Shikishi Kake Hyougu

This scroll is a shikishi kake hyougu. This was for the previous post titled http://www.wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/12/custom-shikishi-for-hanging-wall-scroll.html
It has turned out to be a beautiful cloth to complement this scroll. Inside this scroll is the shikishi written in Kaisho (block print) style of 三角楓 Sankaku Kaede, which is the word for Trident Maple. This is a species of tree often used in bonsai.

The total scroll size dimensions are:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun (Inches)


掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 125 (14.91)

掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 328 (39.13)

If you would like to order a custom scroll, please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or visit our shopping site at http://www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com/

Accent Pieces in a Toko no Ma Display

This information was taught to me by Kuzuhara Hiroyuki a Toko no Ma and Seki Kazari Sensei who works to teach others the art of displaying in a traditional Japanese alcove, called a Toko no Ma. Here I have broken down the small figurines or accent pieces that are used to explain the story in the display.

In his books I have only studied a little bit about the 添配accent pieces. But the first point that he hammered into me is to understand how to rank the various pieces from most formal (真 Shin) to Semi-formal (行 Gyou) to informal (草 Sou). The ranking is based upon primarily by what the image depicts and the second is with what the material the piece is made.


Image Rankings


                              Human                                                     Buildings                               

Formal (真 Shin) Divine Images Buddha/                           Temples, Pagodas,                 

                             Shinto Gods etc.                                      Jinja (Shrines) etc.
                              
Semi-formal (行 Gyou) Buddhist Priests, Masterless        Towers, Bridges, Rookeries  
                                      Samurai, Wise men, Nobility 

Informal (草 Sou) Travelers, Woodcutters, Fishermen,     Grass thatched roof House,  

Other Informal (草 Sou): Boats, Rafts, Calligraphy/Paper Items, Animals, Bugs, Fruit etc.  
Material Rankings:

The following are ranked as formal pieces:

銅製 どうせい Copper/Bronze

銀製 ぎんせい Silver

真鍮 しんちゅう Brass

石 いし Rock

The Semi-formal Pieces are:

陶製 とうせい Ceramics/ Earthenware

The Informal Pieces are:

木彫 もくちょう Wood Craft

牙彫 げちょう Ivory/Teeth Items

竹根彫 ちくねちょう Bamboo Made Items

Custom Shikishi for Hanging Wall Scroll

This Christmas gift was from a mother who has a son that studies about the Kaizen system of Continuous Improvement. It was done in the Kaisho style, which seems fitting for this word. I have just ordered the cloth to make the scroll with and will be exicted to get this finished for their Christmas present.

If you would like a custom scroll or Japanese Calligraphy writing made, please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or visit our webstore at http://www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com/

Second Scroll with Name

This is the second scroll with a name on it. I love this cloth....it is a very beautiful plum color with an ivy/flower design. As a result I used a flower pattern in the Ichimonji to give a similar effect. The writing is done in a Gyousho, semi cursive style. You can see the cloth and Jikusaki upclose here.
Scroll Dimensions as follows:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun (Inches)


天 Ten 105 (12.53)

上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 11 (1.31)

紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 76 (9.07)

紙本の長さ Artwork Length 105 (12.53)

柱 Pillars 23.5 (2.80)

下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 6 (0.72)

地 Chi 68 (8.11)

掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 123 (14.67)

掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 295 (35.19)

If you would like a custom scroll ordered for your personal use or business, please contact Jonathan Maples at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or visit my website at http://www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com/
 
Other name scrolls are listed here:
http://www.wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/12/first-name-in-japanese-kakejiku.html

http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2009/09/welchko-last-name-translation.html
http://www.wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/12/first-name-written-on-shikishi.html

First Name written on Shikishi

These shikishi 色紙 were made for gifts. The writing is the name of the customers mother. It is done in semi-cursive style called gyousho 行書. If you are interested in ordering a gift of calligraphy contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or go to our website online at www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com. Other gift name ideas can be found at the following:
http://www.wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/12/first-name-in-japanese-kakejiku.html
http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2009/09/welchko-last-name-translation.html
   

Meikyou Shisui Wallscroll for Kendo 明鏡止水掛け軸

This scroll is going to the Pacific Northwest. It is written in the gyousho semi-cursive style and I used the blue cloth in both the Kireji and Ichimonji to represent the water in the scroll. It is accompanied by a Kogecha Kakehimo and a Kokutan (Ebony) Jikusaki. This customer also ordered a beautiful Kiribako (wood box) to go with the scroll. This phrase is used in Kendo and I am using the following source. http://www.kendo-guide.com/
Meikyo-shisui is a very good expression to know how our mind should be. Let me explain what kanjis mean. Meikyo means "a clear mirror". It is a clean mirror so you see no dust, clouds or condensation on it. The kanji itself says, "shining mirror". So you can imagine how clean the mirror is. Shisui means "the water that is not moving", the still water. If the water is still, completely still, it can reflect anything like a mirror. So what do you think it means? So what kind of state of mind is it when it is like the really clean mirror and the still water? When a mirror is dirty or it has something on it, it does not reflect things as it should. So it is not working as it is supposed to do. When your mind is not clear, your mind does not work as it is supposed to, either. Moreover, when your mind is not clear or clean, it is usually mean that something evil thing is going on in your mind. So there are two meanings in keeping your mind as clear as a clean shining mirror. One is that your mind and head is so sharp and clear that you will not misjudge anything. Another meaning is that you do not have any evil thoughts in you.

Scroll Dimensions as follows:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun (Inches)


天 Ten 115 (13.72)

上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 12 (1.43)

紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 53 (6.32)

紙本の長さ Artwork Length 206 (24.57)

柱 Pillars 15 (1.79)

下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 8 (0.95)

地 Chi 73 (8.71)

掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 83 (9.90)

掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 414 (49.39)


地 Chi 73 8.71

掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 83 9.90

掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 414 49.39


 

First Name in Japanese Kakejiku

This wallscroll was ordered for a person who commissioned two scrolls for a wife's and daughter's first name. The first one is with a beautiful light pink Kireji (cloth) that is a silk. The pattern in the cloth is a faint, wispy line, so I tried to use the complementary flowing lines in the ichimonji to complement the design of the cloth.

In most situations, customers do not order special Kakehimo. Hanging thread, but in this case the customer put a lot of thought and ordered the Sakura, which is a pink thread with dark fleck design. It went really well with the scroll, and makes it that much better in my opinion. The shitan (rosewood) jikusaki also provides a good dark color to contrast well with the light pink.

The writing is done in a semi-cursive style called gyousho. It is a very nice design for this scroll. Dimensions of the scroll are listed below. If you would like to order a custom handmade scroll, contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or visit to www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com Other name scrolls can be viewed here. http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2010/08/martial-art-scroll-for-first-name.html or here http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2010/01/three-first-name-translations-into.html

Name in Kanji	Name in English	Size in Bun	Size in Inches
天	Ten	105	12.53
上一文字	Ue Ichimonji	11	1.31
紙本の幅さ	Artwork Width	76	9.07
紙本の長さ	Artwork Length	105	12.53
柱	Pillars	23.5	2.80
下一文字	Shita Ichimonji	6	0.72
地	Chi	68	8.11
掛け軸の幅さ	Scroll Width	123	14.67
掛け軸の長さ	Scroll Length	295	35.19