Wancetang Chinese Calligraphy Round Ink Stone for Beginners Calligraphy Paintings/Writings Practice Natural Inkstone Wavy with Cover 4"

I wanted to get an extra ink stone because I thought I may have damaged my original ink stone too many times. What drew me to this one was that it had a lid and it was shaped like a tree stump. It also looked like it could carry a lot of ink. So I ordered it and received it in the mail a few days later. I tried my ink stick with the new ink stone and I found that it worked well.The stone feels heavy - it weighs about two pounds. The ink stick grinds easily in it, it takes a few minutes to get it totally black though. Which is fine by me because with my projects I need varying shades of gray. The stone cleans easily with soap and water. (I left some ink in the stone overnight once, and it dried. But I got it out using dish soap.)I also appreciate the fact that there are basic care tips on the item’s page.If you need an ink stone for your studio, this may do the trick for you. It may not be well suited for travel due to its size and weight. (The lid also does not have a lock mechanism.)

Disclaimer: I haven't used this yet, but I'm so impressed that I needed to write a review right away. This stone is gorgeous. As soon as I opened the delivery box, I could tell that this wasn't just a trinket; it's a valued part of the 4 treasures. After opening its decorative package, the first thing you see is an illusion - the ripples seen at first glance in the stone are completely within the stone itself, and the surface of the lid is perfectly smooth. It fits completely flush with the base. Upon inspecting the sides, there are tiny tool marks in all of the grooves, telltale messages left by the craftsperson. There are even little knots carved into the sides. I'm honestly rather blown away by the beauty of it.

Bad design

If you browsing on the web for ink stone you will be puzzled how a piece of stone having such a different price range. The fact is until physically checking and using it no one can tell its quality. This is not a high grade one, but well worth its price. And, no it is not too small. Maybe a little bit heavy for carrying it to class. I love it!

I was afraid it was going to be really small but it’s perfect size. I like overall feel of it, and it’s heavy so you know it aint going anywhere. Because it’s circular, it’s so inviting, and it makes me wanna just draw things for the sake of using this inkstone.