Seal cutting is a highly comprehensive art. It traces directly to the origin of writing, bypasses the principles of calligraphy and painting, and is inextricably linked with its sister arts. It also involves engraving skills, including His character and literary accomplishment exude strong artistic appeal from inside to outside. Regarding the meaning of "seal cutting", the relationship between "seal cutting" and "seal", as well as the ancient seal system, "Seal Cutting Tutorial" by Professor Zhao Hong of Capital Normal University has a vivid and detailed introduction, which will not be detailed here. "Yin Zong Qin Han" is almost the motto of all seal cutting learners. It can be seen that the Qin and Han seals are a monument in the history of seal cutting! There are also many "works" handed down from generation to generation, but it should be noted that people took the initiative to create the beauty of seal cutting. It was only after the Song and Yuan Dynasties that literati seal cutting gradually began. Before that, "seal" and "carving" were usually carried out by the cooperation of literati and craftsmen. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the materials of seal cutting also changed from the original copper and jade to stone, etc., and literati had the ability to make their own seals. . This change from "passive" to "active" improves the artistry and visibility of seal cutting. As a result, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the concept of swordsmanship was put forward that "those who are skilled in swordsmanship are also those who pass on brushwork skills" (Zhu Jianyu), emphasizing that "the seal comes from the book". This is a major breakthrough in the art of seal cutting! During this period, a large number of famous scholars also appeared, such as: Wen Peng, He Zhen, etc. in the middle Ming Dynasty; Cheng Sui, Lin Gao, etc. in the early Qing Dynasty; the first four Xiling masters (Ding Jing, Jiang Ren, Huang Yi) in the middle Qing Dynasty , Xigang), the last four schools (Chen Yuzhong, Chen Hongshou, Zhao Zhichen, Qian Song), and the "Wan School" representatives Deng Shiru and Ba Weizu; in the late Qing Dynasty, there were Deng's disciple Wu Rangzhi, Zhao Zhiqian, and Wu Changshuo who integrated the Anhui and Zhejiang schools , Huang Shiling, etc. are all masters with their own characteristics!
For more information about the school of seal cutting and the development history of seal cutting, please read Sha Menghai's "History of Seal Engraving" in detail. This is a classic work in the history of seal cutting. The first step in learning seal cutting is to learn seal script. The first step in learning seal script is to understand seal script. "Shuowen Jiezi" is an indispensable reference book for us to understand seal script. Among ancient literati, philology belongs to the "elementary school" and is the foundation of the basics. Therefore, great scholars in the Republic of China, such as Zhang Taiyan, Luo Zhenyu, Wang Guowei, etc., all memorize "Shuowen Jiezi". For those who study seal cutting and seal script , which is also a required course. There are different opinions on whether one should start with Qin seal script (Taishan carved stone, Yishan carved stone, etc.) or Qing Dynasty seal script (Deng Shiru, Wu Rangzhi, Zhao Zhiqian, etc.). Objectively speaking, Qing Dynasty seal script is easier to acquire and more suitable for schooling. , there are more people taking this path; Qin Zhuan has extremely high requirements for the strength of lines, and does not allow for any deviation, which can easily cause beginners to lose confidence and interest, so we do not support starting from this, but we have to learn it in the future.
The study of seal cutting and seal writing are inseparable. Those who are eager for quick success and instant benefits without learning calligraphy and go straight to seal cutting will not achieve much. The most important thing in seal cutting is the knife technique, and there are many kinds of knife techniques. We mainly use the punching method and the cutting method. These contents are in "How to Learn Seal Engraving" by Mr. Li Zao, a member of Xiling Seal Society and deputy editor-in-chief of Xiling Seal Society. There are detailed introductions in the book. The book is clear and intuitive with pictures and texts, and can help beginners solve many problems! If you want to improve your knowledge and understanding of seal cutting techniques, you can refer to "Hundred Lectures on Seal Cutting Techniques" by Mr. Gu Songzhang, a member of the Xiling Seal Society. It contains a large number of seal cutting classics and systematically and concisely breaks down the seal cutting techniques. category. In normal times, we still need to observe a lot of seals and learn from the predecessors. I think this process is full of fun and enjoyment. Some people may be unable to interpret (cannot obtain information from) a seal-cut work, which is the so-called aesthetic "aphasia". So, how should we go about interpreting it? Since it is aesthetic, in addition to some subjective factors, it must have some objective criteria for evaluation. Based on some of my daily experience, I borrowed the six aspects of "color, aroma, taste, meaning, nourishment, and shape" that are usually used to evaluate dishes, and tried to explain how to interpret seal cutting works, perhaps for some people who are new to seal cutting. Friends are inspiring.
1. "Color". Mainly refers to visual effects and look and feel. When we face a seal cutting work, we must first look at the big picture. When interpreting a work, trust your first impression. The method of composition depends on whether the red and white cloth is visually balanced, whether it is eye-catching, whether it is well-proportioned, and whether it is vivid and vivid. Calligraphy depends on whether the seal characters are unified and harmonious, whether they are flexible and deformed, whether they are exaggerated and exaggerated, and whether they complement each other. Knife technique depends on whether the technique is used properly, whether it is natural, whether the knife and pen blend well and convey the meaning of the brushstrokes, and whether the severity, severity, and speed of the strokes are rhythmic. In short, in terms of large visual effects, we must first grasp a basic positioning.
2. "Fragrance". Refers to "aroma", originally referring to the olfactory effect of dishes. When used in seal cutting, we can understand it as the "qi" or "aura" of the seal cutting work. We need to see whether the work has the atmosphere of metal and stone, the atmosphere of books, the atmosphere of mountains and forests, the atmosphere of rural areas, the atmosphere of rivers and lakes, the atmosphere of temples, the atmosphere of madness and strangeness. Qi, even hostility, vulgarity, craftsmanship, and habits. It may be thick or light, clear or turbid, far or near, vulgar or elegant. The aura of a seal cutting work reflects the temperament and taste of the work. It is often an important criterion for judging the quality of a seal cutting work.
3. "Taste". It is the taste. When it comes to seal cutting works, it is the style positioning of the work. Is it mellow and ancient or spicy? Chewing wax is still an aftertaste, whether it is light or pungent.
Although everyone has their own preferences for sour, sweet, bitter and spicy, and everyone's taste is different, if you control the seasoning and heat, you can make a delicious dish. When interpreting works, we can have our own taste preferences, but we must also try our best to judge the taste. Only by tasting all kinds of flavors can we become a gourmet.
4. "Intention". It refers to mood, rhyme, artistic conception, intention and creativity. "Intention" is an important factor in judging whether a work has vitality, expressiveness and artistic appeal. Regardless of whether it is freehand or neat, seal cutting works that lack artistic conception and interest are unsuccessful creations. The intention should be natural, avoid being artificial or showing too much intention.
5. "Nurture". It means nutrition. As far as seal cutting works are concerned, it refers to the origin and foundation of the work. It depends on whether the method is original, whether the experience of the predecessors has been fully absorbed, whether the root is correct, whether there is calcium deficiency, cartilage deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, whether excess fat leads to obesity, and whether it is nutritious. Is it malaise and sluggishness, is it endocrine disorders that cause a face full of beans, is it a deficiency of Qi that causes impatience, is it causing precocious puberty, is it causing birth defects, is it a nutritional imbalance.
6. "Shape". It refers to shape, form, style, and some visible external characteristics. The three elements of seal cutting, namely composition, calligraphy and knife skills, will be expressed through certain "shapes". We need to look at whether the form used in the work is appropriate (for example, whether random shapes and extra columns are used properly), whether the use of intaglio and positive engraving is appropriate, whether the layout of the seal and seal are reasonable, and whether the calligraphy, calligraphy, and knife skills are coordinated. In place, whether the sidebar and printed text are harmonious, etc.
The performance of the above six aspects will directly affect the effect of the work. In addition, each art has its own characteristics, but there are also some unique things between them. For example, seal cutting is to the artistic conception of literature and painting, seal cutting is to the artistic conception of calligraphy, and seal cutting is to music. The melody and rhythm of dance, the spatial structure of seal cutting in architectural sculptures, etc., all of these provide us with a broader space for association when interpreting seal cutting works. We can "read the seal outside the seal" and obtain from the works. more information.
In short, the process of interpreting seal cutting works is complex and interesting. In a sense, interpretation is "secondary creation." When we master a set of interpretation paths and can analyze and understand a seal cutting work from the outside to the inside, then the process of interpretation becomes a way for us to continuously improve ourselves. A good way to level up. The seals of the pre-Qin, Qin and Han dynasties were used as tokens of power and evidence for people in ancient times to interact with each other. In addition, seals such as auspicious language seals, Xiao-shaped seals, and Huang Shen Yue seals also reflect ancient social life customs and people's ideologies.
At that time, everyone was called Xi regardless of their superiority or inferiority. There are two types of seals: Zhuwen (with raised characters, also called Yangwen) and Baiwen (with concave characters, also called Yinwen). Ancient seals come in different shapes and sizes, including rectangular, square, round and other special shapes. The content includes official position, name, auspicious words and zodiac patterns, etc. The ancient seals are made with exquisite craftsmanship, either chiseled or cast; the text of the seals is exquisite and the composition is vivid. Some Zhu Wenxi seals have broad sidebars, while white Wenxi seals often have borders. There is also an ancient seal with alternating red and white text that is also very unique, which shows that the production of seals at that time had become mature. Three objects similar to ancient seals have been discovered in the Yin Ruins in Anyang, Henan Province. Based on this, some people infer that the origin of the ancient seals is in the Shang Dynasty, but further research is needed. In the Qin Dynasty, the emperor's seal was called a seal, while ordinary people's seals were called seals. The Qin seal script is one of the eight styles of Qin script, which is similar to the small seal script used in the Qin Dynasty. The Qin seal's seal text is solemn and beautiful. The square official seal is added with a "kou" pattern and a "tian" pattern, and the rectangular seal (also called a half-pass seal) is added with a Japanese pattern. These are the distinctive features of the Qin seal. In addition to official seals and private seals, Qin's seals also included seals with idioms, which was the first of its kind in later generations.
Modern seal carvers continue to pioneer the development path of seal cutting art, draw on the excellent artistic traditions of the nation, break through the norms of Qin and Han seals and Ming and Qing schools, and have the courage to innovate, constantly explore, and reveal A new page has opened for modern seal cutting art. Accomplished modern seal carvers include Ding Ren, Wang □, Yi Xi, Wang Daxin, Qiao Zengxuan, Qian Shoutie, Zhao Shuru, Chen Banding, Shoushi Gong, Lai Chusheng, Fu Baoshi, Huang Qi, etc., among which Qi Baishi has the greatest influence. He first studied Ding Jing and Huang Yi in seal cutting, and then followed Zhao Zhiqian and Han Dynasty seal cutting. He also incorporated calligraphy on Han and Wei steles such as "The Stele of Sacrifice to Sangong Mountain" and "The Stele of Tianfa God's Prophecy" into his seal cuttings. He used the concise single-sword technique and the charm of "Jijiuzhang" of the Han Dynasty to create a strange, ups and downs, dripping and vigorous Qi style.