Chinese Cultural Courses
Seal Carving Classes
This Saturday afternoon four week course will allow participants to discover the ancient practice of seal carving.
This discipline has a venerable history and seal stamps, also known as ‘chops’, are still in regular use in China, both to enhance artwork and as part of the requirement for the signing of important documents.
Seal-carving is one of the "four arts" which with painting, calligraphy and poetry are the mark of the accomplished scholar.
Each seal is unique and will contain e.g. a name, poetical saying, a design or a symbol. The seals are pressed into a pot or tin of cinnebar paste, a scarlet red colour, which is then block printed onto plain paper or a piece of calligraphy or a painting. When printing a red seal on a monochrome painting, it is said to be "adding the eye to the dragon". When entering China, your passport will be stamped with a red seal.
During this comprehensive four week afternoon course, students will:
- gain a glimpse into the history of calligraphy, painting and seal carving;
- learn how to write Chinese characters in seal script and practice Chinese calligraphy;
- be introduced to the basic knife technique and how to make a carving
Each student will create their own Chinese style seals over the course of the four classes.
Edinburgh based Chinese calligraphy/ painting artist Zhang Chi, whose works have been exhibited internationally, will lead these classes.
Classes will run to the timetable below:
Sat, 18 April 2009 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Sat, 25 April 2009 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Sat, 2 May 2009 1.00pm - 5.00pm
Sat, 9 May 2009 1.00pm - 5.00pm
No prior experience is required. The class is suitable for adults.
The course fee for this 16 hour class is £160 per person. No discounts are offered on this course. A minimum of four and a maximum of eight students can be accepted onto this course.
If you have any questions please call us on 0131 662 2180. To secure a place we recommend you call to check availability and then download and complete the application form.
