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| Thuy Tien carefully making sequin paintings. |
Meticulous
The young artist shared, “For a long time, I've admired and respected the artisans who created enamel artworks on relics, from bowls, cups, and plates to vases and decorative items. It’s not just the skilled craftsmanship, but the mark of the artisans and the painstaking process that gives enamel paintings their unique and distinctive beauty.”
Each enamel product in ancient Hue was created through a complex, high-skill process, from molding and shaping to glazing and firing. “Thanks to the introduction of new materials, I’ve explored and learned how to replicate the intricate beauty of creating enamels through a simplified process. Specifically, I’ve eliminated the firing step and used new materials with properties that allow me to create enamel paintings using metal, colored sand, and epoxy resin, which I call sequin paintings,”Thuy Tien explained.
Despite skipping some steps, creating paintings from metal and colored sand still requires a significant amount of time and effort.
Carefully holding a small pair of pliers, just slightly larger than her finger with sharp, pointed tips, the young artist skillfully and meticulously cuts tiny sections of wire. Using her fingers, the pliers, and tweezers, she gradually bends the straight wire into the soft curves of a lotus bud, securing it onto the artwork's surface with specialized glue.
As she continues to carefully craft the petals and tiny details, Thuy Tien added, "Even for a small sequin painting about the size of my palm with very few details, it takes me about three hours to create the base design of a lotus cluster. Other steps, like painting with colored sand, waiting for it to dry, and applying resin to create gloss and a mirror-like finish…, also require just as much skill and precision."
Sophistication
One of the key techniques to make the paintings stand out is the skill of color coordination and shading within each metal section. The young artist uses pure colors with minimal mixing to enhance the brightness and shine of the patterns after the resin is applied. With the effects of these new materials and the sophistication of motifs like night-blooming jasmine, apricot blossoms, orchids, dragons, phoenixes, and clouds, … the paintings exude elegance and luxury.
After many hours of focused work, Thuy Tien's painting gradually took shape. Passionate about enamel paintings and eager to bring its aristocratic and refined spirit into modern life, the millennial artist carefully considered how to incorporate sequin paintings into lightweight, easy-to-carry items like mirrors, phone cases, and decorative objects, combining a nostalgic feel with modern trends.
"The biggest advantage of sequin paintings is that they are lightweight, durable, and resistant to breaking, making them easy to carry," Thuy Tien explained. Moreover, the product prices are accessible to a wide range of consumers, typically ranging from 500,000 to 800,000 VND (approximately 8-10 cm in size), depending on the complexity.
Admiring the beauty of sequin paintings and choosing a dragon design for his phone case, Nguyen Trong Tri, a customer, shared, "To me, sequin paintings possess the refined beauty of enamel paintings while being modern enough to carry anywhere. I’m very satisfied and delighted with my phone case, especially with the vibrant colors and meticulously crafted details."
Aside from creating sequin paintings, Thuy Tien also hopes to make this art form more accessible to a broader audience. The young artist shared, “In the near future, I plan to host workshops so more people can experience this new art form. I hope the simplified process of creating sequin paintings will allow enamel paintings enthusiasts to craft their own pieces more easily, thus integrating them more into everyday life.”