If you can't even tell the difference between good and bad carving, don't even think you're playing with jade.

There are five dimensions for judging the value of jade: color, structure, transparency, clarity and carving, which are commonly referred to in the industry as "color, type, water, ground and craftsmanship".

Color: Strong, bright, positive, even, and harmonious

Structure: Pay attention to the size of the particles and whether they are tightly combined

Transparency: Also known as "water head", the more transparent it is, the higher the value

Clarity: Factors that affect the beauty of jade, including dirt, cracks, fissures, etc.

Carving: material selection, cutting ratio, carving technology and other aspects

The first four are determined by the quality of the material itself and are not affected by human factors, while the quality of the carving is controllable by humans and is an important factor affecting the value of jade works.

Carving is an important process that transforms jade from a piece of stone into a work of art. It is the process by which the jade carver gives jade soul and life. Good carving not only requires the hard work of the jade carver, but is also directly related to the quality and value of the finished jade product.

There are two main factors that affect the quality of carving: one is design, the other is workmanship.

design

1. Good design draft, with its own charm

As the saying goes, "Well begun is half done." The success of a jade work is first reflected in the design draft. A good design draft can make the carved work more spiritual. A bad design draft will not only affect the beauty of the finished product, but may even waste a piece of jade raw material.

The two are both design drawings of Guanyin. In the drawing on the left, Guanyin’s eyes and eyebrows do not show a kind and benevolent look, while in the drawing on the right, the charm of Guanyin closing her eyes and concentrating is revealed through the picture. In comparison, the drawing of Guanyin on the left lacks the solemnity of the drawing on the right, and people cannot appreciate Guanyin's compassionate mind and great love.

2. Design and carving, fit each other

As the saying goes: Art should be applied in accordance with the material; jade carvers must first understand the stone, and then design according to the material's trends and characteristics, so that the carving and the stone fit perfectly. Even if the stone contains flaws, they can create according to the characteristics of the stone, turning decay into magic.

This stone has a transparent texture, but the only drawback is that it is not a flat material. There are depressions on the stone. This requires the jade carver to have a comprehensive and complete grasp of the material, and then design it based on the characteristics of the stone itself.

Based on the characteristics of the stone, the jade carver cleverly designed the concave part of the stone into the auspicious cloud part of the Guanyin statue and placed the focus of the design on the right side of the stone to balance the visual proportions.

The finished Guanyin statue has soft lines and curves as flexible as flowing clouds and water. In terms of the proportions of the picture, it is divided into upper and lower parts in the golden ratio of 3:7. The Guanyin with closed eyes in concentration in the upper right and the leaping dragon in the lower left are in harmony with each other, which is naturally interesting.

3. Proper proportions and reasonable composition

The quality of the final product is also reflected in the proportions of the design work. A good jade carver is the "Bo Le" of jadeite. After observing the jadeite, he can grasp the proportions of the design and make the most reasonable design that makes people feel comfortable. Poor design proportions will make the work look rigid and far-fetched.

On the left and right sides are the comparison of the jade Buddha statue before and after the modification. The face of the Buddha statue on the left is larger, and the shortcomings of the design proportions are visually magnified. The Buddha statue on the right lacks the solemnity. After the modification, the facial features of the Guanyin statue are more coordinated, and the face is kinder than before, giving people a more peaceful and tranquil feeling.

4. Simplify the complex and create beauty through simplicity

Jade itself is small in size, and carving patterns on it requires exquisite skills. For jade, the more complex the carving is, the more valuable it is. The most perfect one is the one that can perfectly present the simplicity of the jade itself and conform to the design of the object itself.

The lines of the Guanyin pendant on the left are complex, which can easily create a complicated visual burden. At the same time, the face of the Guanyin statue occupies a large proportion, and the overall feeling is that it has lost some of its charm.

The lines of the modified work are smoother and simpler than before, with the key points highlighted, giving people a new feeling of peace of mind and rebirth. The modified work also brings out its own water quality, presenting a transparent texture and a jade carving effect, making it a jade carving artwork that combines the exquisite craftsmanship, the smoothness of jade and the beauty of artistic conception.

5. Aesthetic level determines the beauty of the work

The jade carver's ideological level and creative ability determine the presentation effect of the design, which tests the jade carver's aesthetic ability, vision and courage. Works with poor design effects will destroy the visual appreciation effect and may even lead to improper water quality, affecting the quality of the jade. Works with high creativity can make the presented works more suitable for jade materials.

This work was originally a one-armed Maitreya Buddha. The water quality was transparent but not adjusted. The overall lines were simple, the proportions were not coordinated, and there was no attractive focal point. In terms of details, Maitreya's smile was stiff, and the one-armed ingot felt like "adding unnecessary details".

After redesign, the original upper body of Maitreya was designed as a complete statue of Tathagata Buddha. The round belly of Maitreya Buddha was cleverly transformed into the lotus pod under the body of Tathagata Buddha. The overall image is symmetrical and the proportions are harmonious. The Buddha is located in the middle, highlighting it and becoming the focus of viewing.

In addition, the rough manufacturing of the original work buried the pure texture of the jade itself. After the transformation and design, the water quality of this fine ice yellow material was perfectly presented, the jade was delicate, and the whole work looked crystal clear.

work

1. The details are the key

The biggest difference between good and bad carving lies in the treatment of details. Good carving, in general, means that the carving skills are exquisite, natural, smooth, and aesthetic, and can perfectly combine jade and carving. As for those carvings with poor workmanship, in addition to the rough workmanship, the details are often not carefully modified and carved. Many places are hastily sketched out, and are rough and rigid.

From this set of pictures we can see that the jade carving on the left is rough, without any fine carving or polishing, and the shape is rigid; the jade on the right has very well handled details, with delicate and smooth lines, naturally rounded, and perfectly matched with the quality of the jade.

The details in the jade are not handled well, the lines are not smooth enough, the details do not connect, and the outer circle is uneven and the workmanship is rough, as if it was a work that was done in one stroke without any revision or modification.

The lines are smooth and natural, the details are handled smoothly and the connection is in place. This is the so-called "slow work and fine work".

2. Hand-carved with vitality

Good carvings are usually hand-carved, with smooth lines and exquisite details. Works carved by machines or computers have smooth edges and appear rather stiff, and the carving is not as smooth as hand-carving. It has no vitality and can only be regarded as a handicraft. It is a low-end product among carvings. Its collection value and survival space are extremely small.

70% creativity and 30% workmanship. Good design and workmanship determine the level of carving. Good carving can create higher value for jade works!

Jade carvers not only need good craftsmanship, but more importantly, they need to fully understand the charm hidden inside the raw stone during the creative process, and then combine the characteristics and make the best use of it; not only must they devote their ingenuity to every step of the design and carving, but they also need to inject cultural heritage and humanistic care into their works. Only works that incorporate emotion can enhance the artistic value of the works.

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