Q1: Do you invent this type of art in China?

I invented a special tool for Burning pictures. However this type of art is not new it has a history of more than 2,000 years, and it can be seen as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty(25AD-220AD), and was also popular during the Western Han Dynasty(24AD-206BC).

Now you can see there are a new variety of burning paintings, different from Iron paintings and flame paintings. So in 1984 it was named Burning Brush Painting.

Q2: How long have you been creating art in this style?

Even after 50 years of developing, burning paintings needs a long time to prepare; a solid background of drawing is needed. I was a traditional Chinese painter before and this background gives me the ability to use this tool like an ink brush.

Q3: We can see different styles in your work, are they all created with the same heat pen?

The burning-pen I use now is the 4th generation of my inventions. It improves flexibility and convenience. Now I’m working on the 5th generation, I would like it to heat up quickly enough that it would always be hot when I pick it up to draw, and could then cool down as quickly as possible as well. Using this special tool, the works I draw look very different from those created with normal irons.

As you can see, it looks like traditional Chinese painting, and could have an effect quite similar to ink brushes. It’s quite difficult to simulate the ink brush style with iron however.

Q4: Where do you get the ideas for your pictures?

My ideas come from the interests of people around me. They keep on commanding on my works, and I always keep an eye on the daily life and learn from it. I also visited some of the great masters in different areas of traditional Chinese arts. Book also helps me, ancient art works and art theory, adding all these together, gives me those ideas.

(Video by Yu Chenkang)