Kabuki Make – Up of Japan
Kabuki make up or Kesho is already in
itself an interpretation of the actor’s own
role through the medium of the facial
features.
Kabuki Make up is also another way of face
painting which has two types.
1. Standard Make up - applied to most actors
2. Kumadori Make up – applied to villains and heroes.
It is composed of very dramatic lines and shapes
using color’s that represent certain qualities;
Dark Red = passion and anger
Dark Blue = depression and sadness
Pink = youth
Light green = calm
Black = fear
Purple = nobility
Kumadori:
The painted Faces of Japanese Kabuki Theatre
Korean Mask
Korean Mask is also called tal or t’al, originated
with religious meaning just like the masks of
other countries which also have religious or
artistic origins.
They use it in funeral services to help banish
evil spirits and theatre plays dating back to the
prehistoric age.
The roles of Color’s in Korean Masks:
1. Black, red and White – Bright and vibrant color’s
that help establish the age and race of the figures.
2. Half Red and Half White Mask – symbolize the
idea that the wearer has two fathers, Mr. Red and
Mr. White.
3. Dark-faced mask – indicates that the character was
born of an adulterous mother.
Some mask have moving parts like
winking or shifting eye and moving mouths.
To further add to the lifelike features of
the masks, black fabric is draped from the
top of the mask over the wearer’s head to
simulate hair.
Korean Traditional Painted Masks
Paper Arts and Knot Tying
Paper was first invented by Cai Lun of the East
Han Dynasty in China.
It is indeed one of the greatest contributions of
ancient China in the development of arts.
The earliest document showing paper
folding is a picture of a small paper boat
in an edition of “Tractatus de Sphaera
Mundi” from 1490 by Johannse de
sacrobosco.
In China, traditional funerals include
burning yunbao which is a folded
paper that look like god nuggets or
ingots called Sycee. This is also used
for other ceremonial practices.
This kind of burning is commonly
done on their ancestor’s graves
during the Ghost Festival. Sycee
A Sycee is a type of silver or gold ingot currency
used in China until the 20th century. The name is
derived fro the Contonese words meaning “fine
silk”.
Today, imitation gold sycees are used as a symbol of
prosperity by Chinese and are frequently displayed during
the Chinese New Year.
The Gold paper
folded to look like a
Sycee.
The term origami came from the “ori” meaning
“folding”, and “kami” meaning “paper”.
It is a traditional Japanese art of paper folding ,
which started in the 17th century AD and was
popularized internationally in the mid-1900s. It
eventually evolved into a modern art form.
Flowers,
Animals;
Birds;
Fish;
Geometric shapes and;
Dolls.
Decorative Chinese paper
cutting are usually symmetrical
in design when unfolded and
adapt the 12 animals of the
Chinese Zodiac as themes and
motifs and mostly choose color
is red.
The earliest use of paper was
made as a pattern for lacquers,
decoration on windows, doors
and walls.
Chinese Buddhist believe
that hanging “Window
Flowers” or decorative paper
cutting attract good luck and
drive away evil spirits.
A kite is an assembled or joined aircraft that was
traditionally made of silk or paper with a bowline
and a resilient bamboo.
Today, kites can be made out of plastic.
Kites are flown for recreational purposes,
display of one’s artistic skills.
Chinese Kites originated in WeiFang, Sandong,
China was the capital city of kites during the
Song Dynasty (960-1279), and by the Ming
Dynasty (1368-1644). Since 1984 the city is
hosting the largest international kite festival on
earth.
According to Joseph
Needham one of the
important contributions of
Chinese in science and
technology to Europe is the
kite.
Chinese kites may be differentiated into
four main categories:
1. Centipede
2. Hard-Winged Kites
3. Soft-Winged Kites
4. Flat Kites
In Korea, decorative
knotwork is known as
“Maedeup” or called
Dorae or double
connection knot,
often called Korean
Knot work or Korean
Knots.
Zhongguo is the
Chinese decorative
handicraft art that
began as a form of
Chinese Folk Art in
the Tang and Song
Dynasty (960-1279
AD) in China.
In Japan, knot tying is
called Hanamusubi. It
emphasizes on braids and
focuses on individual knots.
