The world has long admired the lineal beauty and finely controlled coloring of Chinese traditional painting, elements whose subtlety and finesse have depended as much on the paints used as on the artists using them.

While the practised craftsmen who make the pigments are not in the same category as the master artists who exploit them, their work is itself an art. Passed down from generation to generation of artisans, the techniques for producing pigments have survived the ages.

However, Sung Kuo-hua, one of today's topmost producers of fine pigments, did not come on the secrets of his craft in the traditional way. A retired Republic of China Army officer and himself a calligrapher and painter, Sung was prevented by war and fate from learning the craft, though he was born to a family of pigment artisans in Shaohsing, Chekiang Province. At the age of twenty, he left the mainland for Taiwan, separated from his family and its tradition.

Sixteen years ago, Sung decided to try to recover his artisan's inheritance on his own. He launched his own research into the ancient methods of making traditional pigments, having no idea whether or not he would succeed. He has ended up with not only a mastery of the craft, but with superior pigment-producing processes of his own design.

The ancients used to gather the most colorful plants and plant parts nature could provide and crush them to extract the pigments. They would also collect colored stones, corals, and seashells--and also colored insects--and grind them down.

Sung discovered that the traditional method of producing rock or shell pigments involved a tedious grinding process utilizing very hard stone or metal tools. Via this process, it took him two full workdays to produce four taels of cinnabar pigment--inefficient and very expensive. He experimented with his own methods, finally settling on a roller mechanism. Now he is able to grind 1,160 taels of cinnabar in two days, an enormous productivity increase.

Another example of his efforts is his success in consistently producing top-standard "Chinese Blue," a pigment recovered from certain grasses, such as smartweed.

Generally speaking, pigments derived from organic materials are produced in one of three ways: by crushing to extract a juice, by soaking to extract the color, or by fermentation.

Chinese Blue is a product of fermentation, and Sung had great difficulty with it. He finally determined that time was his problem--too short a fermentation time, and the color was too dark; too long a time, and it was "too blue" to match the traditional standard. Patient experimentation enabled him to master the process; now Sung Kuo-hua's Chinese Blue is consistently top of the line by any standard.

The late master painter of Chinese traditional art, Chang Ta-ch'ien, for example, preferred Sung's Chinese Blue pigments above all others. And today, painters in Shanghai (mainland China) go through tortuous channels to acquire Sung's Chinese Blue on the international market.

At this time, the only insect-derived pigment he produces is carmine, from cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus) collected from cacti. The imported insects are put into alcohol, where they effectively dissolve; condensation of the resulting solution results in deposits of carmine pigment.

Though Sung has pioneered in efficient production of high quality traditional pigments, unlike the skilled artisans of the past, he has sought no special benefit for himself. Instead, he constantly divulges such trade secrets to the world--even for modern uses: magazines publishing quality four-color photography seek him out. Passing on his experience in this way, he propagates the traditional colors and hands his craft knowledge down to future generations.

Thirty years ago, an ounce of some pigments cost the same as an ounce of gold. As a result of Sung's efforts, the costs are down considerably, directly benefiting traditional painters especially.

[Picture Caption]

1. Su Yun-sheng, a student of master painter Chang Ta-ch'ien, painted this work using Sung Kuo-hua's cinnabar. The ingredients for Chinese pigments: 2. Chinese blue, camboge, carmine and 3., cinnabar. 4. Sung Kuo-hua perfected a grinding stone mechanism and sped up the pigment making process. 5. Cinnabar sticks which may be used after grinding.

Master painter Chang Ta-ch'ien's works. 1. Vegetables and fruits in monochrome ink; 2., landscape, both using Sung's pigments. 3. Artist Liu Yung likes to use Sung's pigments, since he finds their quality and color are consistently good. 4. Animal glue used in making Chinese pigments. Finished Chinese pigments are of two types. 5. Pigment blocks. 6. Pigment pots.

Liu Yung used Sung's pigments to paint these works in elaborate style on white foulard silk scrolls.

2. Chinese blue, camboge, carmine and.

Chinese blue, camboge, carmine and3., cinnabar.

4. Sung Kuo-hua perfected a grinding stone mechanism and sped up the pigment making process.

5. Cinnabar sticks which may be used after grinding.

Master painter Chang Ta-ch'ien's works. 1. Vegetables and fruits in monochrome ink.

2., landscape, both using Sung's pigments.

3. Artist Liu Yung likes to use Sung's pigments, since he finds their quality and color are consistently good.

4. Animal glue used in making Chinese pigments. Finished Chinese pigments are of two types.

5. Pigment blocks.

6. Pigment pots.

Liu Yung used Sung's pigments to paint these works in elaborate style on white foulard silk scrolls.

Liu Yung used Sung's pigments to paint these works in elaborate style on white foulard silk scrolls.

Liu Yung used Sung's pigments to paint these works in elaborate style on white foulard silk scrolls.