How to lace a hiogi

[Saionji Shonagon]

From tousando.proboards18.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=garb&thread=2580&page=2
Since I figured this could have its own thread, no pun intended:

You should be able to see the stitches pretty clearly in the photo here. (I'm not posting the actual photo in this thread because it'll be huge to be of any use to you.)
flickr.com/photos/70104978@N00/1410871118/sizes/o/in/set-72157602079676542/

I used a two hole piercing. I run two threads, one through each set of holes.

Do a temporary lacing to hold the slats in place for painting. Snip the knots and pull out the temporary lacing as soon as the painting is done and carefully spread out the blades. This will allow the paint to dry without glueing your blades together.

Once the paint is dry, (including any touch-ups, sanding, etc.), re-lace the slats. Make sure you can open and close the fan all the way - you don't want to discover you've laced the thing so it doesn't work at this point.

Lay the hiogi down on your work surface and carefully check the alignment of the slats to be sure they're where they should be. Check that the lacing thread is not too slack or too lose. Put a drop of glue on the thread at the edge of one side of each lacing hole - pick right or left, but they should be ALL right or ALL left. This will give the lacing thread some stability and still allow the fan to open and close.

Post pictures!

(I really do need to decide what I want to paint on mine after all this and finish the darn thing....)

[Ishikawa Ayame]

Bah of course the 1 link that was blocked by the filter at work. I will check it out at home later.

Thank you so much. I think I will be working on this over the weekend and I will take pictures.

The painting may be left up to my daughter since I have little artistic skill.

-Maryam (getting back to work now!)

[crimsongriffin28]

Well, this is no doubt old OLD hat for Saionji, but I put together a quicky album of japanese fan things. I took a class in fan painting, and while there took pictures of the process, and scanned in the brochure. Because this year is the 1000 year anniversary of Genji, there was also a Kyoto museum exhibit on painting hiogi, as well as the Edo game of fan-tossing.
Link here:
www.flickr.com/photos/8014448@N07/sets/72157608781706279/

[kurokamakiri]

I'm sure that Makiwara-hime would say that one can always learn more, no matter what one's skill level.

Thank you for posting these.

[Saionji Shonagon]

I really do need to actually PAINT the hiogi I started ages ago....

BTW, I LOVE the Choju Giga motif you chose for your sensu. That emaki has to be one of my favorites.

(Envious. SO envious!!!!! To be able to learn how to make fans CORRECTLY.)

BTW, Katherine-hime and I met at Pennsic when she came out from the Barony of the Far West in 2007. She is a stunningly talented costumer, painter and A&S Stuff-Makin-Fool and I wish she didn't live so far away.

[Suzume]

So..I can't see any of the links in this thread. BOO HOO! I guess thats my punishment for staying away for so long...

Also wanted to contribute that the point where the fan slats meets is called karame(now, and probably then) and has great meaning...perhaps everyone here already knows this and I'm being redundant, but it wasn't mentioned in this thread and I find it really interesting! Just wanted to share.

Oh dear I suppose I'm going to have to try to make one of these things too if I'm going to be a proper lady...glad I found this thread...

[Suzume]

OK I got the links to work..GORGEOUS! O-Saionji, your hiogi is amazing, Crimsongriffin, ...*sighs*

*Wonders where to get wood*

[Saionji Shonagon]

Dec 4, 2008 23:16:56 GMT -5 Suzume said:

*Wonders where to get wood*

www.midwestproducts.com/catalog_sa1.asp?srch_grp_id=8&sa1_id=15&sa2_id=26

#4110, the 1/32 x 2 x 24 sheets are the thinnest I've found.

[Suzume]

Oh my goodness, somehow you answered my NEXT QUESTION AS WELL! I was thinking basswood..I am fortunate to live near a number of hobby stores that stock an outrageous amount of basswood. I can't imagine I'll ever find hinoki.

Thanks again! ;D

[solveig]

Noble Cousin!

Greetings from Solveig!

Dec 5, 2008 21:35:45 GMT -5 Suzume said:

I can't imagine I'll ever find hinoki.

Try searching for Port Orford Cedar.

[Suzume]

I did! The results led me to think that people are not generally making hiogi these days, and have turned more to making furniture and homes with these woods..heheh!

And THEN. I went to my number one source for basswood (PEARL art supply) and they had gone out of business! AAIIGH!

but they do carry the basswood at Michaels...also a very thin birch plywood I am considering. I'm just sort of window shopping til something jumps out and grabs me.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Since Twelfth Night approaches, it was high time I finished this thing. I mean, it's had birthdays all because I could not decide what to paint on it. Anyway, I'm going with plum blossoms, red on one side, white on the other. As soon as this side is dry, I can start on the other.

1. Yes, it is taped to the coffee table. It's IKEA. Don't do this to nice furniture.

2. Yes, some of the upper lacing has come apart, due to contact with the detail sander. Re-lacing will commence when the paint dries.

3. Yes, painting on a corrugated surface is a royal pain in the backside, and yes, that is a paint pen on the right. The white blossoms just looked kind of blah against the unpainted background until I added the gold.

[tengumoon]

Oh now that's just dang pretty!

I am sure the photo does not do it justice

I wouldnt even use that one for my combat fan technique!

going to put some dark (black?) highlights on the branches?

purely as a matter of easthetics... but do you prefer to the uncoloured wood tones on your fans?
Perhaps n your next one try a base of white on oneside and then red on the other (I have no idea about histprical examples of fans)

But still very pretty!

[Saionji Shonagon]

Jan 1, 2009 19:03:58 GMT -5 tengumoon said:

going to put some dark (black?) highlights on the branches?

No. The brown is dark enough against the wood, I think. If anything, I'm highlighting the edges of the branches and the flowers in gold to give them a little visual pop.

purely as a matter of esthetics... but do you prefer to the uncoloured wood tones on your fans?

Yes. The painting styles on these tend to be much more naturalistic. Compare these:
www.miho.or.jp/booth/html/artcon/00001861e.htm
www.flickr.com/photos/8014448@N07/3014233459/in/set-72157608781706279/

to this garish, busy thing:
www.costumemuseum.jp/french/collection/j_komono/jk638.html

When Ii-dono and Abe-hime were here last month they had some books with them that had some Heian hiogi in them that were more like the two examples posted above than the third.

BTW, the Miho Museum and Kumano Shrine hiogi are both decorated with metal foil. Glitter is period.

[tengumoon]

Ah so desu...

and yes the gold highlights for the branches will be pretty as well (like I said I dont think the photo does it justice)

I really like the example with maple leaves on it

Are you trying to say that the Japanese weren't / are not still garish?!

but yes there are many examples of Japanese culture where subtle and understated was key