Gift Wall Scroll or Kakejiku

This scroll was commissioned as a gift.

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 

It reads 詩宗 Shisou with the name David St. John, as the names appear in the Japanese Bible written in katakana on the left hand column.  Shisou  means master poet. This is a gift for a prominently published modern poet, David St. John. You can read about him at the following link. http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/149 The third left hand line bears my wife's calligraphy signature name Ryugyoku and her Hanko.

What stands out most about this scoll, is the use of black cloth. Athough not common, it is not unheard of. The ichimonji selected has a very large karakusa pattern, and is a gold on creamy white. I make this extra large for several reasons, but primarily to give good spacing between the Honshi and the Kireji.

I not only enjoyed making this scroll, but got introduced to some good poetry in the process, which is always educational and inspires me to become better.

Fukuro Hyougu Scroll as Gift

This beautiful scroll was ordered from Canada as a graduation gift. The first thing one recognizes looking at the picture is there is no brocade, or ichimonji cloth bordering the artwork.

This is because it is a Fukuro Hyougu style scroll. This is the primary difference between the Maru Hyougu kakemono. Because this scroll utilized a light Khaki colored cloth, I inserted Suji onto the scroll. The three black lines are all 0.5 Bun in diameter. It is also capped with beautifully black lacquered wood jikusaki which really harmonizes the colors of the suji.

As mentioned above, this scroll is for an individual who graduated in Social Work/Counseling. We did not know where this will hang in a future office, but the neutral colors along with the good contrast of colors will allow it to hang almost anywhere.

The writing was done by my Shihan Calligrapher wife, Ryugyoku in the Kaisho style. The customer asked for balance and courage as the words for the scroll. These words are read as 平衡 Heikou and 勇気 Yuuki.

It is a strong reminder for future counseling recipients to have balance and courage to overcome their afflictions.