Wancher Reflection Makie:
The Vietnam makie art has a reflection mode. 100% makies are hand painted in such a way that the viewer has to adjust the reflection on the makie pen to understand the different meaning and feeling of the art. This art in the makie was inculcated from the ancient oriental art used in the porcelain too. The reflection angles decide the art form value and meaning in it.
If you see this Wancher makie art of the Asian Girl on this pen. The different reflection angle will give the girls dress and figure expression value in different ways.
What is the difference/ Similarities between the Japanese geisha makie art and the Vietnam Asian Girl Makie art??
The Vietnam Asian traditional girl has lot of similarities and differences from the Japanese Geisha. Both have lot of common characteristics. The Asian traditional girl from Vietnam also have to undergo lot of hardships and practice in the traditional art form. She has to master the ancient traditions to impress the royal courtyard and its members.
The geisha makie art done by the famous Moronobu Hishikawa has been considered as one of the superior makie art work worldwide.
If you closely look into this art, you will find that Geisha has always shown in contradictory as beautiful but sex appealing. This makie drawing also determines the geishas mood and mind which clearly reflects his mood and mind in a very charismatic way.
While the Vietnam Traditional Women, the reflection makie is shown and the women’s face is not shown only her back which metaphors with her mysterious life. Every reflection angle shows her different pose with different meaning hidden in it.
This shows the similarity in the mysterious life of these 2 women in similar context.
The difference about these makie is the facial expression.
The geisha’s facial expressions are very important and shown in different ways while the Vietnam traditional women face is not shown representing the unwillingness to open the heart to the strangers.
Why we selected this design?
It was a very interesting story behind this. The artists suggested us this design and when I heard its explanation, and after connecting the dots with the Japan geisha makie I was so excited to know the depth of this art. Therefore wancher Makie experts decided to make this art as we want to share this unique style to all over world which is like a hidden treasure to us.
Vietnamese Urushi Lacquer Maki-e Art
History of Vietnamese Urushi Lacquer Makie Art
According to research on visual arts, lacquer has played a significant role in traditional materials in Vietnam painting. Vietnamese lacquer painting has drawn much attention of the artistic world thanks to its unique aspects and features.
Vietnamese lacquer maki-e has a long history, more than 2,000 years, being active since the period of the Dong Son culture; the Vietnamese people already knew how to process raw lacquer from lacquer trees for making useful things. Analyses show that Lacquer painting’s origin was from the traditional Vietnamese technique of painting.
The know-how related to this craft was always kept secret and handed down within the clans of artisans, from fathers to children. The durability, the special colors, the complex production and its own elegant beauty make Vietnamese lacquer maki-e valuable to the entire world of art. Lacquer professionals respect its value and its exclusive features. It is said that Vietnamese lacquer maki-e creates new never-seen colors for the art of painting.
Features of Vietnamese Urushi Lacquer Makie Art
It is a very long and complex process to make a Vietnamese lacquer painting. It may take several months, normally 5 to 6 month for the artist to go through about 20 stages before finishing one piece of art. The duration of the production process depends on the techniques of the artist and how many layers of lacquer the artist uses.
In order to apply all the color on the painting, the artist has to apply at least 10 layers of colors. The painting, then, is left to dry between each application. The most important part of the process however, takes place after the final layer has been applied. The artist will polish and rub different parts of the painting until the desired colors are reached. It is a long process, and has to be done carefully by using a mix of charcoal powder and human hair.
The difficult thing here is that the artist needs to remember in which layer he had put a specific color and he has to be extremely careful not to rub too hard since the painting will be irretrievably spoilt if he rubs through the layer he wants to keep. A specific color shade can be made by carefully rubbing the interface between two color layers.
With special material from 6 species of lacquer tree and also eggshell, sand, gold, silver, & the sea shell known as “mother-of-pearl”, Vietnamese lacquer makie can make specially amazing colors that no other types of lacquer can make. That is why worldwide lacquer artists believe that Vietnamese lacquer maki-e makes a picture “come to life”.
Vietnamese lacquer makie painting is really valuable because of the hardship and the patience of the person who makes it. After each stage in the process of production, an artist has to wait for a long time, from 5 days up to 1 month, to continue with the next step. It even takes longer if it is the rain season with high humidity.
“The patience, the spirit and the soul of the artist” is in each painting. Vietnamese lacquer makie is valued because it is 100% handmade. Each painting looks different. Each pen has its own picture with its own beauty.
Vietnamese handmade lacquer makie makes each painting different. WANCHER Company guarantees that each pen is distinctive with its own personal beauty.
WANCHER’s vision of Vietnamese Urushi Lacquer Makie
Vietnamese lacquer makie has been gaining reputation over the world with various products, such as lacquer painting pictures, lacquer furniture, lacquer souvenir, etc.
WANCHER, with their networking relationship all over the world, believes Vietnamese lacquer maki-e along with the high quality Japanese technology can bring a beautiful new difference to the world of fountain pens!
The Japanese art influence
The process of making Vietnamese lacquer makie on fountain pens is a complex process. In order to make an original cultural beauty for the pen, WANCHER has to have a very carefully selected portion of Japanese and Vietnamese material.
This selection process gives the paint a special look with different colors from Japanese painting and/or Vietnamese painting.
Japanese protection layer
A lacquer painting is very durable. The surface of clear lacquer is very resilient. The painting can also be easily polished by the palm of the hand to make it cleaner and shinier. However, to strengthen the durability of the painting, one Japanese protective layer is used. Japanese paint products have been known for its quality. This blend of high quality Japanese paint is the best protection for our exceptional fountain pens.
A Vietnamese lacquer painting, especially with a Japanese protective layer, is truly a piece of art that will last for generations. The pen can be used for decades without losing its original beauty.
Techniques
The color of each of the stars and snowflakes is made by applying more than 10 layers of color. The color of the reindeer is created with even more layers with larger thickness. But the Evergreen is especially made with more than 18 layers. The long process makes the Evergreen tree looks like real with snow on it.
Each star and snowflake has a different color with a different number of layers. Some look like blurring as if they are far far away. So when you look at the body of the pen, you can feel like looking at the real sky with snow and stars.
The artist has to wait for a long time between each stage for the color to dry up. And it also depends on the weather. In rain season with high humidity, it even takes longer. That is what it makes Vietnamese lacquer maki-e valuable. “The patience of the artist”.
Special material
The colors of the stars and the snowflakes are made from a special material of Vietnamese lacquer makie. Eggshell powder is made by grinding eggshell. Then, it is mixed with white paint and silver. The artist also has to choose the eggshells with appropriate colors.
Their color is mixed between white and silver; it is cold like snow but also shining like stars. The artist also makes the moon shine brighter than the stars. To make the shine, silver and eggshell powder is mixed with paint. It is special because each star has a different color. So when you look at the body of the pen, you can feel like you are looking at the real universe. Only experienced Vietnamese lacquer artists can make this richly astounding effect!