Ordering a Custom Ketubah
Each custom ketubah is designed in close consultation with the wedding couple. I use only archival materials–the finest watercolors, gouaches, oil pastels and acrylics on 100% cotton rag watercolor paper. The examples of Jewish marriage contracts in the gallery are guides which can be modified to reflect your personal taste. Here are some things to think about to get you started on a wedding vow design that will be meaningful and unique to you. Give me a call and let’s talk about the perfect art katubah for you!
Motif
You can begin by thinking of symbols you might want in your ketubah. Some commonly used symbols are: Jewish ceremonial objects, the couple under the chuppah, clasped hands, Jerusalem, etc. Many couples include symbols of cities important in their lives, or places they have traveled. Don’t feel limited to what you see in the kettubah examples. Ketubah designs can be based on anything: historical examples, other Judaic art, patterns from china, rugs, lace, etc. Anything (within reason) can be a motif for a ketuba.
Style
In the Ketubah Gallery, I’ve divided the ketubbot into categories: trees and landscapes, modern, traditional, Judaica, gay and lesbian, personal landscapes, and our pets. Within those categories there are many styles: realistic, stylized, folk art etc. Think about what kind of art you are drawn to. It might not be represented in these examples, but don’t rule it out– I love designing a katuba that goes in a new direction.
Color
What are your favorite colors? Least favorite? You might think in terms of temperature: cool colors (purples, blues, greens) or warm colors, (oranges, yellows, reds). Consider value–a light, pastel ketubah, or a darker, shaded kattubah. Do you like bright colors or do you want a more subtle effect in your marriage contract? You might start by picking out paint chips of colors you like.
Calligraphy
There are several fonts available to you for your ketubah text. Here are examples in Hebrew and English. If you have another style of calligraphy you would like me to use for your katubah, please ask.
Hebrew 1
Hebrew 2
Stam
Italics
Uncial
Orientation and Size
Do you want a horizontal, vertical, or circular ketubah? Or an irregular shape?
A standard piece of watercolor paper is 30″ x 22″. Unless you specifically request otherwise, I always leave a border around the design for framing so that a typical image size is 18″ x 24″. Depending on text length and complexity of the design, I can work down to about 1/2 the size of the paper.
Price
Because each custom designed ketubah is a unique work of art there is a wide range of prices from $1000-$3000. Please ask me for the current price range on specific ketubah designs. Factors in pricing include:
- Complexity of the ketubah design.
- Degree of realism in the ketubah design.
- Affinity to existing ketubah designs.
- Ketubah text length and whether the text is both Hebrew and English.
- Calligraphy font used for the kettubah text.
- Complexity of the ketuba text layout.
- Timeliness: I do rush orders at a 20% surcharge if all the necessary information is given to me less than 30 days before the wedding.
