The Exploratory Research Of Applying Cucurbit On Lacquer Art Design

As a very practical plant, gourd culture has last as long as 14000 years. For its rounded shape and characteristics of many children, in advocating reproductive primitive society, it once was a major theme of many myths and legends, while it also deeply affects Taoism and Buddhism. As a Chinese traditional plant, gourd practicality is one of the characteristics that cannot be ignored and in traditional folklore, it also occupy a very important position. Gourd is not only engraved on the Chinese civilization, but alos overseas, in Japan and the United States can find their traces. Lacquer, as a traditional material, has eight thousand years of history of use so far, and lacquer culture occupies an irreplaceable position in the Chinese arts and crafts. As a product of the development of civilization, gourd regardless of its own value or cultural connotations is very worth of research. As early as the Warring States Period, lacquer was adhered to gourd Sheng to enhance its robustness. Throughout the ages lacquer gourd, a mostly material is readily available and is lack of subjective transformation. Currently the research of craft and techniques of gourd implements is lacking, resulting in scarcity of historical data and there are significant obstacles in study. Modern time forward, along with the development of industrial civilization, as a traditional handicraft, lacquer is still based on traditional craft techniques as the main design method, the performance over its use of craft techniques, and as one of the branches, the large paint gourd also follow the same development path, lacking of innovation. According to the existing historical records, the written description of lacquer gourd stays in the work statement, and lacks of method for making. In modern design, the field of combination of lacquer and gourd is still lack of exploration, thus,it’s particularly important for exploratory research in gourd lacquer design.The exploration includes two parts of the unconscious and conscious design,which unconscious design is limited only to the research of shape of gourd and design does not give practical meaning. But conscious design is the focus of the design, that gourd is made into design with practical value. The conscious design starts with "Xiang Shi",using two natural material, hoist and lacquer, corresponding design, from material and cultural significance, by the use of modern design thinking, to design accordingly. This is not just a process of Sorting and carding, exploration and research,but also widens the scope of application of modern design materials, which provides reference for future design. Combination of the two materials is fusion of the two cultures, in the spirit also brings a different feel.