MAPEH (ARTS)

The Elements and Principles of Art in the Production of Arts and Crafts Inspired by the
Cultures of East Asia

The Characteristics of Arts and Crafts In Specific Countries in East Asia

Characteristics - According to Google’s dictionary, it is a feature or quality belonging typically to a
person, place, or thing and serving to identify it.

Important Aspects in East Asian Painting

1. Landscape Painting - It was regarded as the highest form of Chinese painting.

 They also consider the three concepts of their arts: Earth, Heaven, and Humankind (Yin-Yang).
2. Silk - It was often used as the medium to paint upon, but it was quite expensive.
 When the Han court eunuch, Cai Lun, invented the paper in the 1st Century AD, it provided a
cheap and widespread medium for writing, and painting became more economical.
3. Ideologies - The ideologies of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism played important roles in
East Asian art.
 Chinese art expresses the human understanding of the relationship between nature and humans.
It is evident in the form of paintings of landscapes, bamboo, birds, flowers, etc. This is called the
metaphysical– the Daoist aspect of Chinese painting.

Xie He who was a writer, art historian, and critic in 5th century China established the Six Principles of
Chinese Painting.

1. Observe rhythm and movements

2. Leave spaces for the eyes to rest
3. Use brush in calligraphy
4. Use brush in calligraphy
5. Live up to tradition by copying the master’s artwork
6. Copy the correct proportion of the objects and nature

Korean Paintings’ History - It dates to 108 C.E.

  Mountains and Water are important features in Korean landscape painting. It is a site for
building temples and buildings.
 Landscape painting represents both a portrayal of nature itself and a codified illustration of
the human view of nature and the world.

Calligraphy - It is the art of beautiful handwriting. The following are its characteristics.

1. It involves the same techniques as in traditional painting.

2. It is done with a brush dipped in black or colored ink.
3. It does not use oils.
4. It has a strong linear focus in which the features are conveyed primarily with thin, sharply defined
lines.
5. Paper and silk are popular materials which paintings are also made of.
6. Poets write their calligraphy on their paintings.

Logographs -These (ancient writing symbols) are engraved on the shoulder bones of large animals and
tortoise shells.
Jiaguwen - It (Chinese: “bone-and-shell script”) is a pictographic script found on oracle bones.
Cangjie - He is the legendary inventor of Chinese writing. He got his ideas from observing animals’
footprints and birds’ claw marks on the sand as well as other natural phenomena.
Woodblock Printing - It is a technique for printing text, images, or patterns used widely throughout East
Asia.

Japanese Ukiyo-e. - It means "pictures of the floating world”.

 It is the best-known and most popular style of Japanese art, which also is related to the style of
woodblock printmaking that shows scenes of harmony and carefree everyday living.

The Mood, Idea, or Message from Selected Artifacts and Art Objects
The Peking Opera of China and Kabuki of Japan are the known theatrical forms in East Asian countries.
The performers usually paint their faces depending on the character or personification they are portraying.
On the one hand, Koreans paint masks for theatrical and festival performances.

Jingju Lianpu - Peking opera face painting or Jingju Lianpu was originally called “the false mask”. It is
done with different colors by the performing characters’ personalities and historical assessment.

MEANING OF COLORS FOR FACE PAINTING:

1. Guan Ju (Red) - It means courage, devotion, uprightness, bravery, and loyalty.

2. Huang Pang (Yellow) - It indicates ambition, cool-headedness, and fierceness.
3. Zhu Wen (Green) - It signifies that the character is impulsive, violent, and lacks self-restraint
4. Zhang Fei (Black) - It symbolizes fierceness and roughness. Black face indicates either a
rough and bold character or an impartial and selfless personality
5. Lian Po (Purple and Reddish-Purple) - It signifies uprightness and cool-headedness while
the latter indicates a just and noble character.
 6. Cao Cao (White) - It suggests craftiness treachery and suspiciousness. They are common to
the powerful villains on stage.
7. Jiang Gan - It is the Chinese Opera’s clown or chou.
8. Xiaohualian - It is (the petty painted face) a special makeup pattern around the nose. At times,
it is also painted on a young page or jesting to enliven up the performance.
9. Gold and silver colors - It is used for gods and spirits.
10. Kabuki Make-up of Japan

Kabuki Makeup or Kesho is already in itself an interpretation of the actor’s role through the medium of
the facial features.
Mukimi-Guma or Suji-Guma is an example of face painting. Lines are painted into an actor’s face.
These lines are then smudged to soften them.

Two Types of Kabuki Makeup

1. Standard Makeup. It is applied to most actors.
2. Kumadori Makeup - It is applied to villains and heroes. It is composed of very dramatic lines
and shapes using colors that represent certain qualities.
 dark red - passion or anger  light green - calm
 dark blue - depression or sadness  black - fear
 pink - youth  purple - nobility

Nihon Guma - It is used for characters with strength beneath their outward calmness.
Suji Guma - It expresses the power and strength of the hero.

KOREAN MASK
Tal or T'al - It is the Korean mask. It originated with religious meaning and has a rich history. It is used
in funeral services to help banish evil spirits and theatre plays. It is also used for shamanistic rites and was
kept within temples where they were honored with offerings.

The Roles of Colors in Korean Masks.

1. Black, Red, and White Mask - Bright and vibrant colors help establish the age and race of the
figure.
2. Half Red and Half White Mask - It symbolizes the idea that the wearer has two fathers, Mr. Red
and Mr. White.

The Artifacts and Art Objects in Terms of Their Utilization and their Distinct Use of Art
Elements and Principles
Temples - The usual subjects in East Asian painting. Observe the roofs of temples and buildings in China,
Japan, and Korea.

Sweeping Roofs - These are the usual roofs of East Asian temples and houses.
 They believe that it will protect them from the elements of water, wind, and fire.
 Buddhists believed that it helped ward off evil spirits which were deemed to be straight lines.

Three main types of roofs in traditional Chinese architecture:

1. Straight Inclined - It is more economical for common Chinese architecture.
2. Multi-inclined - This is usually the roofs with two or more sections of incline. These roofs are
used for residences of wealthy Chinese.
3. Sweeping - It has curves that rise at the corners of the roof. This is usually reserved for temples
and palaces although it can be found in the homes of the wealthy.

The Design, Form, and Spirit of East Asian Artifacts and Art Objects to One’s Creation

Paper Arts.
Paper was first invented by Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty in China.

Art of Paper Cutting.

1. Decorative Chinese Paper Cuttings
The design is usually symmetrical when unfolded.
 It adapted the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac as themes or motifs.
 It mostly uses the red color.

Jianzhi.
 It is the first type of paper-cutting design since paper was invented by the Chinese.
 It is sometimes referred to as "chuāng huā", meaning Window Flower.
 Its vas has intricate designs and creative use of negative space.

Kirie.
 It is the Japanese art of paper cutting.
 It comes from the Japanese words "kiru" (to cut) and "kami" (paper)

Hanji Paper Cutting.

 It is the Korean art of paper cutting.
 It is mostly used for decorative purposes
 It uses hanji paper to form patterns.