Ink is a very important part of seal art. Without fine, thick and smooth ink, a beautiful seal can't fully show its charm and its effect will be greatly reduced. Generally speaking, most Chinese characters are printed in crimson ink. Most of the fine print is inked with cinnabar. Especially the black background of the copybook, be sure to use vermilion ink.
Composition of inkpad
The ink is made of cinnabar, grease and moxa. Cinnabar is heavy, but oil is light. If they are not reconciled for a long time, they will separate, cinnabar will sink, oil will float to the surface, and even stick and deteriorate, making it difficult to use. Therefore, every once in a while, the inkpad should be stirred with a paddle made of bones (not metal products) to make the three mix evenly. Stir in the same direction, don't go back and forth.
Matters needing attention in using inkpad
Ink should always be kept clean. You should clean the calligraphy seal before dipping it in mud. Especially for newly made lithographs, attention should be paid to removing the stone chips in the pen diameter to avoid polluting the inkpad.
When dipping in the mud, do not use too much force, and do not press the center of the inkpad violently. You can dip it several times along the inkpad line by pushing and pulling, so that the inkpad can be evenly stained on the printing surface. Cover hot stamping, to press straight, evenly, do not shake, do not concentrate on one side or a corner. This bronzing effect will be ideal.