How to Choose and Use a Seal Book: Tips for Enjoying Seal Carving More
For those who are into seal carving as a hobby or who want to get started, we highly recommend using an "Inpūchō." An Inpūchō is a special book for recording the impressions created by seal carving, and is the foundation of the cultural record known as "Inpū."
The greatest benefit of compiling your seal impressions in a seal book is that it allows you to visualize the changes and growth of your work. A carving that starts out unstable can become incredibly beautiful over the course of several months or years. Recording this process can encourage you to continue creating. It's also useful for showing your work to others or using it as a portfolio.
So, what kind of seal book should you choose? The thing to pay attention to here is the quality of the paper. With cheap paper, the ink will bleed, spread, or wrinkle, ruining the beauty of the seal. The seal books sold by Asia Tengei are made with high-quality Japanese paper and are suitable for writing, so you can record not only the seal impression but also the seal script, the name of the work, and the date of creation.
The recommended sizes are 120 x 90 mm and 130 x 270 mm. Even with small prints, you can ensure sufficient margins, allowing you to create a visually appealing inking book. Furthermore, if you use beautiful woodblock-style paper like Tochikusai insen, the inking book itself becomes a work of art. It can be used not only for seal carving, but also as an accompanying paper for calligraphy, haiku, and poetry, broadening the scope of expression.
Also, when using a stamp book, keep the following points in mind:
・Test stamping on a practice sheet before stamping
- Record the date of creation and the contents of the seal below the seal impression
-Compare using multiple inks on the same stone
By recording your work in this way, your seal book will become more than just a notebook; it will become your own personal collection of works. By sharing it on social media, you can also interact with other seal carving enthusiasts.
The Inpucho is your "partner" that will bring out the best in seal carving. Experience the artistic memories that reside on paper.
Here are our recommended stamp books.