Discuss in detail one type of paper-cutting, paper-cutting

- Common knowledge of folk art (3)

Paper-cutting

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Paper-cutting is also called paper-cutting, window decoration or painting. The difference lies in the fact that some use scissors, some use engraving knives, and some use micro-engraving laser cutting machines. Although the tools are different, the artistic works created are basically the same, and they are collectively called paper-cutting. Paper-cutting is a kind of hollow art, which visually gives people a sense of transparency and artistic enjoyment. The carrier can be paper, gold and silver foil, bark, leaves, cloth, leather, leather and other sheet materials.

Introduction

On May 20, 2006, the art heritage of paper-cutting was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. On June 5, 2007, the Ministry of Culture determined that Zhou Zhaoming, a disciple of Wang Laoshang in Yu County, Hebei Province, was the representative inheritor of the cultural heritage project and was included in the first batch of 226 national intangible cultural heritage projects. List of representative inheritors. On June 8, 2007, Shanghai Li Shoubai's

The world's largest paper-cutting tiger

Paper-cutting Master Studio won the first Cultural Heritage Day Award issued by the Ministry of Culture.

On September 1, 2008, Lixiang Style Paper-cutting Workshop was officially established. On the basis of inheriting traditional Shandong folk paper-cutting, the works incorporate the elegance and elegance of southern paper-cutting, and innovatively practice portrait paper-cutting.

On September 30, 2009, Chinese paper-cutting was approved by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage and was included in the fourth batch of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

2010 is the Year of the Tiger in the lunar calendar. Mr. Zhu Weizhen, the president of Zhejiang Tonglu Paper-cutting Association, created a single tiger paper-cut 10 meters wide and 7 meters high. This work was certified on-site and selected as the world's largest single tiger paper-cut by the China World Records Association, creating another world record in the art of paper-cutting. It adds peace and joy to the coming of the Year of the Tiger.

History

my country's folk paper-cut handicraft art has its own formation and development process. The invention of paper in my country was in the Western Han Dynasty BC (6th century BC). It was impossible for the art of paper-cutting to appear before, but at that time, people used thin sheets of material to make handicrafts through hollow carving techniques. However, it was already popular before the advent of paper, that is, using carving, engraving, ticking, engraving, and cutting. Techniques include cutting and carving patterns on gold foil, leather, silk, and even leaves. "Historical Records" records that in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, King Cheng cut sycamore leaves into "Gui" as a gift to his younger brother, and granted Ji Yu the title of Marquis in the Tang Dynasty. During the Warring States Period, leather carvings were used (one of the cultural relics unearthed from Chu Tomb No. 1 in Jianglingwangshan, Hubei), and silver foil hollow carvings (one of the cultural relics unearthed from the Warring States site in Guwei Village, Huixian County, Henan) were both produced together with paper-cutting. Their appearance laid a certain foundation for the formation of folk paper-cutting. The earliest paper-cut works discovered in my country were found in 1967 by Chinese archaeologists in the Astana Ancient Northern Dynasty Curtain Group near the Gaochang site in Turpan Basin, Xinjiang. They used linen paper, both of which were folded. Their discovery provides physical evidence for the formation of paper-cutting in my country.

The history of the handicraft art of paper-cutting, that is, paper-cutting in the true sense, should start with the emergence of paper. The invention of paper in the Han Dynasty promoted the emergence, development and popularization of paper-cutting. Paper is a material that is easy to get moldy. The climate in southeastern my country is humid, and the local rainy days in May and June every year make paper products moldy over time. And folk paper-cutting is a popular thing. People don't keep them like treasures, and if they break them, they can cut them again. In the northwestern region of my country, there is little rain and a dry climate, so paper is not prone to mildew. This may also be one of the important reasons why Northern Dynasties paper-cutting was discovered in Turpan, Xinjiang.

Paper-cutting in the Tang Dynasty - Paper Flowers

Paper-cutting in the Tang Dynasty was in a period of great development. There is a sentence in Du Fu's poem "Warm water washes my feet, paper-cutting attracts my soul". The custom of paper-cutting to summon spirits had already been spread among the people at that time. From the Tang Dynasty paper-cuttings now in the British Museum, it can be seen that the level of paper-cutting craftsmanship at that time was extremely high, and the composition of the picture was complete, expressing an ideal state of heaven and earth. Jie was popular in the Tang Dynasty, and its carved woodblock patterns had the characteristics of paper-cutting. For example, the "Duoyang" in Shosoin, Japan, whose sheep pattern is a typical expression technique of paper-cutting handmade art. In the Tang Dynasty, people also used stencil printing plates made in the form of paper-cutting. People carved patterns from thick paper and printed dye onto cloth to form beautiful patterns.

The papermaking industry in the Song Dynasty was mature and there were many types of paper products, which provided conditions for the popularization of paper-cutting. Such as "fireworks" as folk gifts, "window flowers" affixed to windows, or used for decoration of lanterns and tea cups. The application scope of folk paper-cutting gradually expanded in the Song Dynasty. Jiangxi Jizhou Kiln used paper-cutting as a pattern for ceramics, and made the ceramics more exquisite through glazing and firing. Folks also used paper-cutting in the form of using the skins, skins, and other materials of animals such as donkeys, cows, horses, and sheep. The figures are carved into the figures of the shadow puppet show; the engraving plate made by the blue calico technique is carved with oil cardboard to form patterns, and the pattern pattern of the squeegee printing is based on the paper-cutting technique, which can be divided into Yin and Yang carvings, and long lines must be cut. Distinguish reality from reality.

In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the handicraft art of paper-cutting matured and reached its heyday. The application scope of folk paper-cut handicrafts is even wider. The floral decorations on folk lanterns, the patterns on fans, and embroidery patterns, etc., are all made of paper-cut as decoration and then processed. What's more, Chinese people often use paper-cutting as home decorations to beautify the home environment, such as door stacks, window flowers, cabinet flowers, wedding flowers, ceiling flowers, etc. are all paper-cutting used to decorate doors, windows, and rooms. In addition to the paper-tying craftsmen who appeared after the Southern Song Dynasty, the most basic team of Chinese folk paper-cut craftsmen are still rural women. Nvhong is an important symbol of traditional female perfection in our country. As the compulsory skill of nvhong, paper-cutting has become a handicraft that girls must learn from an early age. They learn paper-cutting techniques from their elders or sisters, and through pre-cutting, re-cutting, and drawing-cutting, they depict the natural scenes they are familiar with and love, such as fish, insects, birds, beasts, flowers, plants, trees, pavilions, bridges, and scenery, and finally reach the state of whatever they want. , cut out new patterns at will.

The Chinese folk paper-cut handicraft art is like an ivy, ancient and evergreen. Its unique popularity, practicality and aesthetics have become a symbolic meaning that meets the psychological needs of the people.

Historical records

The art of paper-cutting has a long history and is also widely recorded in ancient poetry dictionaries:

1. Among the poems passed down by Cui Daorong of the Tang Dynasty, There is such a saying: "If you want to cut Yichun characters, you will use scissors in the cold spring." The "Yichun Tie

Paper-cut

zi" mentioned here is the paper-cutting that people are familiar with now.

2. Li Shangyin's poem "People Say" of the Tang Dynasty: "The gold-engraved work spreads the Jing customs, and the ribbon-cutting inspires the Jin style." Ribbon cutting is also paper cutting.

3. "Youyang Zazu" written by Duan Chengshi of the Tang Dynasty said: "On the first day of spring, in the homes of scholar-bureaucrats, paper cuttings are made into small pans, which are either hung on the heads of beauties, or decorated under flowers, or cut It is a spring butterfly, and the spring is won by playing with it.

4. "Zhiyatang Poetry Miscellaneous Notes" written by Zhou Mi in the Southern Song Dynasty wrote: "In the old capital, there are people who cut various patterns. Subtle. In addition, there are those who have Yu Chengzhi in the Central Plains. Every time they cut the calligraphy of various families, they will be specialized. Later, there was a young man who could cut words and flowers on the sleeves of his clothes with great precision. "It is the "Kaifeng" mansion, and "cutting patterns" naturally refers to "paper cutting."

5. Guangzhou Jiande County Chronicle: "Lin Wenhui, with a neat outline of characters, uses paper cutting as characters, and flies like a dragon. Snakes are exactly the same as a hair. The people in the house are decorated like a shaft, and they can easily earn rice to support themselves. They are called "scissors".

6. In the collection of Yang Wanli of the Song Dynasty, a "scissor" was also mentioned. It is said that he "takes the poem of Farewell to Yuan Gong from Yishan Jing Nian and cuts the characters with green paper, which makes the Shimi Yuanzhang style realistic".

2. Styling methods

Folk paper-cutting comes from life. The creators of paper-cutting express their understanding and perception of life and nature in the special art form of paper-cutting. It is an expression of their inner emotions. Therefore, this kind of artistic expression focuses on showing spiritual resemblance rather than physical resemblance. At the same time, due to the limitations of paper-cutting technology, it is not suitable to adopt completely realistic techniques. Only techniques that highlight the outline characteristics of the object can be used, and deformation and exaggeration can be used to highlight the characteristics of the object. Therefore, exaggeration and deformation have become one of the most commonly used expression languages ??in paper-cutting. Exaggerated deformation is the fruit of human creative labor and the crystallization of wisdom. Whether it is the painted pottery decoration of the Yangshao culture, the graphic patterns of the bronzes of the Yin and Shang Dynasties, or the stone carving art of the Qin and Han Dynasties, the beauty of artistic exaggeration shows its eternal artistic charm. As a direct carrier of primitive art, paper-cutting has outstanding performance in exaggerated deformation. The content of folk paper-cutting mostly comes from real life, and most of it reflects the life and things around working people, but it is not just

There are fish every year paper-cutting

the expression of its works It is a simple and intuitive simulation of objects, but a conventional standard that transcends the objective expression of reality and changes the nature and form of objects through exaggeration and deformation to change the original shape of nature.

The creators of folk paper-cutting regard paper-cutting as a part of life. The yearning for a better life and the worship of ancient totems are the main contents expressed by folk paper-cutting. To express these themes full of folk customs, beliefs, and philosophy, we can only imagine them subjectively, which makes the image of paper-cutting arbitrary, while depicting inner objects is inseparable from exaggerated artistic language.

The exaggeration of folk paper-cut shapes is a process of organizing and standardizing complex content, rather than an objective description of nature. Therefore, the image in the cutout is more prominent and eye-catching than the prototype. This is determined by the larger historical and cultural background and living environment, and comes from a fulfilling and rich life. At the same time, the process of removing the rough and selecting the essentials from daily life materials, and cutting out the complex and simplifying it, is also the basis of folk paper-cut modeling. Eliminating non-essential things, highlighting the characteristic and characterful parts, and reducing complexity to simple artistic re-creation is an exaggeration of folk paper-cutting. Exaggeration emphasizes the characteristics of an object on the basis of omission, and enlarges, shrinks, elongates, thickens, deforms, etc. the most special parts of the object to make the image more characteristic and artistically charming. In many folk paper-cut works, almost only the eyes can be seen on the characters' faces. In people's minds, eyes are the most expressive, so the creators exaggerate the eyes.

Zigzag paper-cutting

The exaggeration of folk paper-cutting not only reflects the characteristics of the object, but also requires the purpose of decorative beauty, and shows the creator's view of life in the decorative beauty effect. Ideals, wishes and other spiritual pursuits. In order to make the highlighted parts clearer, more concentrated and more eye-catching, some patterns are often added to the objects to achieve the perfect decorative purpose. The desire for beauty has also become one of the exaggerated contents. When representing characters, the clothes of the characters are covered with flowers; when depicting animals, the fur on the animals is exaggerated into a swirl shape, or patterns are directly added to their bodies, which makes the original ordinary image transparent and reflects a strong decorative. Zigzag and crescent shapes are commonly used decorative patterns in folk paper-cutting.

The creative process of folk paper-cutting is a process of evolution and deepening from the "truth" of real life to the "beauty" of art through exaggerated techniques. It is a reflection of the creator's thoughts and feelings, aesthetic psychology and understanding of beauty. The process of pursuit and manifestation. Through long-term observation and understanding of life, and after long-term practice, the creator is well versed in the rules of paper-cutting, and can freely combine balanced, uneven, dense and irregular lines to form beautiful movements and rhythms, adding interest. It enriches the appeal of the image.

3. Paper-cutting tools and instructions:

Paper-cutting is not made by machine but by hand. There are two commonly used methods: scissors and knife. As the name suggests, scissor cutting uses scissors. After cutting, several (usually no more than 8) paper cuts are pasted together, and finally sharp scissors are used to process the pattern.

For knife and scissors, the paper is first folded into several folds, placed on a soft mixture of ash and animal fat, and then slowly carved with a knife. Paper-cutting artists usually hold the knife vertically and process the paper into the desired pattern according to a certain model. Compared with scissors, one advantage of knife scissors is that they can be processed into multiple paper-cut patterns at one time.

4. Paper-cut engraving method:

1. Yang carving

Focus on line, keep the line of the shape, cut off other parts, and make the line When the lines are connected, the shape must be retained, and the rest outside the opening is cut off, which is called the correct shape.

2. Intaglio engraving

Mainly done with blocks, the lines of the figure are cut off, the lines are interrupted, and the shapes are cut out, which is called negative shapes.

3. Yin and Yang carving

The combination of yang and yin carving.

Traditional tools and processes

Tools required for traditional paper-cutting:

1? Scissors

2? Pencil

3? Rice paper

4? Wax plate

5? Carving knife

6? Needle and thread

7? Dye or Ink and brush

8. Kerosene lamp

9. Iron

10. Micro-engraving laser cutting machine

Traditional operation process

1. Printed and dyed paper - Traditional Chinese paper-cutting artists will use brushes to dye the paper into traditional Chinese red.

2. Hot stamping - wrinkles usually appear after the dyed rice paper dries. Use a warm iron to smooth out the wrinkled paper.

3. Make a template - The image of the butterfly below is very simple. Use a pencil to outline the outline of the butterfly.

Butterfly paper cutting

4. Smoked template - Take a piece of paper that you just prepared for dyeing, wet it, and then press the template underneath. Keep the template side facing the kerosene lamp. Both the formwork and the areas not covered with formwork will be blackened by the smoke of kerosene lamps. When the paper is completely dry, the template is removed, leaving behind the smoke from the kerosene lamp and the undiscovered blank space covered by the template. This is a sample of paper cutting.

5. Stacking - Place the paper-cut template on a small pile of dyed paper, there can be about 20 pieces, and then seal them together.

6. Paper-cutting - Chinese paper-cutting artists usually choose sharp scissors with long and tough handles. Use it to cut the sheet with the visible pattern so that the other sheets can all be cut at the same time. First, cut the inner pattern, and secondly, cut the outer edges.

Among the various types of paper-cutting in China, Yuxian paper-cutting is unique. It is dot-colored paper-cutting that mainly uses intaglio engraving, supplemented by positive engraving. Its process can be divided into the following six processes.

1. Drawing: Designers draw patterns according to their own ideas or customer requirements, which is commonly called drawing appearance.

2. Stapling: Staple the painted pattern on rice paper (usually fifty sheets of rice paper at a time) and use scissors to divide it into small pieces according to the size of the pattern.

3. Soaking: Put the ordered goods into water and wait for them to soak before taking them out, then squeeze out the water contained in them and put them in the sun to dry.

4. Carving: Place the soaked goods on the wax plate and carve them according to the requirements of the pattern.

5. Dyeing: coloring the engraved products. The raw materials are color and powder; the tools are brushes and newspapers.

Six: Packaging: The products produced through the above five processes are packaged in paper-type plastic packaging or in the form of books, mirror frames, gold and platinum, etc.

Modern paper-cutting

[1] Laser paper-cutting is to use [2] micro-engraving laser cutting machine to cut and hollow out paper to form exquisite works of art. Laser paper-cutting is a new product of modern technology, but its finished product is not inferior to the skills of traditional artists for decades. At the same time, using laser paper cutting has more advantages in time.

Framing

The following forms are generally used for framing paper-cuts:

1. Frame type

Generally, those sold in the market can hold photos and drawings.

When installing the paper-cuts, you need to use a small amount of white latex around the paper-cuts to adhere to the supporting paper. Otherwise, after the frame is hung, the paper-cuts will often fall off or move, making them look uneven. The color selection of the supporting paper mainly depends on the color of the paper-cut, which plays the role of setting off the paper-cut. For example, when the paper-cut is of heavy color, the lining paper should be light-colored; when the paper-cut is light or white, the lining should be of heavy color.

2. Paper version mounting

Paper version mounting can be divided into plane mounting and vertical mounting. In plane mounting, all the paper-cuts are adhered to the pre-designed paper plate with transparent latex.

Yuanyang paper-cut

Yes. Three-dimensional mounting is to divide the paper plate into two layers, sandwich the paper-cut fixed with a transparent sheet in the middle, and then paste the outer surface with a transparent sheet or cellophane. This kind of mounting gives people a sense of three-dimensional space.

3. Scroll mounting

Scroll is a form of mounting for Chinese paintings. It is solemn and generous. It is very bold and has the characteristics of oriental art when hung in the room. It is naturally excellent for framing paper cuts. If you ask a calligrapher to inscribe words on the framed scroll and stamp it with a seal, it will be comparable to a Chinese scroll painting. The price of framed scrolls is more expensive than that of frames, and the mounting technology is more difficult, but the artistic effect is quite good.

4． Glue mounting

With the development of modern industry, there are more and more transparent chemical materials, such as transparent resin glue, add a little coagulant, lay the paper-cut flat on the glass, and put the matching Pour the good glue on the paper-cut, then use a wooden frame to stretch the cellophane flat on the glue, then use a rubber roller to flatten it, and bake it under a 400-degree light. This method of mounting is very beautiful and can be stored permanently, but the technique is complicated. If the temperature is not controlled well during the painting, the cellophane will easily break and fail. This framing effect is similar to the photo glue effect.

The symbolic meaning of paper-cutting

Folk paper-cutting is good at combining various objects and producing ideal and beautiful results. Regardless of the combination of one or more images, they are all modeled "with the meaning of the image" and "with the image of the image", rather than based on the objective natural form. At the same time, they are good at using Bixing techniques to create a variety of mascots. , combining conventional images to express one's own psychology. The pursuit of auspicious metaphors has become one of the ultimate goals of image combination.

The main reason why folk paper-cutting can be spread widely for a long time is the performance function of receiving blessings and welcoming auspiciousness. Regional isolation and cultural limitations, as well as the intrusion of adversities such as natural disasters, have inspired people's desire for a happy and happy life. People pray for abundant food and clothing, prosperity, health and longevity, and all the best. Such simple wishes are conveyed through paper-cutting. The folk paper-cut "Deer and Crane Spring Together" is a traditional folk theme pattern. According to records, the crane is the "black bird", and the black bird is the general term for "migratory birds". In folk culture, deer are called "migratory animals" and cranes are called "migratory birds". Deer and crane spring together, which is a symbol of spring and life. Among the folk, deer and crane have the same pronunciation, and crane is regarded as a big bird of longevity. Therefore, deer and crane together have the meaning of blessing, fortune and longevity. In the context of relatively low productivity in civil society, human labor has become the guarantee of survival, and getting rid of the pain of illness and death is people's eternal ideal. Folk paper-cutting expresses the desire for life in various forms, protects life, praises life, expresses the joy of life, and the worship of life has become people's devout belief. "Eagle Stepping on Rabbit" is one of the favorite flowers in folk wedding rooms. It is also a traditional pattern and is widely spread among the people. Eagle means "yang", the same as chicken, bird and crow. In folk deification, the sun is called the "three-legged bird", and among the people, the sun is called the "crow". Rabbit means "yin". Folks call the moon rabbit. The eagle stepping on the rabbit is a metaphor for the love between men and women, reflecting the theme of fertility worship. The common tent flowers and happy flowers in folk paper-cutting express the worship and pursuit of the reproduction of life in a metaphorical way. There are numerous paper-cut works with themes such as "Buckle Bowl", "Doll Holding Bun", "Fish and Lotus", etc.

The concept of praying for life gives folk paper-cutting inexhaustible blood and vigorous vitality. The creators of paper-cutting always have a firm and optimistic belief and endless hope when it comes to wealth and happiness. Paper-cutting is the external manifestation of their ideal of creating a better life.

Folk paper-cutting integrates these auspicious meanings into various ethnic affairs activities to meet the spiritual and psychological needs of the general public, to support human survival and enrich human life. In folk paper-cutting, we can see many pictures that reflect production and life. These works have one biggest similarity, which is the exaggeration of the subject, such as big fish, big peppers, big silkworms, big grains, etc., through With paper-cutting, people make up beautiful images; to comfort their souls, to publicize man's great creativity in conquering nature, in order to build their own ideal world, to affirm man's strength, and to inspire people to have the courage to continue fighting.

The expressive language of folk paper-cutting is not a simple straightforward narrative, but a message to express things, borrowing those conventional conceptual images to express people's yearning for a better life and their expectations for good fortune and happiness. All kinds of simple, grotesque and frank and beautiful paper-cut shapes come from the original visual way of thinking and folk aesthetic concepts; from the unique modeling system composed of formulaic system and imagery; from China's original philosophy and world view, and more It has touching artistic charm.