Blinds Painting
Blinds Painting
Master Jiang
About Blinds Painting
Blinds painting is a form of artwork that is associated with the blinds itself. This craftsmanship coexists alongside with the demand of blinds making in Ipoh when billboards and digital media have not made their mark back then. Hence, this artwork serves both as an aesthetic purpose and advertising value, particularly with most owners preferring to drape the blinds in front of their shop lots by the side walkways (a.k.a. kaki lima). Thus, these visible etchings became popular promotional tools for products or businesses
During the bustling business era in Ipoh, locations like Hugh Low Street (New Town) and old town were adorned with these art paintings along the street. Painters sketch the design of the blinds according to the different sizes that fit the shop lot structure. For instance, if the blinds came in pairs (side by side), the painter thus has to creatively design the product’s features in pairs respectively in order to attract the attention of passersby with its colourful art.
It may look like a simple process, however blinds making process is the antecedent of blinds painting. Thus, both craftsmen must work closely with each other to ensure the entire process is concordantly synchronized. According to Master Law (blinds maker), back in the day, after he made the blinds, his brother later painted them, keeping the synchronization within the family. However, today he relies on Master Jiang for the painting work. Based on the archives from Master Law, various information is usually drawn on the blinds, which includes: business information (name and address), advertisement of product/services, and sometimes even periodic messages/announcements.
Besides these information, illustrations in the form of writing and diagrams (of the product/business) were also pictured on the blinds. This is a reflection of the early wisdom in those days to use these illustrations and diagrams to target audiences who may be illiterate but yet are able to easily recognize these identifiable images. According to Master Jiang, his paintings are not limited to just blinds alone, but his artwork extends to vehicles such as buses and vans. However, this craftsmanship started to decline with the introduction of billboard licensing fee and advancement technology, such as printing and stickers. Hence, because of this change, it may be that Master Jiang could be the sole surviving craftsman with blinds painting experience today.
" One can not just rely on
talent alone.
Full hearted passion and resilience
is also needed"
- Master Jiang
Process of Blinds Painting
STEP 1: SKETCH A DRAFT
A design hand-sketched on a piece of paper according to client’s requirement (as there was no graphic design software in those days). Once the design is confirmed, the blinds painter will measure the ratio based on the size of the blinds.
STEP 2: MAKING THE BLINDS
Based on the sketch, the blinds painter will either free-handedly (or with the support minimum tools) to illustrate the outline of the feature on the blinds.
STEP 3: DRAW AND PAINT
From the outline, the painter now gradually develops the complete feature by filling the colour paints details. The entire process depends on the complexity of the design.
STEP 4: SUN DRY THE BLIND
The final step is to place the blinds out in the sun to dry thoroughly. This process depends on the painting materials, which usually take two to three hours or even days.
