Analysing Chinese Traditional Visual Elements in Chinese Animation Character Design in the 1950s Through the 1980s_Meng

Chunhui Meng MA Digital Art Camberwell College Of Art

Analysing Chinese Traditional Visual Elements in Chinese Animation Character

Design in the 1950s through the 1980s

Abstract

Animation is a unique artistic and cultural form. With the rapid development of science

and technology, animation art that has endured for more than a century remains one of

the best forms of entertainment. The characters in animation could be considered the

soul of the cartoon, which is not only vital to the success of the animation but also

indicates its considerable cultural and commercial value.

In this era of visual culture, the hegemony of image has become indisputable. During this

process, the rapid development of animation art has gradually attracted the attention of

audiences and become a social phenomenon related to people's daily lives. Since the

early 1950s, the artwork used in Chinese animation has formed its own inimitable art

system. This study takes the visual elements of animation character design as the main

clue in exploring the concept of visual style in animation. Chinese traditional culture

encompasses ink paintings, Beijing Opera facial masks, Lunar New Year’s paintings,

Dunhuang frescoes, paper-cut shadow figures and other expressions. National

characteristics and distinctive quality determine the principal manifestations of Chinese

animation. Starting with a few case studies, I will explain how to use traditional art forms

in the design of Chinese animation characters to discuss their respective value and

significance. Finally, I will describe my personal point of view regarding character design

for animation.

Keyword: Chinese Animation, Chinese Ink Painting, Beijing Opera facial masks,

Chinese Folk Art

1. Introduction

Chinese animation began to explore its own national and original style in the 1950s.

Chen (2010) notes that the 1950s could be considered as the start of the golden years of

Chinese animation. In the history of Chinese animation, a period of approximately 30

years, represent a time of significant development. In China, the creators of animated

characters began to consciously explore national style in the ontology of art in pursuit of

their own style. During this period, most Chinese cartoons were adapted from traditional

legends and fables using various techniques, including traditional ink painting, puppetry

and paper cutting. Many traditional cultural elements were incorporated into these

features, imbuing them with a distinctly Chinese flavour (Duan, 2009). As animation

artists continued to develop playwriting skills and to explore a national artistic style of

Chinese animation during this period, a number of classical Chinese animations

appeared that won recognition in the field of international animation.

However, contemporary Chinese animation is more perplexing because it lacks its own

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unique characteristics. In the mid-1980s, the field of Chinese animation faced great

challenges due to rapid changes in the external environment. These external shifts

resulted in hesitation, confusion and blind transformation not only within the realm of art

but also in the animation industry. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to summarise the

history of Chinese animation art and then to explore the basic rules and characteristics of

Chinese animation to fully comprehend the unique Chinese cultural and artistic style and

incorporate its outstanding artistic characters.

In this paper, I will analyse Chinese animation style in the 1950s through the 1980s, as

influenced by Chinese elements, into three categories: Chinese ink painting, Beijing

Opera facial masks and Chinese folk art (which also consists of Lunar New Year’s

paintings and paper-cut styles).

2. Chinese Ink Painting

Chinese ink painting is one of the most outstanding representations of the traditional style

of Chinese painting. For generations, these images, which are created using brushes,

have expressed the painter's emotions (Hou, 2007, p.41). Chinese ink painting animation

is a new art form that emerged in the 1960s. This form of art conveys dynamic ideas via

the artistic language of ink painting but also uses technology. China's early animation

artists regularly explored the national style of ink painting when creating animated

material. The creation of Chinese ink painting animation requires the special processing

technology of camera and film composition such that ink-painted frames can be

continuously projected one-by-one and become a complete animation.

In Chinese ink painting, the characters are neither designed to show distinct edges nor

are they evenly coloured. Instead, the method focuses on mixing ink and water together

to shape the character and express its charm by giving the effect of ink floating on rice

paper. The distinctive Chinese style of ink painting animation shook the international

animation community. Even today, these animations continue to amaze and have made

an indelible historical impression on Chinese animation, developing an excellent

reputation both at home and abroad. One of the most impressive examples is the

animation by Te Wei. Huang (2010 ， p.32) introduces that upon the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, caricaturist Te Wei was the leading figure in the

forming of Chinese national animation style. Te Wei's three released animated films, Little

Tadpole Looking for Mom (1960), the Reed Pipe (1963) and Feeling from Mountain and

Water (1988), could be regarded as the treasures of Chinese animated film history.

2.1 Little Tadpole Looking for Mom

In 1960, Te Wei utilized the performance technique of Chinese ink painting in an

animated film, producing the first Chinese ink animation, Little Tadpole Looking for Mom

(Figure 1). The film succeeded in combining ink painting with animation by portraying

multiple poetic scenes using pastel colours with ink painting. Along these lines, ink

animation has contributed considerably to the success of Chinese animation (Cui, 2007).

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The small tadpole appearing in the animation was

based on renowned artist Qi Baishi's painting; Frog

Sound Ten Miles Mountain springs. Animators skilfully

designed the curvilinear details of the movement of

the tadpole’s tails. For example, the tails were shown

to swing frequently when the tadpole felt happy and to

move slowly when the tadpole felt melancholic,

resulting in a vivid expression of the tadpole’s

feelings.

2.2 Reed Pipe

In 1962, Te Wei produced the animation Reed Pipe, which was the second major

success in Chinese ink painting animation and marked a further deepening of the artistic

style. The film tells a story described as, “A shepherd boy loses a buffalo, searches for

the buffalo and finally finds the buffalo," the aim of which was to express the intimate

relationship between the shepherd boy and the buffalo. This film became another

milestone in the history of Chinese animation.

In the film, the design of the buffalo draws on the artist Li Keran's Bull Map painting to

convey the appearance of the extraordinary animal figure. Yao (2011, p.143) describes

the details of how the design of the buffalo was connected to ink painting. According to

Yao, the entire body was expressed in shades of ink that appear to rhyme. The ink was

applied thickly on the coloured buffalo’s nose, lips and limbs. Light ink was used to draw

the buffalo’s back. Thus, the ink was displayed in various layers to create a vivid image of

a buffalo.

2.3 Feeling from Mountain and Water

Acquired by the Shanghai Animation Film Studio in 1988, Feeling from Mountain and

Water (Figure 2) was the last classical Chinese ink

painting animation produced during the period of the

1950s through the 1980s. Compared with earlier

work, Feeling from Mountain and Water seemed to be

perfect. In the film, either a static scene or a living

creature is fully integrated into the freehand

brushwork of the painting. Xu (2010) believes that the

refinement of the ink painting style in the animation

surpassed the philosophy expressed in the story.

With an elderly scholar and a young girl as the main characters of the film, the story of

Feeling from Mountain and Water suggests that the relationship between human beings

and nature should be harmonious. Zhang, G. (2010, p.24) states that rather than using

the traditional stop-motion technique of previous Chinese ink painting animation,

photographers explored filming the original background as the filming progressed and

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Figure 1. Little Tadpole Looking for Mom

Figure 2. Feeling from Mountain and Water


combined stop-motion animation scenes to create a shot phase synthesis. As

demonstrated, this new filming technology gave full play to the characteristics of Chinese

ink painting. When reaching the climax of the plot in the animation, the loss of the

relationship, the painters worked while the photographer simultaneously shot the painted

images. With this process of synthesising painting and photography, the film

demonstrates how the artist’s ink brings feeling and a sense of rhythm to the animation.

Chinese traditional ink painting has always focused on the relationships between people

and the landscape. When artists shape the proportions between figures and landscapes,

they usually base them on the real relationship between humans and nature. However, in

Chinese ink painting animation, characters need to be highlighted by placing them in the

image’s visual centre. Animation often stresses the image of a character such that the

character appears larger, and the landscape appears smaller.

Feeling from Mountain and Water also highlighted this innovative approach to animation

to meet people’s needs for the visual. Huang (2010, p.46) argues that The harmony

between man and nature, which is a highly valued concept in Chinese philosophy, and

the harmony between art form and story, are accomplished at the same time.

3. Beijing Opera Facial Masks

The appearance of ancient Chinese characters was preserved not only in ancient

paintings but also in Chinese drama from generation to generation. The Beijing Opera is

an important part of Chinese culture. It is famous for the special art form of its

performances, catering to popular tastes of both ancient and modern audiences. Tian

(2011) argued that to create a variety of characters, Chinese opera, especially the Beijing

Opera, has created a unique model of language.

3.1 Proud General

In general, the character in Proud General, an animation directed by Wei, drew on Beijing

Opera facial masks and action drama. With the rhythmic drums of traditional Chinese

opera, the characters are designed with interesting facial expressions and exaggerated

behaviour with numerous Chinese traditional elements.

In the spring of 1955, the film crew was organised to create the animation. In order to

explore the national style of Chinese animation, artists travelled to different areas in

China, such as Beijing, Shandong and Hebei, and collected a large number of ancient

paintings, sculptures and architectural information (Tian, 2011, p.74). After more than a

year of research, the creation of the film drew on traditional Chinese opera, particularly a

number of characteristics of Beijing Opera facial masks.

Modelling was accomplished using the facial makeup of the main characters from the

Beijing Opera. For instance, the character “General” was painted using the "whole-face"

technique, and another character, the “Customer Adviser”, was painted using the "half-

face" technique. Much of the dialogue and actions of the characters were based on the

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design of the actor's performance, which was an exaggerated form of character-specific

reproductions of traditional charm (Cai & Hou, 2011, p.25).

3.2 Havoc in Heaven

The animated film Havoc in Heaven was released in 1965. The shape of the Monkey

King is a reference to the image of the opera "show monkey''. Designers of the character

drew on the traditional art of the Beijing Opera. According to research by Tian (2011,

p.75), Zhang Guangyu designed the shape of the Monkey King based on the Monkey

King in drama (Figure 3 left). However, director Wan Laiming thought the design of this

image was not lively enough and was overly dramatic, looking too much like costumes in

"martial characters in Chinese

Opera". Therefore, he decided to

ask Yan Ding Xian to modify the

design. Yan Ding Xian improved

the character by, for example,

making the eyebrows resemble

green peach leaves, changing

the face to a heart shape, and

adding a waistline leopard-skin

dress. With these modifications,

the Monkey King became more

ingenious and lovely (Figure 3

right).

3.3 The Legend of Sealed Book

The Legend of Sealed Book is based on the demon parts of chapters adapted to an

animated film, which is full of comic style, have a lively rhythm, and are exceedingly

entertaining. Moreover, The Legend of Sealed Book also drew on the character designs

of Beijing Opera facial masks.

In the Beijing Opera, the so-called "Dan" and "Sheng" corner as the heroine and hero in

a romantic love story, with a range of personal characteristics and status. Bonds (2008,

p.3-5) defines that "Dan" and "Sheng" represent the generally decent women and men

respectively. In The Legend of Sealed Book, the character

called “Daughter of the Fox” (Figure 4) is evidently based

on the characteristic style of "Dan". Tian (2011, p.77)

observes that the design uses the colour carmine lake as

blusher and colouring on the cheeks and eye orbits. The

shape and colour of the mouth, which is small, suggest a

cherry. Smaller versions of the patches of decoration on

the forehead of the hairstyle of “Dan” became Fox fine

daughter’s forehead fringe.

The large eyes of the original "Dan" angular style were modified to be long and thin, and

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Figure 4. The Legend of Sealed Book

Figure 3 Two Different Design of Monkey King in Havoc in Heaven


the eyebrow shape is a reference model of a portrait of a traditional Chinese woman.

This shape of the eyebrow represents a classical temperament, expressing

characteristics such as delicate, sensitive, and melancholy.

4. Chinese Folk Art

Chinese folk art is broad and diverse, covering all aspects of the lives of the common

people.

The art has strong geographical characteristics and embodies folk-specific customs. As a

cultural symbol, Chinese animation, during that period(1950s-1980s), also played the role

of passing down the heritage of Chinese folk culture.

4.1 Lunar New Year’s painting

Lunar New Year’s painting is a unique art form in Chinese folk culture that is also

considered as a symbol of Chinese New Year's greetings. Traditional Chinese Lunar New

Year’s painting uses solid colours, such as red, yellow, blue, green, and purple, which are

characteristically bright, pure, and concise. Zhang, S. (2010) observed that Lunar New

Year’s paintings feature primarily auspicious and joyous subjects, with simple lines, bright

colours and a happy atmosphere. Even when only a limited number of colours are used,

if the colours are mixed harmoniously, the result can be extremely rich and varied.

Relating to the aspects of purity and saturation of colour, Lunar New Year’s paintings

preferably use nonrepresentational colours, such as red, green, yellow, and purple, to

create a combination of extreme lightness and heavy saturation. These colours form a

palette that is ebullient and gorgeous, with strong artistic appeal.

4.1.1 Nezha Stirs Up the Sea

The design of the characters in Nezha Stirs Up the Sea (1979) drew on the essence of

Chinese Lunar New Year’s paintings. As Ge (2006) describes, “The film animated film

boasted abundant colours, fluent lines, and the unique charms of traditional Chinese folk

art.” In the animation, the characters Nacha and Li Ching, were designed in a decorative

style with simple lines. Using the colours of traditional folk paintings, such as blue, green,

red, white and black, this animation differs from others in its expression of the charm of

the traditional Chinese folk arts. When the animation was shown at the Cannes Film

Festival, Ivana (2012) reported that the critics considered Nezha Stirs Up the Sea to be

bright in colour, elegant in style, and rich in imagination.

The design elements of Nezha are based on a Chinese children's doll from Lunar New

Year’s paintings (Figure 5). With light-coloured skin,

a handheld heaven-and-earth ring, Wind Fire

Wheels, with the Universe Ring around his body in

his left hand (Hephaestus, 2011, p.6), Nezha wears

a red Chinese bellyband sometimes to show that he

was a child. His black eyes and heavy eyebrows

also reveal his extraordinary wisdom; he appears

6Figure 5. Nezha Stirs Up the Sea


powerful and an extraordinary heroic image of the Child. His appearance indicates that

Nezha is kind, brave, and lovely.

4.2 Paper-cutting technique

The paper-cut animation is based on the traditional art of shadow puppetry and a folk art

paper-cut film style. A plane chasing technique is the main means of expression in

modelling the characters in paper-cut animation. Paper-cut animation draws on the

assembly joints of shadow puppets to manipulate the experience of the action. The

plates are separated by a specific distance such that a light layered cloth appearance

results. To create the animation, the paper is placed on a glass plane, and the animation

is filmed frame by frame. Paper-cut animation usually uses the character’s profile as the

main view and also includes some front views of the production figures, with the shape of

the half-side being standard (Cao, 2010).

According to the story that is being told, various shapes of sets and various sizes of

models may be required to accommodate different scenes in the film. After modelling is

completed, according to the action sketch of the paper-cut character and the character’s

anatomical features, the model figure is separated into various parts, and joints are

created to combine the parts. Li et al. (2007) summaries that typical paper-cut animation,

which was made with 2D illustrations on paper and making many frames necessary for

an entire animation, can be tedious and expensive.

4.2.1 The Golden Conch

In 1958, the Wan Brothers produced Pigsy Eats Watermelon, which was the first

animation in China, drew on elements of the folk paper-cutting technique for its window

decoration and shadow play. Dickson (2011) observes that after Pigsy Eats Watermelon

was released, many paper-cut animations were created, including The Monkey Fishing

Moon, The Fish Child, The Ginseng of the Doll, and The Golden Conch. Paper-cut

animation character design represented a unique decorative form of Chinese folk art.

Characters in the animation The Golden Conch (Figure 6) consist of the conch girl, a

young fisherman, and others. This animated film

adopts the expressive forms of Chinese shadow

puppetry and the Chinese art of paper cutting,

which express traditional Chinese folk arts as

being bright and colourful with a strong

nationalistic style (Ge 2006). The animation

characters in this film are full of vivid personality.

The young fisherman is shaped like a naive

Chinese labourer. His movements are simple and

unpretentious, reflecting the industrious and

frugal spirit of Chinese labourers. The conch girl

is modelled exquisitely, and her dress is also

7 Figure 6. The Golden Conch


exquisite. The movements of the conch girl refer to Chinese Opera dramatic dance, with

an appearance of lightness and elegant manners. The design of the film set is colourful

and gorgeous, showing a strong sense of decoration through the use of a paper-cutting

process.

4.2.2 A Snipe and a Clam Locked in Combat

The animation A Snipe and a Clam Locked in Combat (1983) is a combination of the

Chinese paper-cutting technique and Chinese ink painting. Animal images in the film are

created using the new ink "nap" technology instead of old technique, such as engraved

carving, engraving, and cutting. Through this technique, the images of the bird and the

kingfishers appear to be covered in a fluffy texture, and the effects look similar to faint

markings of Chinese ink painting on rice paper, with the ink creating a rhythmic effect.

There is no dialogue throughout the entire film. Thus, the animation relies completely on

the movements and the facial expressions of the characters to tell the story. Cao (2010,

p.61) offers the example that in the animation, the shape of the snipe is ink picks paper

cutting, and more than 30 joints are set on the neck of the snipe to make its image more

realistic and to move more naturally. The ingenuity of the design of the action in the

animation produces richer character emotions and a more vivid display to express this

popular fable.

Conclusion

The images of animated characters are not only a visual symbol of an art form, but they

can also reflect a national aesthetics of culture, art, and science and even the

development of technology. In Huang(2010, p.113)’s study, Chinese animation, as part of

the nation-people's cultural practices, has vigorously participated in the construction and

strengthening of the Chinese national identity. Animation promotes cultural values and

contributes to the development of economic interests. Yang (2011) stressed the

importance of the depths of the extension of traditional culture. The drive towards

“nationalisation” meant development within the context of globalisation, and development

of animation was no exception. When they are viewed favourably, animated characters

are able to impress audiences, and they can become business symbols in the media as

well as advocates and even cultural representatives of the country.

Moreover, there is more to improving the design of Chinese animation character than

simply copying the traditional elements. Li (2009, p.6) suggested that in the development

of Chinese animation, it is necessary to continually explore novel ideas from Chinese

culture and apply new techniques and new materials to create wonderful animations with

a modern sensibility and national characteristics.

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卷第 4 期

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Analysing Chinese Traditional Visual Elements in Chinese Animation Character Design in the 1950s Through the 1980s_Meng