|
 DIY Jade piece
What's jade? Most people only know it's something to buy, or to use as an ornament or accessory. But, how is this beautiful glittering ornament made? How's it processed? Few people think about this. Fewer people know the answer! The Fong Tian area has some jade stone processing factories already open to tourists. Here, tourists come to try their hand at grinding jade stone. By finishing their own piece of jade they will know more about how complex the whole process is to work with jade to bring out it's amazing face.
| |
|
Choosing Materials and Cutting
The first step is to choose the right jade material so as to be able to make the full use of the piece. First you have to judge the variety and weight of the jade stone. These are based on their quality, color, how the light moves through the stone, its transparency, hardness, composition and shape. Through the process of judging these items you can choose what kind of product you will make. If it is necessary, you have to do the cutting based on the pattern of the jade itself. The jade is put on a platform and, following the pattern, it is cut. Then it's put on a smaller platform for finer cuts until what you have is a fine piece of Fong Tian jade.
| |
|
Sketching a Design
Jade isn't like plastic. You can't just decide in advance what shape you will make from a piece of jade. The shape comes from the nature of the jade itself. Each piece will naturally have differences, because they respond to the stone itself. So the whole idea of design, from start to finish, requires a clear ability to really see the jade. You need to see, and to think clearly.
A good 1st sketch comes from the nature of the stone itself. The designer comes up with a suitable shape that gives the viewer the feeling of comfort, smoothness and value. Thus, when you have a piece of rock, it'll have special features. You need to match what people see as beauty and accentuate the stone's unique feature. This could be texture, or the flow of light. It could be color or transparency. If the texture is beautiful, it can show the jade's warmness. If the color is right, it can show its beauty.
With careful consideration, a sketch of the final shape will be made on the jade. First is a rough sketch, then a fine sketch. Rough sketching matches the shape and pattern on the unprocessed stone. Fine sketching is drawn on the stone to plan those fine changes that will go on the processed but unfinished jade stone. If there is any modification needed, the sketching design can be changed and this requires high cooperation by the sketch designer and the processor. Only in this way will the final jade get its delicacy.
| |
|
shaping
Following the sketch on the jade, the stone is ready to be put on the small cutting machine to be cut and get its shape.
| |
|
Grinding
Jade material is roughly ground with a grinding machine to it's rough shape, then refined by fine sanding until it becomes smooth.
| |
|
Polishing
Polishing creates a fine finished surface on the jade, making it shiny and beautiful. Here the real quality of the gem shines. The first step is rough polishing, getting rid of rough surfaces, and making the surface smoother and smoother. The second step is to use polishing powder to shine the surface. The third step is cleaning. This step cleans up any residue. The last step is to rinse the material with oil, and then to wax it. This helps the product show its luminance and clarity.
| |
|
Finalize
After the jade stone is ready, there is still one further small step necessary before it is finalized. This protects the stone and adds to its beauty. The jade will be adorned with decorative Chinese knots or strings, or with any ornamented accessories. In this way, the value of the jade is elevated. In general, pieces of display jade come with their own stand, made of wood, stone or metal. The shape, height, thickness and the sculpturing of this stand should accord with the jade piece, creating a harmonious whole. A case is used for storing the jade in, and reflects how precious the jade is. There are technical requirements for making the case. This maintains the overall Chinese aesthetic sensibilities.
| |
|
Photographer: Yu Jiao Long Group, Chen Li-Hui
To sum up, in order to produce a good piece of jade, there is a specific series of careful processes that must be followed, from selecting the right material to placing the final piece in it's own wooden case. All of this requires the skilled effort and hard work of talented and experienced craftsmen. One final jade piece may take a month, or even up to years, to make. Any slip along the way can render the piece worthless. The craftsmen have to be attentive to all details and work with care and caution. Thus, a finished piece of jade is precious simply because of the jade itself, but also because of the artistry and hard work along the way.
|
|
|
Looking in a Stream