15 March 2013

China Sugar painting (糖画)

Sugar painting (糖画) is a traditional Chinese form of folk art using hot, liquid sugar to create two dimensional figures.

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The painter uses hot brown sugar or white sugar as the raw material.

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To acquire liquid sugar, the painter cook the solid sugar in a pot before painting and then drizzle it from a small ladle onto a flat surface, usually white marble or metal.

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The liquid sugar falls down as a thin thread onto the flat surface.

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The outline is produced with a relatively thick stream of sugar. Then, supporting strands of thinner sugar are placed to attached the outline, and fill in the body of the figure. These supporting strands may be produced with swirls, zig-zags, or other patterns.



To make a sugar painting, the painter has to work very quickly, since the hot liquid sugar could freeze solid if it cools.

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When completed, a thin wooden stick, used to hold the figure, is attached in two or more places with more sugar. Then, while still warm and pliable, figure is removed from the surface using a shovel, and is sold to the waiting customer, or placed on display.





Source: Wikipedia

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