Scroll Work for an Aikido Practitioner

 The first is a video and afterwards a picture of the wallscroll in Stage 2a.

Handmade Aikido Wallscroll

This is an Aikido Scroll custom made for a customer in Florida. It was written in Gyousho (Semi-Cursive) style by Yoshimi "Ryugyoku" Maples for the customer.

If you want to give a handmade gift to an Aikido practitioner, please contact to sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com for more information and pricing. You can also download a copy of my scroll design workbook at www.customjapanesecalligraphy.com 

Aikidou Scroll in Sandan Hyougu (3 Step) Style

This scroll was ordered from an Aikidouka (practitioner of Aikidou) in the Midwest. If you would like to order a custom designed scroll e-mail me at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com or go to www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com. Initially he called me on the phone and we had a lengthy discussion. I asked questions of what the décor in the room would be and colors of the wall so that we could design a scroll that would work in the room it was to be hung. When he said he wanted something in shades of brown, I thought that this large karakusa silk would be a good match for what he wanted. The next day I sent him the some pictures of recently purchased silks from a supplier in Japan, but I recommended this specific cloth along with the Antique cloth for the Ten and Chi. In my mind I had the idea of the concept of Lighter (Shihon or paper artwork), Darker (Gold Ichimonji), Darkest (Brown Karakusa silk), back to Darker (Antique cloth), and finally back to lightest (ash wood colored Jikusaki, and a white with Blue fleck design Kake/Makihimo). We actually did not decide on the Jikusaki and Kakehimo until after the original design, but when I explained this pattern I think he saw the vision of what I envisioned for the scroll.

The customer wished to have the writing in the Kaisho style, but to meet the size requirement to attach the Ichimonji, I needed to cut the paper much smaller. I am very grateful to my wife for being such an experienced and skilled calligrapher to be able to write everything very balanced and always meet the customer needs.
Dimensions of the scroll given in the traditional Bun measurement, with approximations in centimeters and inches.

Kanji English Size in Bun CM Inches
天 Ten 115 348.5 13.72
上中廻し Ue Chuumawashi 52 157.5 6.2
上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 7.5 22.7 0.9

紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 56 169.7 6.7

紙本の長さ Artwork Length 87 263.6 10.4

柱 Pillars 12 36.4 1.4

下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 3.5 10.6 0.4

下中廻し Shita Chuumawashi 26 78.8 3.1

地 Chi 70 212.1 8.4

掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 80 242.4 9.5

掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 353.5 1071.1 42.2

Dragon Aikidou Scroll in Yatsugiri Size

This scroll was made for fun...it is available for sale. Maybe the dragon never needs to use force. I will be at a karate tournament in New Mexico.

If you would like to order a custom scroll there are three ways to get started: 1. Go to my shopping site at www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com 2. Download my scroll design workbook from my website at www.customjapanesecalligraphy.com to read about the concepts behind kakejiku or wallscroll design. 3. E-mail to me directly at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Aikido Wall Scroll with Picture of Morihei Ueshiba

Customers ask me to do new things which challenge the norm. This customer asked for an Aikidou scroll to which he could attach a picture of Osensei, of Aikidou, Morihei Ueshiba. This is not a traditional presentation of a kakemono, but it is still beautiful, and hope it provides the desired end result. This scroll is about 3.5 feet in length and 1 foot wide. The picture is a 4" x 6" print.

The Aikidou is written by hand by Ryugyoku. The inkan still needs to be affixed.

If you would like to order a custom scroll there are three ways to get started: 1. Go to my shopping site at www.shop.customjapanesecalligraphy.com 2. Download my scroll design workbook from my website at www.customjapanesecalligraphy.com to read about the concepts behind kakejiku or wallscroll design. 3. E-mail to me directly at sales@customjapanesecalligraphy.com

Aikido Scroll - Kaisho Japanese Calligraphy Style Writing

This scroll was commissioned and is already sold.
If you would like a scroll with the same writing in a different cloth color or different writing style, please contact us at our e-mail or visit our web store.
    
This scroll was designed and written for an Aikido practitioner outside of the United States. The cloth is in a beautiful Navy Blue. Aikido is the Martial Art developed by Morihei Ueshiba, or O-Sensei.
    
It is beautifully written in the block print style called Kaisho by my wife Yoshimi, (Ryugyoku). The Green and Gold of the Ichimonji is a soft transition in regular light, but shines when the flash of the camera was used.
    
The Hanko or Inkan (In English the word used is Chop, but I have never been fond of this word and prefer the Japanese names) is both stamped in the upper right hand side and lower left hand side of the scroll to create a balanced feel between both Hashira or pillars (Side cloth sections of the scroll).

This scroll was also ordered with a beautiful Dark and Light Blue glazed Fuchin. This will be the perfect complement to any dojo.