Chinese Paper Fans Features
These Chinese paper fans, probably, are one of the products here on AsianIdeas.com that move you at first glance – speaking, in particular, of their scenic themes and eye-friendly designs that appear to converse and take your thoughts to the relaxing atmosphere and picturesque landscape of Asia's countryside, their Chinese inscriptions that prove they are an exquisite product of East Asia, and superior craftsmanship that makes them smart for decorating, perfect for gifting, and lovely to be treasured as an Asian or Oriental handicraft.
Each Chinese paper fan is handmade by Chinese artisans and leafed with Chinese paper, silk, or professional printing-quality parchment paper that is actually painted or designed by a native Chinese artist. They are specially made durable for long and frequent use by first-class wood or bamboo ribs, which may be naturally-finished, embellished with cutout patterns that decorate them on both sides, or color-painted, especially in black, dark mahogany, or mottled rose to mimic the look of antique Chinese woodcrafts.
Chinese paper fans come in a wide array of sizes, i.e., from the mini paper fans that are ready to host your party place cards, to the flat fans and 8" to 11" folding fans that are highly admired as elegant hand fan favors and gifts for all occasions, and the 12" long folding fans that look so grand on hand fan display stands, they can easily charm every tabletop or living space with a fine, Asian class. And, if you can't get enough of these Chinese hand fans' beautiful artwork, don't worry as Chinese paper fans with different prints on two (2) sides are also available. Huge discounts also await when you buy any of these Chinese paper fans bulk or wholesale.
About Painted Chinese Fans
Painted Chinese fans must have flourished from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 BC), i.e., at the time when circle-shaped folding fans with hand-painted designs are considered popular among the Chinese court circles, court artists, and emperors, and thus, named, as palace fans. Calligraphy fans, on the other hand, are credited to the famous calligrapher, Wang Xizhi, who was considered as the first artist to decorate hand fans with Chinese calligraphy writings.
Typically, painted Chinese fans feature just a pretty Chinese painting and too, often, the latter is finished with a calligraphy writing, which represents the fan painter's signature or which serves as a caption to their design; it may also be a line of a poem, the thought that inspires the painter while working for his design, or a prose which tells a story or which describes the mood of the featured Chinese painting.
Chinese painted fans are definitely not your ordinary hand fans as they represent a combined work of art of hand fan artisans, a Chinese painter, a Chinese poet, and/or a Chinese calligraphy artist.
The Popular Chinese Fan Painting Styles
What makes each of these Chinese paper fan so beautiful and attractive is a mystery to a lot, but here we give you a briefer about the popular painting styles that Chinese artists employ in decorating and painting Chinese fans and hand fans, which were also used to decorate these Chinese paper fans:
Freestyle Chinese Painting. Also known as
Xiexi style, freestyle Chinese painting is done by loading several colors of ink onto a wet Chinese paint brush or by mixing both ink and water using the brush, so that a single brush stroke creates a beautiful mix of colors or a gradient effect on the paper or silk canvas. Freestyle Chinese painting is considered as a modern painting style and is frequently responsible for giving life to the colored flora and fauna of many Chinese fan paintings and the beauty of the changing seasons.
Gongbi Hand Painting. Gongbi is literally defined as
detailed strokes, thus Chinese hand fans with Gongbi paintings are prized for their very detailed brushwork that make their designs reach months to complete. Gongbi-designed Chinese fans typically feature a figural or narrative subject that is often painted in a bright or deep shade so they standout amidst a softly-hued paintwork or background. Like the Western style of painting in layers, a monochromatic underpainting is first drawn out on the canvas in complete details and is then overlaid with thin colors in different combinations.
1Ink Wash Painting. Rendered in the different shades of black, i.e., from the lightest gray to the deepest black, ink wash painting uses only black ink, which is the same type of ink used in East Asian calligraphy. It is done by pouring ink onto a blank canvas and then the painter would rapidly proceed until the painting is finished. The long tradition of using blank ink in Chinese painting probably stemmed from the birth of ink wash painting and colors are often added only where it is found necessary to complement the artwork.
1Landscape Painting. Considered as the highest form of Chinese painting, landscape painting features a scenery, like the beauty of the rolling hills and mountain heights, the grandeur of the pagoda, or the peaceful setting of the countryside, rendered in almost the same manner as how a bird sees the subject from a distance or from a height.
Chinese painting style is, of course, just one of the many factors that make each hand fan standout as an Asian handicraft as the artist's emotions, the mood of the painting, the artist's aim to make a beautiful hand fan that lasts and will be appreciated for decades, among many others, also play a key role in making each Chinese hand fan beautiful and timeless.
Shop our hand-picked selection of Asian
hand fans and
Chinese wall fans to experience the pride that comes in owning them, and complete your decorating theme by complementing your hand fans with
paper lanterns,
paper parasols umbrellas, and other Asian decor that are sure to grace your home, office, wedding, and special occasions with a sumptuous Asian elegance.
Reference:
1http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/62Arts2192.html
