The traditional 'brush' of the Aborigine is made from sticks chewed until ends were frayed. Traditional colors are orange-red, yellow, brown, white, black and grey. Orange-red, yellow, and brown pigments are a mixture of iron, lime and clay, while gypsum was used for white and charcoal for black. Gum resin or orchid sap were mixed with the pigments to act as an adhesive. Flat, colorful and two-dimensional, Chinese folk paintings are strikingly similar to American folk painting.
Subjects are most often of home, family and memorable scenes from daily life.
Paper-cutting is similar to creating a stencil, but artists with refined methods and skills can achieve stunningly detailed work rivalling modern laser cutting. A similar art involves the slicing of bamboo in thin strips and shapes, dying them and adhering them to a surface to create a vibrant, complex three dimensional art. Our Chinese gallery includes folk and traditional style prints.