Guangdong Foshan Paper-cutting
Folk paper-cutting in Foshan, Guangdong has been spread in the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its style not only has the vigorous and vigorous characteristics of northern paper-cutting, but also has the advantages of southern paper-cutting, which is transparent, beautiful, quiet, elegant, rigorous and neat. There are four main categories, namely solid color paper-cutting, lining paper-cutting, writing paper-cutting, and copper chisel paper-cutting. The "copper lining" paper-cutting developed in recent years has become the main category of paper-cutting in Foshan. This type of paper-cutting has a special artistic effect of splendor and is very popular with modern people. Moreover, its products can be sold at home and abroad. There are many forms of art similar to paper-cutting. The works have been incorporated into modern hall decorations.
Types of Foshan paper-cuts
Solid color paper-cutting: The cutting and engraving of this kind of paper-cutting is relatively simple and is usually completed in two steps. The first step is to make a draft, and the second step is to cut and engrave. This kind of paper-cutting is the commonly seen single-color paper-cutting. Lining paper-cutting: Lining paper-cutting evolved from the decorative painting of "spending money" (commonly known as Spring Festival paper-cutting). It uses pure color paper, such as dyed paper, wax paper, copper foil, etc. as raw materials, to cut and carve out the lines of objects. The skeleton is then lined with colored paper on the back (it belongs to lining color paper-cutting). (As shown in Figure 3-14) "Zhu Xiaoqi" is a kind of door paper-cut used during the Spring Festival. It is cut with copper foil (velvet sheet) and lined with colored paper flowers and thin glass sheets. In addition to paper engraving and color lining techniques, the paper-cutting also uses black velvet to engrave the word "Shou", and the copper foil hollow pattern (and the black velvet word "Shou" pattern in the middle) is lined with extremely thin small glass pieces. The door letter has a golden shimmering effect, and because it is lined with thin glass sheets, it can also be reflective. This type of door note is specially made and is rare among domestic folk paper-cuts. It is quite expensive and is mostly used by wealthy families. Using copper foil to engrave lines and lining them with colored paper is called "copper lining", and using solid color paper to engrave lines and lining them is called "paper lining". "Paper lining" is a development of "copper lining". With the continuous development of Foshans handicraft industry, copper lining paper-cutting has gradually matured in the Ming Dynasty. It has various forms, vivid shapes, bright and golden colors, and is rich in decoration, showing the rich local characteristics of Foshan folk paper-cutting.
Written paper-cutting: It is an art form that combines painting and paper-cutting (belonging to "hook color paper-cutting"). Writing color on paper-cutting is called "paper writing material"; writing color on copper foil paper-cutting is called "copper writing material"; writing color on silver foil paper-cutting is called "copper writing material". The writing color is called "silver writing material". Whether it is "paper writing material", "copper writing material" or "silver writing material", you should first cut and carve out the object lines and outlines, and then apply color. It is commonly known as "writing color" in Foshan. Writing material is another colorful variety of Foshan paper-cutting. It is different from point-color paper-cutting. It does not soak the paper with dye. Instead, it cuts out the outline of the pattern first, and then uses opaque pigments (stone) one by one according to the needs of the picture. Green, Buddha green, ink, lead powder) and transparent pigments (flower red, rose red, goldfish yellow, mustard yellow, film green) and other color materials. "Flower Picking Girl" is a traditional paper-cutting material in Foshan during the Qing Dynasty. It is mainly used for decoration on tie-up works, such as the decoration of doors and windows of screens, houses, pavilions, pavilions and other architectural tie-up products, instead of specific tie-ups or paintings.
Copper chisel paper-cutting: "Copper chisel" paper-cutting is unique to Foshan. It is to carve a small part of the outline of the pattern first and then use a special small ball to chisel it on the "copper foil" bit by bit according to the pattern. Dots and lines are used to form various patterns or character shapes, and then various desired contrasting colors are written on them to form paper-cuts). This kind of paper-cutting has sparkling pearls and warm atmosphere. Southerners like to use this form of paper-cutting to decorate rooms and utensils. There are also a large number of copper chiseled paper cuts used for the cover decoration of firecrackers. This kind of paper-cutting is produced with Foshans specialty "copper foil", which makes the traditional product bright red and green, and has a folk color. It is about playing and having fun, the picture is oval in shape, the ring is decorated with lace, the colors are bright and harmonious, and it is highly decorative. This is a color-lined poster of the precious color box of Foshan firecrackers in the late Qing Dynasty, which is very local.
Foshan paper-cut materials
Paper: In Foshan paper-cutting, the common wax paper has been eliminated and replaced by locally produced native paper. Because the wax paper is too thick, it can only cut a few pieces at a time and is not suitable for mass production. After switching to locally produced thin paper, 25 to 30 paper-cuts can be made at a time, and the efficiency can be greatly improved. In addition to earthen raw edge paper, Foshan paper-cutting also uses a large amount of copper foil (commonly known as gold paper) as a material. Copper-lined paper-cutting and copper-chiseled paper-cutting are both made of copper foil. Copper foil is forged from bronze into copper sheets that are thinner than paper. This craft is also one of the famous products in Foshans ancient handicraft industry. The copper foil used to make paper-cuts must be mounted with raw paper at the bottom before it can be carved, so that it can be easily lined after being carved.Attach various colored paper pieces as needed. The copper foil used for copper chisels does not need to be mounted. Instead, choose thicker copper foil (commonly known as green foil). This kind of copper foil is stiffer and has better chisel beading effect than thin copper foil.
Knife: Foshan paper-cutting and carving knives are made of spring steel. After being flattened, they are first roughly ground with a grinding wheel, and then ground with talc. It is best to use machine oil as an emulsion to sharpen a knife. Using water to sharpen a carving knife can easily cause rust. After the knife is sharpened, take two sliced ??bamboo or wood chips and tie them with a small rope before use.
Copper chisel paper-cutting is unique to Foshan. The necessary tool for making copper chisel paper-cutting is a "bead knife" (i.e. chisel), which is unique in the paper-cutting world. Bead knives include thin ones with one bead per stick, and large ones with 12 to 15 beads per stick. There are straight rows of beads, various arc-shaped beads, and round beads. They are also divided into large beads, medium beads and fine beads.
Backing board: The backing board used with the bead chisel is a harder Xianmu drill board. The operation is to place the copper foil on the hardwood drill board and use the bead chisel to carefully tap it into various required patterns.
