Gourd carving art

In the process of making modern gourd utensils, a new variety-gourd carving appeared. Among them, it can be divided into gourd carving and gourd carving. Gourd carving is different from other gourd utensils in that it is neither a simple model nor a simple carving, but a comprehensive gourd craft that combines model, carving, wax and splicing. Gourd carving is mainly based on splicing, supplemented by carving and wax, and supplemented by models. The materials used are natural gourds of different varieties and sizes. After cutting, different parts are reassembled into gourd utensils with different shapes. There is a gourd freak in the gourd culture exhibition room in Linqu County, Shandong Province, which is made of waste materials that have not been standardized. Although ugly, bent to the waist and lame, there is also an unspeakable morbid beauty.

On the basis of splicing and combining, the artistic beauty of gourd carving is stronger. The main carving methods are Yang carving, Yin carving, Tong carving, Yang carving flat land, Yang carving sand land, Yin carving Yang carving, double outline and so on. The main knife methods are straight knife, flat push knife, outer knife, inner knife, straight knife, reverse knife, pick knife, overlapping knife and cutting knife. These carving methods and knife methods are basically based on bamboo carving, wood carving and other techniques. Knife cutting should be steady (calm), accurate (high accuracy), light (moderate strength), slow (slow and steady) and skillful (skilled in knife cutting). Only in this way can exquisite gourd crafts be carved.

Carving a gourd, as the name implies, is to carve words and pictures on the gourd, making it a gourd art for people to appreciate. Gourd carving is a three-dimensional art, but gourd carving is not. They all write articles on the surface of gourds. It is said that carved gourd was first circulated among the people in Gansu. People use knives and needles to paint simple patterns of flowers, plants, insects and fish on the gourd as decoration. Later, through the artist's continuous exploration and research, the craft level was continuously improved, and the art of carving gourd was gradually formed. There used to be a needle method for carving gourds, but in recent years, a knife carving method has been created, and various hollow gourds have appeared. Some have also created famous landscape paintings that imitate the freehand brushwork of ink and wash, and imitated the rhymes of Wu Changshuo, Ren Bonian, Xu Beihong and Qi Baishi to create colorful gourds with unique styles. In the twenties and thirties, there was a folk artist named Li Wenzhai in Lanzhou. He is good at painting, understands poetry and has a high literary and artistic accomplishment. He carved gourds for a living and made contributions to the further improvement of gourd carving technology. Because of his efforts, the reputation of gourd carving art is increasing day by day, known as "wonderful work", well-known in Beijing and Tianjin, and exported to overseas. Since then, carved gourds have become the prey of pets of dignitaries and antique dealers.