The production technology and paper-cutting process of Yuxian paper-cutting
Yuxian paper-cutting has a rigorous process, and each artist has precise methods and steps based on their own experience. To sum up, there are the following steps:
1. Painting sample
The drawing is also called the draft. The artworks designed by Yuxian paper-cutting artists mainly come from three aspects: first, using old patterns; second, borrowing from other patterns; third, creating their own. Folk paper-cutting artists have a low cultural level and no foundation in painting. They design artworks through experience and understanding accumulated in practice.
2. Smoked samples
Paste the designed artwork on a piece of white paper, wet it with water, and then smoke it with a lit candle or white paper, leaving a "black sample" on the white paper to become the sample when carving mold.
3. Engraving
When artists carve paper-cuts, they have strict requirements for sitting posture and holding the knife: the body must remain upright. When holding the knife, it should be perpendicular to the paper. When cutting the knife, it is strong and powerful. When the knife is moving, it is smooth and flexible. There should be no rough edges left on the carved pattern, nor a single line cut off. When engraving, carve the fine parts first and then the rough parts, carve the middle first and then the four sides. Yuxian paper-cutting is mainly based on intaglio carving (a method of removing lines and leaving surfaces), supplemented by positive carvings (a method of leaving lines and removing surfaces). The ingenious combination of intaglio and yang carving makes the works exquisite and clear, with distinct layers.
4. Coloring
Artists’ jargon is called point dyeing, and some call it point painting. Artists also have strict procedures and requirements when dyeing: first, they sit at the table and separate the carved works. They usually dye four pieces at a time (one pass), but sometimes they can dye eight pieces and place them on clean newspapers. Put the required colors in different wine cups, and adjust the colors according to the ratio of water:wine=3:7. The colors are divided into five primary colors: yellow, pink, green, smoky purple, and even green. The primary colors can be adjusted again. More than thirty colors. Before dyeing, test the color on the edge of the cut waste paper. The tools used for spot dyeing are brushes divided into three sizes: large, medium and small. Each brush has one color and the brushes cannot be used interchangeably. The posture of holding the pen is the same as holding the knife. The pen should be straight and the area should be dyed according to the work.The size determines how much color is stained from the color cup and the speed of the pen when dyeing, ensuring that there is no color collision or color bleeding. The order of coloring is generally from light to dark, warm first and then cold (some artists call it yang color first and then yin color), with larger areas first, and then other colors. At the same time, use a piece of waste paper to absorb and wipe oversaturated paint at any time to prevent excessive penetration. It can be seen that the process and method of pointillism are very particular, requiring the color workers to be careful, steady and agile, and have high sensitivity to color.
5. Sorting and framing
Inspection involves gently rubbing the carved and dyed works to separate them from each other, and then uncovering them one by one. Clamp the uncovered paper-cut work into a slightly larger piece of transparent rice paper, and then put it into the prepared cover. After sorting is completed, the final process of mounting is entered. Artists often use frames, paper plates, scrolls and other materials for mounting. This makes the paper-cut works easy to preserve and carry, and becomes exquisite handicrafts and tourist souvenirs with art collection value.
