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Step 1: Please enter your contact information.
Full name E-mail Be sure to enter your complete and correct e-mail address; otherwise I will not be able to get back to you.
Full name
E-mail
Be sure to enter your complete and correct e-mail address; otherwise I will not be able to get back to you.
Your location: (for estimation of Shipping & Handling)
United States Dallas / Fort Worth area, Texas China Taiwan Other - please type your city & country:
Step 2: Select your preferred Chinese calligraphy style.
Chinese characters are now standardized in Kai Style. Five major styles of calligraphy (Zuan, Li, Tsao, Hsin, and Kai) are still in practice today. More samples of styles can be found on this website.
Zuan (Seal Style) *
Li (Clerical Style)
Tsao (Running Style)
Hsin (Walking Style)
Kai (Standard Style)
or Let the calligrapher suggest (Discount may be granted if you select this option.)
or
Let the calligrapher suggest (Discount may be granted if you select this option.)
* Only if you selected Seal Style above, please select your second choice in case there is not a certain Seal Style character to match your content.
(The Seal Style script is the most ancient form of Chinese writing and has the fewest number of characters available compared to the other four styles. A Chinese calligrapher should not coin a Seal Style character without any basis for catering.)
Let the calligrapher suggest Li Tsao Hsin Kai
Step 3: Please type your desired content in English for customized Chinese calligraphy work.
(Word-by-word translation will be available upon your request when the work is completed.)
Step 4: Select other specifications.
4.a. What shape would you like for the paper?
Rectangle (the most frequently recommended)
Fan
(Will cost more for mounting or scrolls)
Round
Square (the least recommended except for ordering only one Chinese character)
Let the calligrapher suggest
The calligrapher may recommend based on your desired content and his artistic perspectives.
4.b. What orientation of the Chinese characters do you prefer?
All Chinese calligraphy artworks in this website are written in the traditional way: first from top to bottom, and then from RIGHT to left to retain the original spiritual beauty of this art. The numbers indicate the sequences of writing in the traditional and proper way.
Landscape (horizontal)
Portrait (vertical)
The calligrapher may recommend based on your desired content and his artistic perspectives for either Landscape or Portrait layout.
4.c. What kind of Shuan Paper do you prefer?
Shuan Paper is not made of rice; "rice paper" is a misnomer for Chinese calligraphy and painting paper.
Except for Basic White Shuan Paper, additional charge of $5 to $10 may be applied to color and featured Shuan Paper unless suggested by the calligrapher.
No extra charge only for "Name Translation" if "Red with Gold Flecks" is chosen. Chinese usually don't write people's names on purely white paper with a calligraphy brush.
Let the calligrapher suggest (Joshua may recommend the Shuan Paper that matches the content without extra charge.) But I definitely don't want the following kind(s): Please exclude from my wish list. (up to two entries)
OR
Choose one of the following:
4.d. Would you like the calligrapher's signature and seals added to the artwork?
Please suggest for me. Yes No
4.e. Please specify your desired paper size, character size, or any additional instructions (preferences):
If you do not know the exact number of Chinese characters for your request or the size of each character, it's not advisable to choose U.S. standard frame size, say 5" x 5" or 14" x 11", to confine the characters to fit into a predetermined size.
In contrast to Western calligraphy, Chinese calligraphers write more freely to express the artistic spirit and do not pursue font-like or mechanical uniformity. Considering the spacing between each Chinese character and different Chinese calligraphy styles, it's strongly recommended that:
(1) You enter your preferred Chinese character size and then Joshua will let you know the approximate dimension of the paper. The paper can be trimmed later per your request or per the calligrapher's suggestion. The price of custom calligraphy work (not including mounting or scrolls) is based on the size and number of Chinese characters, not paper size.
(2) You may enter your preferred paper size and Joshua will select the size of the characters. If you are not looking for mounting or a scroll, the paper size will not increase the price. However, if you are looking for mounting or scrolls, their prices are based on the paper size.
Due to many artistic and technical considerations, it's not advisable to designate the layout and size of Chinese characters to fit a standard frame size. Even the characters of the current Standard Style are not perfectly square. To designate certain Chinese calligraphy styles or certain number of Chinese characters to fit into a certain size of paper or a frame without considering other factors will most likely distort the artistic quality.
In a word, if you are looking for a custom Chinese calligraphy work that is more artistically done, we have to consider at least the sizes of the characters, spacing, paper, and calligraphy style, not merely the standard frame size.
Please enter your preferred Chinese character size or paper size:
Step 5: Select desired shipping & handling (Click here for shipping rates and number of days to receive your order after payment.)
United States Postal Service + Confirmation (3 Days First-Class Mail) - minimum rate of postage United States Postal Service + Confirmation (2 Days Priority Mail) United States Postal Service + Confirmation (Tomorrow by Noon - Express Mail)
UPS Ground + Confirmation (4 - 5 business days) UPS Second Day Air + Confirmation UPS Next Day Air + Confirmation
Step 6: Click to submit this quote.
You will receive an e-mail with a quote shortly. It may contain a draft of computer fonts showing the layout of the Chinese characters. Thank you!