Pricing

This is the primary criteria. Since each artwork is uniquely created, there are times I cannot duplicate and surpass myself. When a unique piece is marked with a higher price, it means the artistic level of that piece surpasses my other works - the number of characters, time spent, complexities, sizes, etc. will not be as relevant as the artistic level achieved. 

The calligraphy of Clerical Style is benevolence ( 仁 ), which took me one minute to write. It is a culmination of my artistic efforts, personal cultivation, and recognition of the character's symbolization of compassion, humanity, and love. It has only four strokes, but it has embraced an artistic journey since 1977. 

氣 (Qi, energy) in Cursive Style (Grass Style) was conducted in one stroke with a spontaneous Flying-White effect. The spontaneous effect can be achieved later, but cannot be demanded whenever I want it.

Number of hours, cost of materials, etc. A landscape painting like this did take me nearly 50 hours before counting the time of cultivating a colophon and mounting into a hanging scroll. 

Most of the CalligraPainting artworks sold from art-virtue.ai are either smoothed, mounted (backed) with or without silk/paper borders (i.e. margins), or mounted to be hanging scrolls. Please refer to Types of paper & Mounting.

Prices (from low to high):

• Raw, unprocessed, "as is" after writing/painting - with some wrinkles and unevenness - Winkles reduced by steamers - no additional charge
• Smoothed with water/steam without backing

• {Smoothing is a prerequisite of backing}
• Backed without margin
• Backed with paper margins
• Backed with paper & silk margins
• Backed with silk margins

• {Smoothing and backing are the prerequisites of making a scroll}
• Hanging scroll - one-colored margin
• Hanging scroll - two-colored margins
• Hanging scroll - three-colored margins

Some Chinese painting and calligraphy styles or subjects demand more mental and physical energy. Figure painting, especially human faces, will need more concentration and coordination. 

Seal carving will require the artist to have and maintain stable vision.

For various reasons, I won't have time to recreate an artwork with the same content for a certain period of time. 

Since I am also working as an accountant and insurance agent, I use weekend to create certain artworks that demand continuity. I am also building an online and remote consulting firm focusing on international taxation, and working with other art auction companies in New York and China.

Prices are compared with Etsy listings, especially those related to personalized handwritten Chinese calligraphy, traditional handmade, wall scrolls, Zen calligraphy, Shikishi board, etc.

Certain Chinese calligraphy styles and sizes have different levels of easier controls or challenges. For me,  I charge less for easier Standard or Clerical Styles, and more for the Seal and Cursive Styles. 

However, everyone is different. Virtually no one in Chinese history can mimic other masters' calligraphic styles to be perfectly the same, just like there are no pianists who can play all of the others' music at first sight without missing a single note. So if you ask for a calligraphy style not in my repertoire, say Huai Su's Grass Style or some others, most likely I would decline.

If you see a calligraphy piece from Etsy or elsewhere and really like that style, you are certainly welcome to request a similar duplicate, if I am capable of doing it.