Seal carving, two words, seal and engraving, naturally both seal, but also to carve, together is called seal carving, and the previous word, seal law, chapter law belong to the part of the seal, today we talk about carving, that is, the knife method. The so-called knife method refers to the specific method or technique of carrying the knife engraving in the process of seal engraving. No matter how you said "seven points to write, three minutes to engrave" before, it is impossible to hide the importance of the engraving, even if it only accounts for "three points" in the seal engraving, the knife method is still a very important part of the seal engraving.
In the past, it was said that the reason why seal engraving should be learned by the teacher is because the link of the sword method is not easy to explain clearly, and the teacher often goes through more practice, has some stylized skills, and directly says it to the disciple, so the disciple gets the "true transmission" and uses it effectively in the process of engraving at home. And now the Internet is developed, many famous knife methods can find videos on the Internet, it seems that it is not so necessary to find a teacher to learn to print, just use all the engraved videos on the Internet to find, choose which is related to the knife method, look at the past one by one, taste carefully, you can learn the knife method.
But, far from that!
Before the specific rough talk about the knife method (interested, pay attention to the public number: three small pudding, go inside to find relevant articles to see. Because more and more friends leave messages saying that the knife method is too important, take the time to talk about the knife method. I'm trying to talk about it today, because I'm going to talk about the knife method in more detail than before, so today it's called: Talking about the knife method.
If you want to explain the concept of a very operable knife technique through text description, it is not an easy task, knowing that it cannot be done, I am obviously bold enough, so let's first list an outline, today I will talk about these three aspects:
1, what is the knife method
2, how to transport the knife
3, how to improve
First, what is the knife method?
This is the most difficult thing to explain clearly, just like a thousand people have a thousand Hamlets in their hearts, a thousand seal engravers have a thousand understanding of the sword method, in the past seal carving tutorials, the concept of the knife method has a strong uncertainty, what I am talking about here, is roughly only what I think of the knife method.
The knife method is the method of removing the places on the stone that are needed. This is the simple concept of knife technique in my mind, which is also too old-fashioned, but you think this is not very accurate? Whether it is Bai Wenyin or Zhu Wenyin, remove the unwanted, leave the needed, it is as simple as it can be engraved accurately, easily engraved, can reflect the content of the printing, and improve the printing efficiency, even if it is a good knife method, as for how to take the knife, how to use force, is the details, and even many people have different methods (the second part will be talked about).
But how to remove the unwanted place, what is the specific performance of this knife method, the predecessors summed up too much, the Qing Dynasty Zhou Ying wish (the word Gongjin, if you mention Zhou Gongjin in the printing works, it must be him, not the Zhou Yu of the Three Kingdoms. Summarizing the "Seven Knives Theory", the knife method is divided into seven kinds of knife methods; Xu Rong of the Qing Dynasty simply summarized the "Thirteen Knife Methods"; Yao Yan of the Qing Dynasty summed it up as "On the Nineteen Theories of the Knife"... Because there are too many numbers and too many detailed knives, these knife techniques are not easy to master.
In my opinion, there are only two types of knife methods in general: punching knives and cutting knives.
Of course, if you consider the angle of the knife, the knife method will also be divided into two kinds, one is the center knife, the other is the side blade, the center blade shaft is basically perpendicular to the stone surface, and the angle between the blade and the printing surface is smaller, which is roughly the same as the concept of center and side in calligraphy. If you consider the direction and number of times to complete a line, you can also divide the knife method into single knife and double knife (these two concepts, as mentioned in the previous article on knife method, will not be dismantled in detail. ）。
The above is the simple sense of the knife method, and the complex sense of the knife method, may also need to understand these concepts, that is, we write and design in the printing of the calligraphy, artistry, temperament, style of the factors, how to transport the knife, these contents are reflected in the printing surface, and this embodiment of the method can be systematically summarized, become our next guidance engraving knife theory, this summary of the guiding knife method, is the knife method. In this sense, in addition to the independent aesthetic value embodied by itself, it also needs to reflect the orthography, seal method, and chapter method we said earlier, and this knife method is also related to our calligraphy level, not only from the perspective of craftsmanship, but also from the perspective of art. The knife method that rises to this level is more difficult to understand, but the knife method we are ultimately talking about is exactly the knife method at this level.
Second, how to transport the knife
The concept of knife method sounds very twisted, whether we understand this concept or not, in the end, we must be able to transport the knife, and we will use the knife method of punching and cutting to express the content of the printing surface that we want to express.
Everyone's specific grasp of the knife method is different, such as how much force to use the knife, how fast to use the knife, and even combined with the different characteristics of different stones, how the knife method shapes different line textures, etc., each person's experience is completely different, but there is always a law to follow, we respectively cite the cutting knife and the punch knife to use the examples of the two masters to illustrate.
The example of using the cutting knife to the extreme We cite Ding Jing, the founder of the Zhejiang School, who inherited the spirit of Zhu Jian's knife technique and used the cutting knife method to the extreme, creating the Zhejiang School seal style that has been popular in the printing altar for more than a hundred years. Let's look at his work:
(Seal of Ding Jing)
(Ding Jing's body seal)
When we enlarge Ding Jing's works, we will find that there are slight deviations from the lines on each line, and this knife marks are intermittently applied to the same direction of the strokes, showing that the style characteristics are ancient, simple, and clumsy, and the cutting knife more reflects the meaning of gold and stone.
The specific knife transport method is to use the knife angle into the stone after the knife angle into the stone, use the knife angle into the stone as the support point, force the part of the blade to the direction of line development into the printing stone, the pressed blade is short, called the short knife, or crushed, the blade of the pressed blade is long, called long cutting, its action cycle is to cut the action to complete, because the angle of each force forced into the stone can not remain completely unified, so the blade will deviate from the direction of the indian line, this deviation is minimal, and each time this microscopic blade and the angle between the indian line, After countless rhythmic cutters, long lines with a unified rhythm are formed, so when we look at the lines cut by the cutters, there is always a feeling of open-mindedness, but the brushwork of the lines is not interrupted.
Because the width of the cutting knife blade is limited, it will not exceed 1.5 cm, then, everything, the cut line will not be too long, therefore, the style expressed with the cutting knife is mostly delicate and subtle, and because there is stagnation between the two cutting knife actions, the carved lines are mostly muddy, clumsy, and sluggish, such as the rainy day of the house leak marks, hanging down, astringent and straight.
Speaking of Qi Baishi, who used the punching knife to the extreme, he finally founded the Qi School because of the punching knife printing style, and among the modern Indians, he is an absolute master. Let's take a look at his work:
(Tranquility)
(Longevity of people)
Master Qi is not only punching the knife, but also a single knife punch, endlessly refreshing, inexhaustible strength.
Under normal circumstances, the style of the punching knife to be expressed is gentle and smooth and refreshing, and the punching knife works carved out by the double knife are smooth on both sides, giving people the feeling of being smooth, and the punching knife reflects more calligraphic meaning. Qi Baishi's punching knife is a single-knife method, and after enlargement, it looks like it is light on one side and hair on the other.
The specific knife handling method of the punching knife is to continuously push the knife in the direction required by the line after entering the stone with a knife angle, and use the blade to cut the stone surface, and the cycle of the knife is basically to complete a stroke or a line. Because it is a continuous push in one direction, the beginner will not push straight, line bends, etc., after strengthening the practice, you can overcome, if you always can't carve straight, it is probably that the amount of practice is not enough or the summary is not timely. Because the punching knife is continuously pushed in one direction, the sense of direction is strong, and the knife can be pushed with a clear line, and the speed, angle, and strength can be controlled at will, so the line that comes out is refreshing, clear, and tactful.
Since the punching knife is a continuous push knife after the knife angle enters the stone, the line may be carved very long, and it can be played within the limits of the printing surface.
Rushing and cutting, like running and walking in people walking, of course, there is a combination of punching and cutting, there are different punching methods, different cutting methods, just like people jumping, jumping, jumping and other postures in walking, of course, the embodiment of the printing style is also different, how many postures people walk, how many postures are reflected in the printing surface, may be as elegant as the ballet queen Pavlova, of course, it may also be like the sprinter Bolt (the world's 100-meter sprint record holder) the same rapidity, the seal engraving with different postures is therefore colorful.
As for the knife method at the corner, most of them are after carving the long knife, leaving the knife at the corner of the stroke, or at the intersection, and then using the stone knife angle as the support, and then rotating the knife shaft, and accurately cutting the stone at the knife with the blade to get the desired effect, all that is required is care and the ability to control the knife.
Third, how to improve?
To answer this one, in fact, it is just one sentence: practice more.
As Ouyang Xiu said in "The Oil Seller", the practice of the sword technique is a "no him, but the hands are familiar with the ears", and there is no other trick, which is the same as that of The Cu Ding Xie Niu in "Zhuangzi": "Where the hands touch, the shoulders are leaned on, the feet are walked, the knees are stomped, the sound is loud, the sword is played, the middle tone is not heard, and the dance of the Sanglin is the first meeting of the Middle Classics." "The beauty of the knife and stone after the skillful knife technique, and the meaning of the knife and the pen, all depend on the word proficiency."
But that's not to say that as long as you practice, there are some tricks for carrying knives. These tips have been summed up by previous generations, and they may be able to do more with less to guide our knife handling.
For example, Zhou Yingxian said in the "Seal Saying":
"The magic of writing is powerful in the fourth finger, and the magic of writing is powerful in the third finger." Pitching in and out, retracting and retracting, rigid and curved, vertical and horizontal, all unsatisfactory. Those who are not really competent cannot. ”
Writing calligraphy, the fourth finger, that is, the ring finger of the "grid" pen, engraving, the third finger, the finger single hook type (as shown above) in the knife method, the middle finger of the "grid" knife, the finger pen is different from the knife, the performance is in flexible use, it is not the same, when practicing the knife method, pay attention to the flexibility and strength of the middle finger, and naturally control the knife freely. This is the specific experience of Zhou Yingwan, of course, it has also been tested by countless Indians, and everyone can pay attention to the experience.
Feng Chenghui said in the "Printing And Learning Pipe View":
"The knife should be straight and not horizontal, and the horizontal is tender and unfocused." The knife wants to be heavy, such as the painter's so-called vajra pestle, the calligrapher's so-called folding strands, and the leak marks in the house. The knife wants to live, it rises and falls, if it does not pay attention. ”
As far as possible to make the knife body vertical printing surface, this refers to the center of the knife, after the development of the knife method in later generations, now the flank knife is also used flexibly, but the beginner is still as far as possible in the center of the knife; the falling knife as hard as possible, so that all the strength penetrates the blade, with the knife ploughing the stone; the knife should be as flexible as possible, flexible to completely free, do not have to worry, such as driving a car or riding a bicycle, completely free to operate, do not have to worry about the position of the gear lever and the position of the foot pedal every time you operate.
Also emphasizing the center is Xu Shangda, who said in the "Indo-French Reference":
"The knife has a center, there is a side edge. The center forward must be used, not the side forward. In the middle, the front is hidden, the muscles and bones are in the middle; the partial is exposed, the knife marks are disgusting, and it looks like a new blade, without ancient meaning. ”
Even for the effect of printing surfaces, Xu Shangda also made corresponding requirements:
"Zhu Wengui is deep, Bai Wengui is shallow." White and shallow follow the knife in the law, deep and negative. Zhu Shen's fa began to leap like a shallow one. ”
The above experience of the predecessors, used to guide beginners, should be very valuable, but must not be rigid, to know the flexibility, for example, not all Zhu Wen is expensive, all white text is expensive and shallow, etc., to learn and use it.
Let's sum it up. For the improvement of knife technique, it is roughly these:
1. Carry the knife with thinking. Knife practice is a thing that requires long-term practice and experience, you need to practice while practicing, thinking at the same time, with thinking to experience the process of each knife movement; 2, while increasing the amount of practice while summarizing. No amount of thinking can replace the practice, the swimming master designation is trained in the water, the sharpshooter also needs bullets to feed out, engraving kung fu, it is mainly to see how many stones you have carved, in addition to the talent factor, most of the skills are this truth; 3, there is a chance to look at the printing surface of the predecessors, especially the printing surface of the master masters. Pay attention to the relationship between their knife technique and the performance of the printing surface, combine their own knife process, think and summarize the experience.
([Old Li Carved Hall] No. 75, part of the picture from the Network)