The ancient art of da qi gong yi (literally: the art of varnish applying) is being revived in China. Actually, it did not disappear anywhere, but since the Chinese are constantly searching for a new realization of their creative potential, many masters turned to this technique.
The technique is extremely time-consuming. The product is covered with dozens of layers of varnish, and each layer after application must be dried. Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes months.
The varnish has a completely natural origin. It is made from the bark of Chinese wood 漆树(qi shu), or Rhus verniciflua.
This varnish is also used to repair objects because of its heat resistance. We know this technique as kintsugi. It is especially popular in Japan, where Rhus also grow. In China, masters of kintsugi extend the life of the broken objects, and create new ones.
Nowadays, many incredible works of da qi gong yi have appeared. And each master comes up with something unique, combining techniques and materials, adding gold, cinnabar and other components to the lacquer to obtain new textures and shades. Follow the link to see their works.
https://vk.com/album12599315_248380494
