When a Chinese seal appears on a painting, a book, or a personal object, the inscription can tell you more than a name alone. Chinese art institutions describe seal inscriptions in several categories, including name, studio, motto, and diagram seals. These labels help you ask what a mark is meant to express; they do not identify a single fixed design for every seal.
Name seals identify a person
A name seal carries a person's name or chosen name. On a work of art, it can function as an artist's mark. If you are planning a personal seal, first write down the exact name or wording you want represented, including the language or characters you prefer. The studio's Design Your Seal page describes its available inscription choices and digital-proof review before carving.
Studio seals point to a place or practice
A studio seal refers to an artist's studio, library, or chosen artistic identity. It can add context to a work alongside a personal name. If you are considering one, decide whether the studio name is recognizable to the people who will see your work and whether it fits the space available in your composition. For placement ideas, see our guide to placing an artist seal on a Chinese painting.
Motto seals express a phrase
A motto seal carries a short phrase, sentiment, or principle chosen by its owner. The Hong Kong Museum of Art's overview notes that motto seals are one of several inscription categories used on Chinese painting and calligraphy. A useful first step is to write the phrase in full, confirm its meaning and preferred wording, and then ask how it can be composed legibly at the intended size.
Use the category as a starting point
Inscriptions can overlap in purpose: a seal can identify its owner and also carry a personal idea. Before choosing a ready-made piece, compare the visible form and product details in the Sealofeast collection. For example, the Golden Cap Seal has a compact form with a golden-yellow sculpted top, while the Warm Cream Seal is described with rounded curves above a square base. These pages describe current pieces; they do not establish what inscription a particular seal carries.
For a personalized design, prepare the wording you want to discuss and review the proof before approving the carving. Read the museum's overview of seals in Chinese painting and calligraphy for examples of inscription categories.