During a visit to Hạ Thái lacquer painting village with friends participating in the Vietart project, I had the opportunity to experience a meaningful and enjoyable activity, which was creating lacquer paintings with the artisans in Hạ Thái village. This trip was not only a chance for me to explore the unique traditional art of Vietnam but also an opportunity to be creative and learn from the talent of lacquer painting artisans.
Our journey began early in the morning from Hanoi when we gathered at a meeting point and set off for Hạ Thái. After more than two hours, we arrived at Hạ Thái Lacquer Painting Village and began our tour of the village with a tour guide.
The special experiential program started in the afternoon under the guidance of artisan Lê Văn Dũng, who has 20 years of experience in lacquer painting and owns one of the largest lacquer painting workshops in Hạ Thái village. We were introduced to the history, materials, and basic steps to create a lacquer painting. Then, the artisan guided us in familiarizing ourselves with the necessary tools and materials, from wooden boards, ink, and lacquer to gold feather brushes. A crucial ingredient in lacquer painting is eggshell and Xa Cu shell.
The process and dedication of the artisan
There are a total of 16 steps to create a fine art lacquer painting. We had prepared the backgrounds for our paintings, so we skipped the step of creating the structure for the painting. Artisan Lê Văn Dũng guided us through the process of painting and detailing. He used white powder to create an initial sketch on the background, and then entirely used lacquer to create the lacquer painting. This allows the artisan to create a base layer for better adhesion of various materials like eggshells, snail shells, gold, depending on their artistic intention. This was the step that required the most patience as the painting needed to have good adhesion when it was polished. After completing the painting, we showcased the material on the pre-drawn background using a brush and skillfully created the desired effects. Following this, after blending colors and allowing the lacquer to completely dry and adhere to the materials, we proceeded to the final step, which is applying the best quality shellac and oil mixture onto the entire painting surface using a steel tool.
Polishing the Painting in the lacquer painting process
This stage is considered crucial for infusing the soul into the artwork using the main artist's brushwork, water, and paper. Therefore, I made an effort to carefully listen to each instruction and observe the artisan's hand movements to complete this stage as best as I could. By polishing, and cutting the layers from top to the base, I discovered how the visual elements were expressed. Polishing is seen as one of the most challenging stages in the lacquer painting process – if you polish too much, you risk damaging the lacquer layer, and if you don't polish enough, you won't meet the requirements.
Through the process of polishing the painting, I gained a deeper understanding of the patience and precision of lacquer painting artisans. Even polishing the painting for a short time left my hands tired and struggling to polish each small stroke on the painting. Holding the final piece I had created, I felt immensely proud and grateful for this journey. This trip was not only an art class but also a deeply meaningful spiritual experience.
During the process of creating the lacquer painting, we felt a connection between people and nature, between art and life. Making a lacquer painting requires focus, patience, and a love for art. This helped us realize the value of effort and dedication in our daily lives."
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