Below, some of Beijing’s best craftsmen, masters in their field, tell us how to get started making some of these precious items for ourselves. Follow their advice, and DO IT YOURSELF!
Peking Opera Mask
When you encounter a fan of Peking Opera, you will likely have encountered a fan of Peking Opera masks as well, but how many realize how the masks are made? Lin Aixing, a highly regarded Peking Opera mask-maker, accepted BTM’s challenge to teach our readers how to make a simple Peking Opera mask.
Lin said she got interested in making dough sculptures at the tender age of 8. By the time she was 20, she was already good at making clay sculptures, and since 1992, she concentrated on making Peking Opera masks, while studying under master Shuang Qixiang since 2005. Her life as a mask-maker has won her a lot of awards. She understands the Peking Opera mask culture deeply, and the spirit of that culture is evident in her works.
Material
Clay, paints, plastic curving knife, plaster, brush
Process
Professional mask-makers have always chosen the clays they use very carefully, even though it’s harder than ever to find good clay to use today in Beijing. Most of the time today, concrete pieces are mixed in the clay.
But we didn’t have to worry about the clay too much, Lin had prepared our media for us.
•The first step in mask-making is making a sculpture, which is very important in determining the ultimate shape of a mask. If you are good at sculpture-making, you can make a beautiful mask. In the skill’s slang, it’s called “seed.”
•When a sculpture is ready and dry, a sculpture is covered in plaster to make a mould.
•Packing the clay into the mould tightly forms the mask; you retrieve it by prying it from the mould with a plastic carving knife. Now you have a blank mask.
When the blank mask is sufficiently dry, the teacher will guide you in painting it.
•First, sketch an outline of the image you want to use; then draw the sketch with black paint.
•With our mask, the eyebrows were painted as a bat (bianfu); fu means happiness in Chinese, so it means this image will bring happiness to people.
•The eyes, eyebrows, beard, cheeks, lips and muscle are gradually formed. A strict Peking Opera mask-maker should know everything about the nature of the character that will be created. Most of these images are derived from history; the nature of the character decides colours and shapes of masks.
Once the work is ready, you can also add a hat, beard and other ornamental objects to the mask.
Lin Aixing works for the Beijing Toy Association, if you are interested in her skills, contact this association.
Beijing Toy Association
Tel: +86 10 6728 1658
Address: Room 3118, 3/F, Area B, Beijing International Toys Center, 67 Nan Sanhuan Zhonglu, Fengtai District
北京玩具协会，丰台区南三环中路67号北京国际玩具城B区3118
WWW: www.bjwj.org.cn
Lin’s Mobile: +86 136 4112 4755
The Tianqiao area is legendary in Beijing, never far from people’s lips; yet much of its history of performance, craft-making and other skills is fading into time. Still, stories of this wonderful place in Beijing’s life, enlivened our childhood dreams, if only as a memory.
But we are lucky that there are still some people among us who not only remember the old days, but who were craftsmen who recall the area’s expression in folk arts and crafts. The following two DIY handcrafts are easily accessible: though maybe not easily accomplished. Still, our warm-hearted masters will patiently guide us. As if magicians, they can craft a work in a moment, but can we? Let’s try.
Dough Doll
Zhang Junxian is a folk-art and crafts master who has engaged in dough-doll-making for 28 years. In the craft, common flour can be used to make all kinds of vivid dough dolls by hand; many of Zhang’s works, recognized for the skill used in making them, have been sent to other countries for exhibition. But in addition to his busy craft-work schedule, Zhang also teaches children at a local primary school, passing his secrets on to a new generation. He is also willing to teach you, our BTM readers, too, if you give him a call.
Material
Flour, glutinous rice flour, white latex, paint, scissors, sticks, brush
Process
The dough is made of flour, glutinous flour and various colour paints.
When the dough is rendered into various colours, the basic materials needed for making dough dolls is ready.
•Sketch the feature of the animal you want to create. Paint some white latex on the board in the box that contains the dough doll.
•Make two long water-drop shaped dollops of dough on the sketch as the two ears, and make a dough ball as the head of the animal.
•Make a jujube seed shape dough as the stomach of the animal, and make two dough balls as the legs of the animal.
•Use yellow long water-drop dough to make a radish armed by the animal.
•A white jujube seed shape dough was made as the beard of the animal, and use a stick to cut the beard into two pieces. Press some trail on the beard.
•Six white eyebrows were added to the head, and put two long red strips into the ears.
•Black dough balls were used to make the nose and eyes. Some twist some green dough waves as the leaves of the radish.
•Now, you have your rabbit.
Egg Shell Art
Egg-shell crafts created a sensation at the Tianqiao Folk Arts Workshop. In addition to Zhang Junxian, this small shop brought several handcrafts masters together: among them was Zhao Wei, an egg-shell art master in Beijing. In her nearly 30-years life as an egg-shell artist, she has painted, curved and even broidered all kinds of images, including people, birds, flowers, fish and the 2008 Olympic mascots on small and fragile egg shells. She is well-known to the egg vendors in her local market.
Materials
Eggs, paint, brush, carving knife, bodkin
Process
The egg should be pumped empty. A bodkin and needle tube is needed. Use the bodkin to poke a small hole in the egg; use the needle tube to pump air into the egg. The egg white and yoke will be pressed out of the shell. Wash the eggshell to clean. The eggshell is ready to use.
•Here, Zhao uses her special skills to cut the eggshell into two pieces. When teaching students, Zhao prepares the eggs for them.
•As with a painting, sketch the figure of the image you want to create on the egg shell. Unlike painting, you must hold the egg in one hand while painting with the other. Care is needed, however; the eggshell is fragile.
•Beginners should begin by painting a simple image, but though it may be simple, it’s still special, because it’s your work.
•Use ink to sketch any image you like.
•To be frank, the basic skill of painting plays an important role in the eggshell art. If you are good at painting, success comes easily; if not, it will be a little difficult. But anyway, the work is yours; you did it by yourself, not others, sign your name!
•The other skill of eggshell art is carving; for a beginner, it’s hard work.
A skill invented by Zhao is embroidering an egg shell. But it is obviously not as easy for DIY lovers as for the professional.
Masters Zhang Junxian and Zhao Wei both work for the Tianqiao Folk Arts Workshop, if you are interested in these skills, you can contact them at the following address. If the phone is not answered, it means they are out, busy teaching and lecturing.
天桥民俗工艺坊
Tianqiao Folk Arts Workshop
Tel: +86 10 8313 3317
Address: 42 Tianqiao Shichang Xiejie, Xuanwu District
地址：宣武区天桥市场斜街42号
Pottery Art
Moved by the love of Sam and Molly in the film Ghost, we encountered a similar scene at the Xidan Yilie Pottery Art Bar. The small room in a narrow hutong in Xidan was filled with people who were concentrating on their pottery at a worktable. People were nipping, sculpturing and painting, a busy moment filled with concentrated energy. Many completed works crowded tables and shelves. A technician, Wang Xiaohua, a very arty-looking and warm-hearted guy, was busy guiding his clients in their work; four guides are usually available to assist in helping clients with their work in this pottery art bar.
Materials
Clay, banding wheel, kiln, ceramic glaze, brush
Process
Before making pottery, a guide will prepare an apron for you, in case the electric ceramic-ware-making machine sprays mud on your body. Having donned the apron, you look like a professional pottery craftsman.
•Put the clay on the centre of the machine and turn on the power. The wheel runs at different speeds. Dip your hands in water and wet them; you will then find the clay turns smoothly in your hands.
•Always keep an image in mind of what you want to make. Taking a pencil vase as example: press your thumb into the clay; the wall of the pencil vase will rise in your palms. Keep your palms softly pressing on the wall of the pencil vase as it begins to take shape.
If it’s not so good, press it back on the spinning wheel and it will return to its original shape. Then make it into any other shape you like.
•When you are satisfied with your work, the guide will help you to pick it up.
•A clay work has to air dry for three or four days. When the clay work is ready, it will be sent to the kiln to bake, an exciting time. And you are welcome to tag along, because Wang Xiaohua has a big kiln in Tongzhou District that you are free to visit.
•When the pottery is ready, the next step is to paint the ceramic glaze on it. Any colour and any image you like, you can paint on it.
•Now your work is displayed on the shelf.
Price: 40 yuan/hour
10 yuan/one piece of pottery for baking and colouring (less than 15 centimetres)
Please consult the bar for pottery and sculpture-training prices.
Xidan Yilie Pottery Art Bar
Tel: +86 10 6605 5400
Address: 3 Zhongsheng Hutong, Xidan, Xicheng District
西单艺猎陶艺屋，西单钟声胡同3号
WWW:www.yltb.net
Other places for pottery art:
Zuote Pottery
Tel: +86 10 6437 7289
Address: Maquanyingcun Village, Cuigezhuang Township, Chaoyang District
佐特陶艺，朝阳区崔各庄乡马泉营村
WWW: www.zuote-china.com
Beijing Pottery Art Works Centre
Tel: +86 10 8384 4182
Address 182 Zhangguozhuang, Fengtai District
北京陶艺园艺术品制作中心，丰台区张郭庄182号
WWW: www.taoyy.com
Qee Toy Painting
Like its name NBV-ARC, newborn vision arts creation, ARC station provides an international platform for designers and customers. Backed by the more than 220 artists and designers from all over the world, ARC sells readymade toys and other ornamental products, but ARC Stations’ 16 Qee toy models and 14 bags create a new DIY world.
Derived from the TOY2R company based in Hong Kong, the Qee serial toys attract many fashion people, designers and film stars. It has also cooperated with many international brands, such as adidas, Nokia, Sony, Samsung, Starbuck, Mitsubishi, Swatch, BenQ, XBOX and Budweiser.
Otherwise, DIY painting on Qee toy models expresses the inner side of the painter.
There are three ARC Station outlets at the The Malls at Oriental Plaza, the Zhongyou Department Store and The Gate City Mall. It’s interesting to see a group of people painting toys. In addition to the colourful works, the painters’ worktables bring an artistic air to these luxurious shopping malls. Here you can take a break from shopping and DIY a toy to please yourself or others.
Material
Qee toy, palette, brush, pencil, paints
Process
The Qee toy models and bags come in pure black or white. Of course, you have to buy them at different prices from 85 yuan to 300 yuan, but generally, the DIY model is cheaper than a readymade product.
•An art guide will usually encourage you to make a sketch on paper before you begin painting your toy.
•Then draw on the model with a pencil.
•If you think you are ready to create, you can choose your colours and paint, filling out your sketch.
•Don’t feel shy or fear any mistake. The art guide encourages you to paint any colour and image on the model; if any mistake happens, the colour can be wiped with the alcohol.
“This painting is not for an exam; just do it. That’s called DIY,” said Zhang Yang, the art guide of ARC Station.
Yes, DIY; just do it yourself, and please yourself.
This shop provides convenience for its customers. It’s unnecessary to paint your toy in one visit, you can come to paint it any time you like, until you are satisfied with your work.
•After your creation, if you are very satisfied with your work, you can submit your works to the company of this toy to join the Qee collection.
ARC Station
The Malls at Oriental Plaza Store
Tel: +86 10 8518 0366
Address: B1/F, The Malls at Oriental Plaza, Dongcheng District
东城区东方新天地地下1层
Zhongyou Store
Tel: +86 10 6601 9308
Address: 6/F, Zhongyou Department Store, Xicheng District
西城区中友百货店中友百货6层
The Gate City Mall Store
Tel: +86 10 8248 6516
Address: B1/F, 19 Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian District
海淀区新中关购物中心地下1层
WWW:www.nbv-arc.com.cn
Piao Studio: Leather Craft in Beijing
The art of working leather, or leather craft, probably began with primitive man in pre-historical times. By the time of the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, craftsmanship in working with leather was already advanced, and by the Middle Ages in Europe, leatherwork featured complex craftsmanship and elegant designs that became the stuff of daily use objects and symbols of monarchical authority. When the European culture made its way to the Americas in the 15th century, it took with it designs and flourishes gleaned from the known world, including Arabian and other Mediterranean influences. These found their way into saddles, belts and jackets and resulted in the creation of a particularly western leather crafting aesthetic, itself a blend of designs and patterns found around the world.
In recent years, many people in Beijing have discovered leather crafting and have found it pleasing, whether as a hobby, a trade or as a way of self-expression. They sometimes refer to each other as piyou (friends of leather). The Piao Studio, a leather craft studio near Gulou in Dongcheng District is a wonderland for piyou in the capital.
From raw leather at a low price of 20 yuan per chi (0.33 metre) to rawhide mallets imported from the Americas, hundreds kinds of materials and tools for leather crafting can be found here. With directions from the staff, BTM editor Chai Jingnan gave it a try and made a leather bracelet, which turned out to be a success and a pleasant surprise.
Main Tools for Leather Carving
•Swivel knife: Used to make the bold cuts that define the pattern or image being carved;
•Rawhide mallet: Used to drive the stamps used to mat down the background and create shading and patterns;
•Stamp set: A set of stamping tools used to shape and colour the leather to create the final image;
•Water-based and oil-based colours; oil emulsion wax; super glue and alcohol;
•Scissors and tie plate.
Procedure
Casing the leather is a necessary preparation for leather carving. Using a moistened sponge wet the leather. The leather should be slightly moist throughout, but do not soak it. This makes the carving easier and smoother.
•Create your design:
Many carvers have designs in mind before they arrive at the Piao Studio. Following the staff’s directions, and you, too, can realize your ideas on leather. Beginners, however, can choose from various paper design patterns to begin their first lesson right away.
•Position the pattern on the leather:
Trace all the pattern lines with a stylus using gentle pressure. This step is especially necessary for beginners.
•Carving:
Use a swivel knife to make bold cuts that form the backbone of the carved image. These cuts are made to a depth of about half the leather’s thickness, depending on the effect desired by the leather worker. This is the core of leather crafting and requires plenty of exercise.
•Dyeing:
Wet the leather with water-based emulsion lacquer, which will make the dyeing sharper and smoother. Choose oil-based or water-based colours, and dye your work with care. Rub the dyed surface with oil emulsion wax, which will clean the leather and protect its colour.
•Polishing:
Polish the edge of your work with leather finish (a kind of emulsion). Add buttons and decorations as desired.
Piao Studio
The owners of Piao Studio, Laowang and Dong Jie (Sister Dong), were university classmates who majored in fine art. They offer patient and professional directions and instructions to customers who purchase tools and materials from the studio. Training courses are available for carvers regardless of skill levels. The tutors are local professionals and masters invited from Japan and the Americas. Upcoming courses are scheduled for March or April. Check their Web site for more information.
Open: 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m., daily
WWW: http://www.leathercraft.cn
Tel: +86 10 8404 3063
Address: 66-3 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District
漂印象，东城区鼓楼东大街66-3号
