Handicraft communication, jade carving process

Recently, some jade lovers often ask how jade is made?

In fact, the shaping of jade generally consists of the following five steps, but sometimes there are some changes in the production method depending on the different materials. Of course, special carving techniques, especially hand carving, are all secrets that are not passed on. The craftsmanship of hand-carving masters has great room for appreciation, and good works have collection value!

Making jade is a complicated process. A truly good piece of jade is one that has been refined over and over again, and is the result of a great deal of effort by the designer and maker before it is presented to the world. Therefore, its value lies not only in the preciousness of the materials, but more importantly, in the wisdom and labor of the jade craftsmen.

Jade carving machine

Jade making can generally be divided into the following steps: purchasing materials - designers selecting jade - cutting materials - design 1 (initial sample) - carving by carving technicians - design 2 (in-depth design) - carving again (this step may have to be repeated N times depending on the complexity of the work) - semi-finished products (if it is an ornament, the base and packaging box will generally be made at the same time) - grinding and polishing (if there is engraving, this will be done at this time) - finished products - put on the shelf.

There may be additions and reductions due to the complexity of the process and production needs, but it is basically complete.

1. Material selection

This is the first step, and its purpose is to correctly and reasonably select the jade raw materials to achieve the best results. There are many varieties of jade, and they vary greatly. First of all, we must judge the type and quality of jade. This is mainly based on indicators such as texture, color, gloss, transparency, hardness, size, shape, etc., so as to determine what product to make. We strive to use the best materials and use them reasonably. If necessary, we also need to carry out inspection processes such as peeling, degreasing, and cutting to fully understand the jade material and avoid or reduce its shortcomings. Material selection is a very important step. Experienced artists, with their discerning eyes, can recognize the essence of jade and select materials accurately and skillfully to make the product outstanding and fascinating.

First draft of design

In-depth design second draft

2. Design

Jade products are not fixed products, each piece has changes, and design work must run through the entire jade production process. Design is first and foremost shape design, which means designing the shape based on the characteristics of the jade material to make the shape comfortable, smooth and popular. To this end, it is necessary to combine the characteristics of the raw materials with the beauty of the shape to highlight the different characteristics of the materials, such as texture, gloss, color, transparency, etc. The texture is beautiful, bringing out the warm and mellow characteristics of jade; the color is beautiful, paying attention to expressing gorgeous themes. The shape design must also start from the characteristics of the jade material to ensure that the craftsmanship can be used. For example, if the material is very brittle, it should not be too delicate and translucent, while if the material is very tough, it can be used for fine workmanship. After careful consideration of the design, the graphics must be drawn on the jade material. There are two processes: rough drawing and fine drawing. Rough drawing is to draw the shape and pattern on the jade before production; fine drawing is to draw the detailed requirements of the details on the rough blank after it is made. If changes occur during the production process, the design must be modified at any time, and designers and producers cooperate with each other to make the jadeware more perfect.

Hand engraving - flat knitting machine engraving

Hand engraving - electronic handle engraving

3. Jade carving

After the design is completed, the maker uses jade carving machines and tools to process the Hetian jade into products according to the design drawings. There are many different techniques, but it all comes down to carving and grinding. Carving is the use of a chisel, a chisel, etc. to cut off the paint in the shape. The techniques include chopping, scraping, picking, and scratching. Grinding is the use of punching and grinding tools to grind off the excess material in the shape. There are different methods such as punching and rolling. After the basic shape is completed, in order to make the details clear, processes such as hooking, withdrawing, tucking, and bumping are required. Hooking is to draw the line; withdrawing is to remove small residual materials along the even line; tucking is to clean the bottom after hooking; bumping is to level the bottom plate. Punching, hollowing and other processes are usually carried out together during the carving process. Jade carving is a creative labor that falls into the category of art, and the level of the jade carver is a key link. China's jade carving is renowned throughout the world for its superb and sophisticated craftsmanship. As many scholars and artists around the world have said, jade and the special skills of jade carving are the genius creation and outstanding contribution of the Chinese people. China's jade carving factories now have modern advanced equipment and skilled jade artists who carry out creative work in the production workshops. The artists use their dexterous hands to grind out exquisite jade articles.

Manual grinding

Polishing to improve brightness

4. Polishing

Polishing is the process of grinding the surface of jade to make it smooth, bright and beautiful. The first step in polishing is to use sand strips to grind from coarse to fine, and polish at least three times from coarse to fine sand strips, and then use polishing powder to increase the brightness; the second step is to clean, that is, to clean off the polishing powder remaining on the product; finally, apply oil to increase the brightness and smoothness of the product.

5. Final repairs are not necessary, but sometimes they are crucial. Because some defects in the design and production process are not discovered and need to be repaired after grinding and polishing. In addition, the designer may need to sign and engrave words on the jade carving, which usually needs to be processed after the work is completed.

After the above procedures, the Hetian jade is processed and then placed on a suitable base to beautify and protect the jade and increase its value. The base is the main decoration of jade articles, usually made of wood, stone, metal, etc. Its shape, height, thickness and carving should be based on the shape of the processed Hetian jade to make it a seamless whole. The box is used to place processed Hetian jade, which can reflect the nobility of the jade. It has special technical requirements and must maintain the style of Chinese boxes.

fcgc66

fcpf18