August Hanko Workshop

Class Description:

A seal is typically made of stone, wood or ivory on which characters or pictographs are carved, and serves as proof or certification when pressed on a vessel, utensil, painting, document or letter and are typically used with red ink or cinnabar paste. Its origin can be traced back to the ancient Mesopotamian civilization in 4,000 B.C. Later, it was introduced into China, and significantly developed during the the Han Dynasty. It was brought to Japan along with a variety of Chinese cultures through Japanese envoys in the Asuka Period. Gagō-in (雅号印) are used by artists to both decorate and sign their work. In this workshop participants will design and carve and take home their own Hanko seals.

Part 1: Overview of Cultural History. Shehan Sensei will discuss the vast history of the Asian Seal Stone.

Part 2. Create Designs: Draw Seal designs on Tracing Paper using pencil or use premade designs.

Part 3. Final works: Carve Seal.

All materials included in cost of workshop:

• 1 Seal Carving Knife 
• Two Blank Carving Seal Stones
• Red Seal Paste in Ceramic Container

What is a 姓名章 Name Seal: 

This is the seal with your name on it. It tells people who created a painting or calligraphy.

Yang 阳 (also called 朱文 zhu wen, red character in Chinese) 

Ying 阴 (also called 白文 bai wen, white character in Chinese)

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Japanese Culture Center, 1016 West Belmont Avenue, Chicago, United States