溝畑


Cart

You are commissioning a one-of-a-kind hand-written artwork. Your selections below guide the calligrapher and mounting studio. Most customers finish in under 5 minutes.

Every piece is created to order using traditional brush and ink on handmade paper. Subtle variations are normal and makes the finished work authentic and unique.

Popular
Combos
Calligrapher
Format

Size

Style

Paper

Color (s)
Accent
Lines
Inscription
 
Instructions
& Schedule

Popular Combinations


Start fast with a recommended combination: These presets are based on thousands of prior orders and work well in most rooms. You can fine-tune everything after you click one.
Make a selection here, then carefully choose your calligrapher before adding this to your shopping cart.


溝畑 Scroll
My Signature
Style
溝畑 Scroll
Old
Faithful
溝畑 Scroll
Lucky
Wedding
溝畑 Scroll
Buddha's
Delight
溝畑 Scroll
Byzantine
Dreams



Gary's notes on these combinations:

My Signature Style is one I created for my own artwork. It was so popular at my walk-in gallery that I made it an option here.
The Old Faithful goes with almost any decor and is easy on the budget.
The red paper of Lucky Wedding is good for any festive occasion - with red being the good luck color of China.
Buddhist text is often written on orange paper, thus the Buddha's Delight combination.
Take a walk down the Silk Road to the wild west of China with Bizantine Dreams. It's blue/gold brocade changes color depending on how the light hits it.

Calligraphers




Recommended for this title: Master Cao Bin (Beijing, China) — known for strong structure, balance, and an elegant traditional finish.

If you want the most impressive result (especially for gifts or centerpiece display), choose a Master Calligrapher. The difference is visible in balance, line quality, and overall presence.


Artwork Mounting Format


Scrolls

Recommended for most customers: Vertical Wall Scroll — traditional, ready to hang, and ideal for display.




I recommend that you choose a vertical wall scroll for most situations. Just one nail or hook in your wall, unroll it, and you are done.

Horizontal wall scrolls take special care to hang properly. The nails or hooks must be perfectly spaced on your wall (too close and the scroll droops, too far apart and you can't hang it or you tear it).

Hand scrolls are also known as "Table Scrolls" and are very unusual. These cannot be hung on a wall. They are for display laying on a table or inside a glass case only.

Portraits



If you choose a portrait format, you will need to frame this artwork after it arrives at your home. That can be expensive!



Artwork Size


Recommended sizes: Medium or Large for most walls. Smaller sizes suit offices and tight spaces; larger sizes create the strongest visual presence.

Measurements at wooden knobs shown above apply only to vertical wall scrolls.
Measurements are approximate, and be reduced by as much as 1.5cm (¾") when trimmed during the mounting process.

The size options above are based on width (not length). The length will follow a "natural flow" which is determined by the number of characters, number of columns, and in some cases the style of calligraphy.

Calligraphy Writing Style


Each style expresses a different personality: Regular is balanced and formal, Running is elegant and expressive (most popular), Cursive is bold and artistic, and Seal feels ancient and scholarly.

The images above are not the characters of your title, but rather, real samples of your chosen calligrapher's styles so that you can imagine what your project might look like.

Because this is a custom hand-made item, expect the character on your artwork to vary somewhat from what you see above what is shown in the mockup at the left.

More about Japanese / Chinese calligraphy styles

You have selected the economy calligrapher, so the calligraphy styles tab does not apply. This calligrapher only writes in one style (Running Regular Script / Xing-Kaishu).

Handmade Xuan Paper Color/Texture


Paper changes the feel of the brushwork. Premium handmade papers add texture, depth, and a richer ink tone. If you are unsure, choose a classic light tone for maximum readability.

Premium Paper w/ Gold Flecks

These xuan papers with golden flecks add a touch of class to calligraphy artwork.

Artisan Papers

These handmade xuan papers receive special treatments when they are laid and pressed.

Gold Etched / Stamped Patterns

Not available for large & jumbo sizes.

Plain Papers



More info about individual papers

溝畑 Scroll

A single color is simple, elegant, & economical.

Silk Brocade Color


The silk mounting frames the calligraphy like a gallery presentation. Choose a color that complements your décor, or one that carries personal meaning.




溝畑 Scroll

Turn your artwork into a visually-stunning two-toned masterpiece!

Choose a color that contrasts gently with your main brocade (or matches for a subtle, formal look).

Two-Tone / Inner-Silk Color +$7


Optional: add a contrasting inner silk to create a more dramatic, layered look. This is especially effective on larger scrolls.






More info about individual silks

Please note that all computer monitors display colors differently. In real life, the white is pure white, and the ivory has a warm yellow hue - some would call this "antique white". Please note that the medium green can vary widely in color!

The shade and pattern of these materials varies from time to time as we receive new batches from the loom/mill.


Accent Lines


Optional: accent lines add crisp definition between silk layers. Subtle choices look traditional; higher contrast choices look bold and modern.

Sample of accent lines

Top Lines:

Bottom Lines:


This is just a little accent of keylines that can be added to the top and bottom silk panels.
The charge of $1 for each is mostly to cover the extra labor of this option.


Gold Strips +$6

Sample of Fancy Gold Strips

This adds strips of fancy gold ribbon above and below the characters on the xuan paper.


Inscription +$9


Highly recommended for gifts: add names, dates, dedications, dojo names, or a short message. This is the easiest way to make the artwork uniquely personal.

Enter your inscription here:

Choose inscription option/location:



You can add an inscription such as your names (for couples or families) or a special salutation.
We'll transliterate your names or translate your phrase into Mandarin Chinese and have the calligrapher add it to your artwork.

Please try to make your inscription one clear and complete thought or sentence (with subject, verb, and object) or a couple of names arranged like: "Dick and Jane", or "Dick and Jane, married Oct 1st, 2002".
Inscriptions longer than 1 sentence may require an extra charge.

Because you have chosen a Chinese calligrapher, your inscription must be written in Chinese with few exceptions. Inscriptions cannot be hand-written in English. However, you can email me if you need a Giclée print created that contains some English.

Special Instructions


If you have a deadline, preferred overall length, or any mounting preferences, write them here. If something is unclear or not feasible, I will email you before production begins.

Enter your special notes/instructions here:

Common requests:
1. Please match the finished length with other scrolls in my order (if possible).
2. This is a gift — please include a short description of the title for the recipient.
3. Please keep the finished scroll no longer than ____ feet / ____ cm.

I do my best to accommodate special requests when they are practical for the chosen format and materials.
If anything is unclear or not feasible, I will email you before production begins.




Delivery Schedule

As of Feb 18th, 2026


These are realistic estimates based on current workshop workload and courier transit times. For gifts or events, choose Rush and tell me your deadline in Special Instructions.


Keep in mind that you've selected a Japanese master calligrapher. This takes a little longer because in most cases, the raw calligraphy must be shipped from Japan to our workshop in Beijing, and then to you. This is how we save you about $100 compared to typical Japanese calligraphy, but it does take longer.



Production & shipping note: your artwork is created to order and then professionally mounted before shipment.

The delivery dates shown above are our best estimates based on current production workload and courier transit times. If you have a firm deadline (gift date, ceremony, dojo event, etc.), please write it in the Special Instructions box and select Rush service. We will confirm by email if your requested deadline is not realistic.

If Rush Service is late, get up to 3 times your rush fee back:
If I deliver late, just let me know and you'll get triple your rush fees back ($30) in a gift certificate (or double if you want a direct refund instead).

When you're done, click this button.

Due to politics, no airmail is flowing from China to the U.S. Postal Service. We are using alternate means to get custom artwork out of China.
We're building and shipping all orders as quickly as possible, but please allow for a delay of about three weeks past the normal timeframe.