A workshop of mine recently featured on online TV for a Chinese New Year special documentary! Channel 8 online filmed my CNY Linocut workshop at Naiise as part of a program about businesses catering to the festive season. My segment starts at the 04:50 mark on this short video.
(English translation of original transcript)
The WOW Show - Chinese New Year Special
(Script translated from Mandarin original broadcast)
"Aside from all the food, another thing everyone loves about the Chinese New Year is getting red packets! Lucky red packets come in all shapes and sizes, but there's something genuine and heartwarming about getting lucky money in an envelope hand-crafted by a loved-one.
One local artist is using the approaching New Year to host a one-day workshop that teaches students how to make red packets out of linocut prints. She teaches the process in three steps. First, transfer any image you want from tracing paper onto a piece of linoleum. Next, carve out the image using various carving tools. Finally, place ink on the linoleum and print the image on a piece of paper, which can then be folded into a red packet. This two and a half hour class costs $95.
Participants' ages range from 20 to 60+ years. What was it about this class that appealed to them? Let's hear what they had to say.
Participant 1: I have always been interested in linoblock work, and Jennifer was providing a basic course, so it was interesting to be able to be introduced to the topic.
Participant 2: I have always been interested in arts and craft, actually I have attended quite a few arts and craft, hands‐on workshops in Singapore, like calligraphy, candle‐making classes and all.
The instructor and host of the workshop told us that linoleum printing is good for beginners, not to mention primary-schoolers!
Jennifer Lim: ...because we use rubber and it's very soft, it's suitable for beginners, and even upper primary school children. I feel printmaking does tend to require one to be a bit careful because you are using inks and paper. It can be messy at times, but I think the students find it meditative, the process of printmaking, and the results they have are really great.
And just how would students rate the workshop in terms of difficulty? What part do they find to be most challenging?
Participant 3:...difficulty on a scale of 10? Maybe 3 out of 10. The most challenging was actually doing the line work, carving the block.
Participant 4: Six maybe. What I find it difficult is using the tools to carve on the rubber... even rubber is not easy, especially for someone like me who is doing it for the first time."
(Mandarin language original transcript)
大家在农历新年除了关注吃的,也很爱领红包吧!红包市场上的红包袋款式包罗万象,但如果能在农历新年收到对方亲手制作的红包袋,相信满满的诚意,就更令人感到温馨。
本地就有艺术家趁着佳节来临之际,开办一天课程,教导学生们如何以麻胶版画制作红包袋。过程主要包括三个步骤。首先,是将画在描图纸上的心仪图案转印在橡胶板上。之后,再使用雕刻工具刻出图案。最后加上涂料印在纸上,就能折成红包袋。这个长达两个半小时的课程,价格为一人95元。
而参与者的年龄也介于20多岁到60多岁。那是什么吸引他们参与这个课程呢?现在就来听听参与者怎么说。
参与者说,“我一向对麻胶版画都感兴趣,而现在有这个基本课程,能接触到麻胶版画很有趣。”
(I have always been interested in linoblock work, and Jennifer was providing a basic course, so it was interesting to be able to be introduced to the topic.)
另一名参与者则表示,“我一向对艺术与手工品有兴趣,其实我已在本地参与过几个类似的课程,如书法和制作蜡烛的课程等。”
(I have always been interested in arts and craft, actually i have attended quite a few arts and craft, hands-on workshop in Singapore, like calligraphy, candle-making classes and all)
创办人就告诉我们,麻胶版画绝对适合初学者,甚至是小学生!
创办人林薇美说:“我们使用橡胶板,它是很软的,所以我认为是适合初学者,甚至是小学高年级生。麻胶版画使用涂料和纸张,有时会有些乱,所以需要小心。但我认为学生们会觉得过程能让他们沉思,而他们取得的效果是好的。”
(...because we use rubber and it's very soft, it's suitable for beginners, and even upper primary school children. I feel print making does tend to require one to be a bit careful because you are using inks and paper. It can be messy at times, but i think the students find it meditative, the process of print making, and the results they have are really great.)
那如果要为课程的难度打分,学生们会打几分呢?他们又认为那一部分最有挑战性?
参与者表示,“难度方面,10分内可能打三分吧。最有挑战性的是雕刻方面。”
(...difficulty on a scale of 10,maybe 3 out of 10. the most challenging was actually doing the line work, carving the block.)
另一名参与者则表示,“可能是六分吧。困难的绝对是雕刻在橡胶板上,即使是橡胶板也不容易,尤其是对我们这些初学者而言。”
(...6 maybe.what i find it difficult is using the tools to carve on the rubber.. even rubber is not easy, especially for someone like me who is doing it for the first time.)