Color expression in lacquer painting: The interaction of materials and the "Bian Tu" technique

Abstract

This study focuses on the unique color expression of lacquer painting. From the interdisciplinary perspective of material science and optics, the interaction between lacquer pigments and materials such as gold foil and pearlescent substances in the "Bian Tu" technique is mainly explored. The research objective is to analyze the optical phenomena caused by different materials in the "Bian Tu" technique to reveal how these optical phenomena shape the unique visual effect of lacquer painting. This study adopts the qualitative research method, combining the analysis of literature content with the visual analysis of representative lacquer paintings. The relationship between the materials, techniques, and visual effects of the works is clarified by using Feldman's "four-step method." The results show that the combination of natural and synthetic materials in the "Bian Tu" technique can produce dynamic color shifts and unique visual effects. This expands the expressiveness of lacquer painting and breaks through the limitations of traditional lacquer painting techniques. The research conclusion points out that the "Bian Tu" technique is one of the most basic and expressive core techniques of lacquer painting. However, existing related research mostly focuses on qualitative analysis and historical literature review. There is a lack of research perspective that starts from the special optical mechanism caused by materials and analyzes the visual effects it finally presents. Therefore, this study provides an interdisciplinary perspective for the aesthetics of lacquer art. Providing theoretical support and practical reference for the integration of traditional crafts and modern technology and the application of lacquer painting in contemporary art.