Lacquer art in China has a long history. The oldest lacquer ware discovered dates back to the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.). The value of a piece of lacquerware only begins with the materials used to make it. A high quality piece of lacquerware requires the skills of several different elements: lacquer, layers, core materials, decoration, colors and design.
漆藝
漆藝起源於中國，歷史悠久。最古老的漆器早在戰國時代（公元前 403至221年）時已經出現。漆器的價值首先取決於製作時的原材物料，而高質素的漆器還要講究以下幾個元素：漆、分層、胎體、裝飾、顏 色、設計和製作流程。
Video Courtesy of Black Elephant Studio
Process making of lacquerware
1/ Lacquer
Natural lacquer should come from the sap of the lacquer tree. The Chinese character for lacquer, pronounced "ch'i" 「漆」 , is pictographic. One of its components, pronounced "mu" 「木」(meaning wood),forms the top part of the word.In the middle two side strokes protrude downwards like taps that have been sunk into a tree. The lower part of the word is formed by a component, pronounced "shui"「水」 (meaning water), which signifies the
flow of sap from the wood.
2/ Layers
Lacquer is applied in numerous thin layers on the surface, each being allowed to dry before the addition of the next.
3/ Core materials
Core materials can be made of wood, leather,bamboo,paper, textiles or even horsehair. Exposed to air, the lacquer forms a plastic coat on the core materials, resistant to water.
4/ Decoration
There are different decoration techniques including carving, engraving,etching, inlaid and gold gilded. All are done by hand with the aid of primitive tools.
5/ Colours
Natural pigments such as cinnabar,orpiment (yellow) and Indigo can turn black lacquer into different colours.
6/ Design
The price depends upon the intricacy of design in relation to the amount of time taken to create and decorate an object.
7/ Process
Lacquer requires a dust-free, warm, moist atmosphere in which to dry and harden. Objects are placed on shelves to dry in between the various preparatory surface and decorative processes. This drying process may take from 3 to 10 days depending upon the weather. It may take up to 4-8 months to complete a particularly fine piece of lacquer.
漆器的製作流程
1/ 漆
漆是從漆樹皮層採集的汁液，是一種天然塗料。「漆」是一個象形文字，上部從「木」，中間左右各一撇，像從樹幹伸出向下的兩條管道。下部從「水」，表示有汁液從樹木流出。
2/ 分層
把樹漆一層一層地塗在器皿上，每完成一層，得先待乾透，才能再塗上另一層。
3/ 胎體
漆依附的胎體，可以是木、皮、竹、紙、布或馬毛。漆接觸到空氣後便會在胎體表面形成防水的膠膜。
4/ 裝飾
人手裝飾的方法有：雕漆、雕繪、雕填、鑲嵌、描金。
5/ 顏色
採用天然的礦物顏色如朱砂、雌黃、靛藍等。
6/ 設計
價格視乎設計的複雜及精緻度，亦即製作及雕飾的時間長短而定。
7/ 製作流程
樹漆必須在無塵、温暖及潮濕的環境下才能凝固。器皿在每一次塗漆或雕飾的工序後都要放在架子上「陰乾」。每次陰乾需時三至十天，受天氣影響而有所不同。要完成一件高品質的漆器需要四至八個月。
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