Thursday, August 29, 2013

Hawk Winter Sumie

 This is a picture of a Hawk. It is not clear or detailed, but the brushwork is very powerful. In some ways, too powerful to be displayed with a bonsai, but we will see if there are any at the convention that will match to this painting. It was drawn by Natsuko Horinouchi.

I mounted the painting in a simple Fukuro Hyougu style, with a white cloth to help show off the black dots in the painting that to me represent snow and the dark image. I then finished it with a black plastic jikusaki and a Kon Hanging String.

Dimensions as follows:

Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 115 13.72
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 85 10.14
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 295 35.19
Pillars 15 1.79
Chi 55 6.56
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 115 13.72
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 465 55.47

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

柿の実 Persimmon Fruit Wallscroll


This painting was done by Mariusz Szmerdt, a polish artist. I like his painting techniques and ability to capture many different ideas and images. He is very talented. This is one in the series done for the American Bonsai Society convention in Saratoga Springs NY.ever

When framing this I was thinking in reverse to put it in the fall season. Most of the Persimmon's I ate in Japan were in the early winter. So for me this was about the Harvest. The scroll starts with mimicking the fruit color with the Ichimonji which has a gold on orange background. It is then fallowed by the cloth with gold cloud pattern...This is by far the most expensive cloth I have purchased and is easily at $150 per yard...It is finished with a shike Ten/Chi in a Khaki/Gold color. The jikusaki are Bamboo, and the Hanging string is light gold...
Dimensions as follows:


Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 112 13.36
上中廻し Ue Chuumawashi 69 8.23
上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 10 1.19
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 81 9.66
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 100 11.93
Pillars 17 2.03
下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 7 0.84
下中廻し Shita Chuumawashi 50 5.96
Chi 70 8.35
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 115 13.72
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 408 48.67
I know I have my ideas of how I will display it, but what do you think?

Monday, August 26, 2013

Native American Warrior Protrait Sumie Kakejiku

This painting is a little too bold for the ABS convention, but I will take it anyway. The painting is not detailed, allowing viewer to imagine the details. It was painted by Natsuko Horinouchi. I used the distant mountain designs in the cloth to go along with the cliff in the painting. The red shike cloth places the scroll in the Autumn season. I completed it with the Kodai San Iro Kakehimo and plastic ivory jikusaki.
If you would like a custom scroll painted and made, contact Jonathan Maples at info@customjapanesecalligraphy.com
Dimensions as follows:

Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 100 11.93
上中廻し Ue Chuumawashi 30 3.58
紙本の幅さ Artwork  Width 85 10.14
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 293 34.95
Pillars 5 0.60
下中廻し Shita Chuumawashi 20 2.39
Chi 60 7.16
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 95 11.33
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 503 60.00

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Horse Calligraphy

This is the calligraphy of horse by Richard Man a California Artist. He asked me to frame it in a Chinese style, so I selected a white cloth. Probably should have used a larger jikubou, but I did not have one. The scroll turned out nice and simple.

The Jikusaki is a wooden 9bun piece and the hanging string is Kon (Navy)
Dimensions as follows:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 117 13.96
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 210 25.05
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 245 29.23
Pillars 18 2.15
Chi 72 8.59
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 246 29.35
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 434 51.77

Monday, August 19, 2013

Native American Scene

This scroll is sold and is no longer available for sale.
 This scroll is also for the ABS For the Love of Bonsai convention in Saratoga Springs NY. This is specifically for my Bonsai Display Lecture on Friday.

The artwork was painted by polish artist Mariusz Szmerdt. I asked him to do some themes specifically with Native American themes. This specific painting has an Iriquois Indian in a canoe. I have a specific Toko no Ma display in mind for this and will use it in my lecture for bonsai display.

The scroll is in a Semi-formal Two Step scroll style called Nidan Hyougu. The cloth on the top and the bottom actually has faint horizontal stripes of alternating darker and red colors. I thought this was good for Autumn. The grey chuumawashi cloth has a purple which reminded me of morning mist. The scroll is completed with a Rosewood Jikusaki that is machined, and an Ouka Pink hanging string.

If you have questions about having a commission scroll made please contact to me at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or call to 801-254-6842.
Dimensions as follows:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 78 9.30
上中廻し Ue Chuumawashi 42 5.01
紙本の幅さ Artwork  Width 118 14.08
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 215 25.65
Pillars 18 2.15
下中廻し Shita Chuumawashi 22 2.62
Chi 48 5.73
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 154 18.37
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 405 48.31

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Another Sumie Bird Wallscroll for ABS

This is another Kakejiku for the American Bonsai Society exhibition in September of 2013. It is a painting drawn by Natsuko Horinouchi. It is painted to be part of a winter display, and is an Onaga or Magpie. It is very simplistic, which would allow the bonsai to take the primary position of the display. If you would like a commissioned piece, please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com for more information.


The scroll is done in an informal Maru Hyougu style and has a silver/gray cloth accented by a Navy flower karakusa (arabesque). The Ichimonji, (cloth bordering the painting) is a gold on gold flower karakusa. It is completed with a Navy Hanging string and black plastic Jikusaki. The simple style of the painting is reflected in the design and use of the other materials selected for this scroll.
Dimensions as follows.
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 85 10.14
上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 8 0.95
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 63 7.52
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 295 35.19
Pillars 5 0.60
下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 5 0.60
Chi 50 5.96
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 73 8.71
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 443 52.85

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Another Bird Scroll for ABS

This is another scroll done for the convention at the American Bonsai Society. It was painted by the
artist Natsuko Horinouchi. She really followed the example for this one quite well. It is a Shrike in monochrome, perched on a dried twig. It is a very beautiful example of a fall season scroll for display with a bonsai, ikebana or sanyasou.

 The scroll is done in a three step style called Sandan Hyougu. The hashira or pillars surrounding the vertical sides of the artwork are very narrow, only 5 Bun wide. So this scroll could be considered a Rinpou Hyougu style as well.

The Goldenrod on the top and bottom are a shike cloth and the chuumawashi is a green/gold with a smaller leaf karakusa (arabesque). The Ichimonji is a kinran with a large gold flower pattern on a light tan color background. The scroll is completed with a Kincha (Brown) hanging string and a wooden jikusaki that was salvaged off of an old scroll. This gives it a more rustic feel.

Scroll dimensions as follows:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 126 15.03
上中廻し Ue Chuumawashi 30 3.58
上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 11 1.31
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 60 7.16
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 295 35.19
Pillars 5 0.60
下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 6 0.72
下中廻し Shita Chuumawashi 20 2.39
Chi 60 7.16
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 70 8.35
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 537 64.06





Saturday, August 10, 2013

Another Scroll for ABS

This scroll is sold and is no longer available.

This is another scroll painted and framed specifically for the American Bonsai Society Convention in September at New York. I really like the way this one turned out. It has some beautiful features and is very easy on the eyes. This is a picture of a Mountain or Cold sparrow perched on a barren, thin tree branch.

The painting is done by Natsuko Horinouchi.

The scroll is done in a three step style called Sandan Hyougu. It has a Gold on white Ichimonji with a mauve color Chuumawashi and a khaki colored Ten/Chi. The colors are very harmonious and do not detract from the painting. The jikusaki is a ceramic piece with a color that is only slightly darker than the purple chuumawashi. The hanging string is a light gold color.

Dimensions as follows:
Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Inches
Ten 101 12.05
上中廻し Ue Chuumawashi 30 3.58
上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 9 1.07
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 85 10.14
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 295 35.19
Pillars 13 1.55
下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 6 0.72
下中廻し Shita Chuumawashi 20 2.39
Chi 45 5.37
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 111 13.24
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 497 59.29