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| Chinese Cartoon Styles |
The Birth of Paper-cut Cartoon
As early as he is in Hong Kong, one of the Wan brothers Wan Guchan
had an idea to produce cartoon by filming the figures made of paper.
He and one of his brothers painstakingly raise fund everywhere but
were told the try was too risky. His wish to produce paper-cut cartoon
was supported by studio leader Te Wei as soon as he returned to
Shanghai and entered Shanghai Animation Studio in 1956. Famous playwright
Bao Lei wrote "Zhu Bajie Eats Water Melon" and cartoonist Jan Tong
designed the characterization. Hu Jinqing, Chen Zhenghong and Qian
Jiaxin participated in the new try. Absorbing artistic characteristics
from Chinese shadow play and folk paper-cut, they produced the first
batch of paper-cut figures. They made camera stands and lamps by
themselves. After their first failed try, Wan Guchan firmly told
the group to continue. Finally "Zhu Bajie Eats Water Melon" was
finished in 1958 and started a new type of Chinese cartoon. Then
they consolidated and developed the new type by the production of
"Fisher Boy", "Cricket Fighting by Ji Gong" and Ginseng Baby". The
paper-cut cartoon reached a new artistic and technical level in
1963 production "Golden Conch".
The Birth of Water Drawing Cartoon
Once received international attention, water drawing cartoon is
Chinese outstanding work with national characteristic. It began
in 1960 by employing Chinese traditional water drawing technique
and style into cartoon film. Without the verge line, water drawing
cartoon broke through the common producing way of . After birth,
the two water drawing cartoons "Little Tadpole Looks for Mamma"
and "Reed Pipe" received unanimous applause all over of world. "Little
Tadpole Looks for Mamma" won the First TV Flowers Prize and other
five prizes in international festival. "Reed Pipe" won "Golden Prize"
at the Third nternational Fairy Tale Film Festival. Audiences were
surprised by the style when it was shown abroad. French "World Paper"
reported "Chinese water drawing, with its soft scenery, fine style
and the action expressing anxiety, hesitation and happiness, added
charm and poetic quality." Another American scholar also commended
that it was of unadulterated Chinese characteristic. Chinese water
drawing is said to be of more than 1000 years history. Shi Ke wrote
water drawing as early as in "Five Dynasties" period. Water drawing
developed much through Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty and evolved
into unique style. Inheriting from the artistic style, the water
drawing cartoon is unstrained, beautiful, lyrical and moving and
reflects the aesthetic thinking and national style.
New Infant Paper Folding Cartoon
Paper folding cartoon is new cartoon produced by Yu Zheguang in
1960. It possesses a childish characteristic by employing paper
folding to shape the characters in film. Paper folding cartoons
"Clever Duckling", "A Cabbage", "Duckling Yaya" and "Crocodile,
Witch and Little Girl" are well received by little audiences. |
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