes to dry!
Samples
& Basic Explanations of Technical Considerations Why Xuan Paper Is
Preferred
The
rates for Chinese brush painting will be different. Please email for more
details. Since more procedures, preparations, and tools are required, the rates
for painting will usually be higher than calligraphy.
If
you wish to purchase Shuan Paper for your other events, you may shop from the
following vendor that sells the same "red with gold flecks"
paper as I use in the public events:
P4GR:
Red Gold (Colored Gold Fleck Shuan Paper)
Dimensions: 27" x 54" per sheet
List Price: $17.50 for 5 Individual Sheets
Each
27" x 54" sheet makes about 6 names as I usually write in the public
events as shown in the following videos (except the first video which
the calligraphy was written on fancy paper.)
All papers are included in the hourly rate except for classes.
If you wish to buy your paper, please handle with extreme care. The paper should arrive unfolded.
Please roll and do not fold the paper. It
takes me about one hour to trim the full size paper into 45 sheets of 18"
x 6" size very precisely for writing names before each event. Any folds will
hinder the smooth motion of Chinese brush writing and should be
avoided.
Due
to Asian cultural custom, if using a calligraphy brush and ink on
Shuan paper, Asian people write lucky phrases
and people's
names on red paper, never on purely white paper without anything added.
For travel more
than 10 miles from Preston & Campbell area,
Extra Mileage Charges will apply.
Additional $20 will be charged per additional five miles in a
one-way trip (i.e., $20 for additional 10 miles in a round trip.)
Mileages will be based on results from "www.MapQuest.com."
For
events scheduled to start during high-traffic time (between 5:30 and 6:30 PM,
Monday to Friday, except national holidays), Extra
Mileage Charge will be $40 for additional 10 miles per round trip due to
my travel from my accounting office to the event.
Example: For
a school event of 2 hours located 24 miles from Campbell & Preston
area.
Charge by Hour =
$85 x 2 = $170
24 - 10 = 14 miles (counted as 3 additional five-miles)
Extra Mileage Charge = $20 x 3 additional five-miles = $60
Number of pieces
to be completed for each event &
Recommended settings for optimal service
Due
to the technicality of Chinese writing brush, I usually write between 9 to
12 (usually 10) English "first names" (average
of 40 to 50 Chinese characters) per hour if I am not interrupted. Faster speed will
absolutely distort the artistic essence
of Chinese brush writing and disappoint each recipient. A Chinese calligraphy
brush is totally different from a pen, a pencil, and a watercolor brush. It's my
artisic belief that each recipient of Chinese calligraphy should be treated
equally with respect and honesty whether they can read Chinese or not.
My
average writing speed of Chinese calligraphy Standard Style
(This video does not include time for
grinding ink and other required preparations.)
My
average writing speed of Chinese calligraphy Walking Style
If the event is outdoors,
this estimated quantity per hour will most be reduced due to the wind blowing the
thin and light Chinese calligraphy paper, especially when the wind is strong and
the "paper weight" cannot stabilize the paper and the audiences and I will be looking for blown away paper... Any trivial movement of
the paper during brush writing will distort a brushstroke to a certain level. I
serve all of the audiences with respect and sincerity.
I deeply respect each
piece I write and believe that every one, including non-Chinese, will be able to
tell the artistic difference if the piece is done with all due submission and
respect.
A book containing common questions and answers
regarding Chinese language and calligraphy will be available on the table, so
the proportion of writing time will least likely be affected.
Two
tables indoors with two chairs are recommended for optimal
performance to better serve our
audiences with more artistic results. Providing only one table might
slow down the service because the audience might touch the table while
signing their names on the sheets. Then I need to pause writing since
brush writing requires the table not to be trembling at all.
Table
covers are usually not
recommended. The ink
may not stain the
table permanently, but it will stain the cloth permanently.
I
do need enough light to focus on writing. Please do not put the writing
table in a dark area because it would be very difficult and
time-consuming to observe the brush tip loaded with black ink.
As
the quantity may be the event organizer's main concern and the artistic
quality of each piece may be the individual recipient's and my concern, we
would appreciate if we understand this: if Chinese calligraphy brush writing is
rushed, the artistic quality will surely be less perfect. A good Chinese calligraphy work is
everlasting - no matter how we look at it, today or in the future, it's
always worthy of the viewers' appreciation or collection.
If
I am invited to eat during the event, the eating time will not be counted.
Usually I don't eat during the event.
Names
of multiple copies may be obtained at negotiated prices
(starting from $20 per first name) before or after the event. Those who do
not get their names during the event may order from online. Discount is
available for orders of multiple copies. All online orders of name writing will
be enhanced with the Wrinkle-Free Process which cannot be possibly done in
public events; the Wrinke-Free Process with take longer time to dry.
