Dough Figurines
handicraft>Folk Arts>
Posted by handicraft
Sculpture with dough is a folk art known to few countries,if any outside China.
It is interesting to see how a few coloured pieces of dough are turned in a matter of minutes into expressive and lively figurines by the trained hands of a folk artist,relying on no model.The figurines are generally about 8 centimetres(3 inches)tall,but recent innovations include figures as tall as 30 centimetres or tiny enough to be displayed in half a walnut shell.
The folk sculptor plies his trade with very simple tools:a spatula,scissors,a comb and a pointed stick,all of diminutive sizes.
The material used by him is prepared of two-thirds purified wheat flour and one-third glutinous rice flour.Mixed with water,the dough is kneaded well while bee-honey and glycerine are added.Cooked in a steamer under cover for half an hour,it will be ready for moulding.Other additives in the dough are a little antiseptic and repellent to make the finished figurines durable.The various colours in the dough are from mineral pigments that do not change with time.
Although the art has a history of some 2,000 years,few people specialize in today.Nevertheless,the works produced by the limited number of dough sculptors in the arts and crafts factories of Jinan,Shanghai and Beijing have aroused considerable interest in the collectors of China and abroad.
Brick Sculpture
Bricks carved with patterns in relief were used for decorative purposes on the exterior of old houses-mansions of officials and the rich,shrines and temples,landscape buildings in parts.They are also ...
Fancy Lanterns
Fancy lanterns,a special handicraft product of Chinese tradition,are widely used for decorations in the country on festivals and holidays,on weddings and other personal celebrations. On the whole,they...