Division of labour: "skillful-hands" and "standard-hands"
Painted porcelains are the collaborative work of many different people, among porcelain painters, there exists a distinction between "skillful-hands" and "standard-hands".
Those porcelain painting masters in the factories are called "skillful-hands". In the early days of the Gangcai industry, painting was largely based on patterns designated by the customers or traditional designs, the painters were mainly responsible for outlining the designs on the blanks, which were then handed over to the "standard-hands", they are the technicians furnishing and completing the designs. The "skillful-hands" come up with the design outlines, prepare the prototypes, then work on the blanks to marking the layout and arrangement of patterns, drafting and outlining the patterns, sketching the shapes. Later, as demands kept rising, the role of the "skillful-hands" expanded to include making rubber stamps and drafting the templates for decals, the factory owners would delegate suck work to the more abled painting masters. If there were no suitable person, the factory owners may employ porcelain painting masters from the outside, but there were also cases where professional painters without experience with porcelain were hired. "Standard-hands" used to be responsible for colouring and gilding at first; but expanded to include stamping patterns then colouring, putting on decals, etc.
The families of the owners of the painted porcelain factories often also work in the factories—
Lee Siu Hung (left) and his son Lee Wing Chiu (right): during the early time it was a family workshop, with the father as skillful-hands and the son as standard-hands. Later, Lee Wing Chiu set up his own business and became a skillful-hand himself. (Photo from 1953 and 1960 respectively, both from collection of Lee Wing Chiu)
Lee Wing Chiu and his wife: the couple works together on painted porcelain, each responsible for different tasks. (Photo from 1950, collection of Lee Wing Chiu)
Six of the children of Liu Kam Choy, founder of To Ngai Earthware, engaged in the family business (photos from collection of Liu Chiu Yuen) —
Liu Kam Choy (c. 1966)Liu Chiu Sum, third son of Liu Kam Choy: spearheaded in expanding the business (c. 1966)
Liu Wai Ming, fifth son of Liu Kam Choy mainly look after the business in the Mainland (c. 1986)Liu Chiu Yuen, eighth son of Liu Kam Choy mainly manage the production in Taiwan and overseas business (c. 1992)
Division of labour: "skillful-hands" and "standard-hands"
Painted porcelains are the collaborative work of many different people, among porcelain painters, there exists a distinction between "skillful-hands" and "standard-hands".
Those porcelain painting masters in the factories are called "skillful-hands". In the early days of the Gangcai industry, painting was largely based on patterns designated by the customers or traditional designs, the painters were mainly responsible for outlining the designs on the blanks, which were then handed over to the "standard-hands", they are the technicians furnishing and completing the designs. The "skillful-hands" come up with the design outlines, prepare the prototypes, then work on the blanks to marking the layout and arrangement of patterns, drafting and outlining the patterns, sketching the shapes. Later, as demands kept rising, the role of the "skillful-hands" expanded to include making rubber stamps and drafting the templates for decals, the factory owners would delegate suck work to the more abled painting masters. If there were no suitable person, the factory owners may employ porcelain painting masters from the outside, but there were also cases where professional painters without experience with porcelain were hired. "Standard-hands" used to be responsible for colouring and gilding at first; but expanded to include stamping patterns then colouring, putting on decals, etc.
The families of the owners of the painted porcelain factories often also work in the factories—
Lee Siu Hung (left) and his son Lee Wing Chiu (right): during the early time it was a family workshop, with the father as skillful-hands and the son as standard-hands. Later, Lee Wing Chiu set up his own business and became a skillful-hand himself. (Photo from 1953 and 1960 respectively, both from collection of Lee Wing Chiu)
Lee Wing Chiu and his wife: the couple works together on painted porcelain, each responsible for different tasks. (Photo from 1950, collection of Lee Wing Chiu)
Six of the children of Liu Kam Choy, founder of To Ngai Earthware, engaged in the family business (photos from collection of Liu Chiu Yuen) —
Liu Kam Choy (c. 1966)Liu Chiu Sum, third son of Liu Kam Choy: spearheaded in expanding the business (c. 1966)
Liu Wai Ming, fifth son of Liu Kam Choy mainly look after the business in the Mainland (c. 1986)Liu Chiu Yuen, eighth son of Liu Kam Choy mainly manage the production in Taiwan and overseas business (c. 1992)
