The artistic image of Yu County paper-cutting

In the wide variety of folk paper-cutting art circles, Yuxian paper-cutting is unique in its artistic style of full composition, vivid shapes, brilliant colors and unique craftsmanship. It mainly uses intaglio carving, supplemented by yang engraving, combines yin and yang, and uses multi-color point dyeing and painting to achieve an effect that is exquisite and expressive, and can be appreciated by both refined and popular people. (For details, see: Paper-cut flowers bloom in Yu County, Hebei Province)

1. The uniqueness of Yuxian paper-cut art form Yuxian paper-cut is a folk handicraft created through the painstaking exploration of many folk artists based on Yangliuqing paintings and Wuqiang woodblock New Year paintings. It has a wide range of themes and styles, including opera characters, opera masks, myths and legends, flowers, birds, fish and insects, poultry and livestock, auspicious birds and auspicious animals, etc. The craftsmanship of Yuxian paper-cutting has both the rough and rustic characteristics of northern folk paper-cutting and the delicate and beautiful style of southern paper-cutting. It has rich colors, strong contrast, strong sense of decoration, strong folk flavor, and rich rhythm, showing a charming, simple and gorgeous artistic charm. Its beautiful composition and fine workmanship are amazed by the world. Its style is rigorous, both physical and spiritual, and has unique artistic charm. These characteristics not only constitute the style and characteristics of Yuxian paper-cutting art, but also show the special and infinitely powerful artistic vitality of Yuxian paper-cutting in the national paper-cutting art world.

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Wang Laoshang’s paper-cut work "Changban Slope" - Zhao Yun

2. The uniqueness of Yuxian paper-cutting craftsmanship. Although Yuxian paper-cutting is called paper-cutting, it is actually not cut with scissors, but carved with a knife. (For modern carvings, please refer to the tutorial: Paper-cut Couple Squirrels) No matter how detailed and complex the shapes and patterns are, they are all carved with a knife. The evolution from "cutting" to "carving" is a revolution in Yuxian paper-cutting art. Knife carving is an advanced form of paper-cutting technique, because using scissors and reaming is finer than hand tearing, and knife carving is finer and more difficult than scissors and reaming. In terms of engraving techniques, Yuxian paper-cutting is the only pointillist paper-cutting in the country that "mainly inscribes, supplements with yang, and combines yin and yang". It is famous for its "fine knife work and rich colors".

Author: Jiao Yongjun, School of Fine Arts, Xuchang University