Korean Paper - Hanji Art and Craft Forms

Hanji Art and Craft Forms

There are two divisions of hanji art: two dimensional and three dimensional. Two-dimensional hanji art uses paper of various colors to create an image in a similar format as a painting, however the paper itself is folded and crumpled to make the image stick up from the paper it is adhered to, but the image itself is only a two-dimensional likeness, although there may be depth to some of the elements. Two-dimensional hanji art can be framed much like a painting. Three-dimensional hanji art is similar to paper mache, in that it can make sculptural objects that may stand unsupported.

Traditional hanji craft forms include jiho, jido, and jiseung. Jiho is a method that uses hanji scraps soaked in water and then added to glue, making a clay-like paste that can be molded into lidded bowls. Jido is the craft of pasting many layers of hanji onto a pre-made frame, which can be made into sewing baskets and trunks. Jiseung is a method of cording and weaving strips of hanji to make a wide array of household goods, including trays, baskets, mats, quivers, shoes, washbasins, and chamberpots.