The stainless works that have been polished will look very bright. Then a blowtorch is used to burn the iron board. Different temperature levels give the boards different colors from light yellow, dark yellow, and light red to mauve. The creators can dye different parts into different colors according to their own needs. For instance, spot gas welding is used to portray animal eyes.

The burnish (polish via rubbing) process was not used in the brothers' early works, which thus retain the original darkish color. It was only later in the long creation process that the Guos gradually discovered that the polished works give the visual effect of a pencil sketch, and better reflect the sense of metal as the raw material. After a long time and much practice, the brothers can shape out delicate facial expressions.

They have manipulated respective unique skills for different themes ranging from animals to human figures. In recent years, the brothers have also exerted themselves in expressing landscape and still life, creating works of different artistic styles. The most distinctive art pieces of this new kind are the "Lifestyle on Taihang Mountain" serial works.

Art has its root in life. The vivid figures the Guo brothers have created are basically from a remote village deep in Taihang Mountain where they grew up. They often visit the village, which boasts unique stone houses and their childhood memories. With great passion, they present the customs of practices in their hometown with their hammers and iron boards, giving more people the chance to understand Taihang Mountain.

Usually, various folk art forms in China have time-honored history for hundreds of years. These ancient crafts were passed down by generations of folk artists; in the process, history and culture are also inherited. Besides,  new and original folk art forms like iron board carving also came to the fore.

(Author: Jeff)

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