SaveHome & makingAn abacus: see the craft object as a record of changing statesAn abacus is both a made object and a surface for representing changing information. Studying it only as rows of decorative beads misses that relationship. Use a documented Chinese zhusuan reference to distinguish the physical frame from the rules of interpretation, then try an original paper-state exercise that requires no claim of instant calculation mastery.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingAn amber square cup: compare a familiar function with an unfamiliar outlineA cup need not have the circular outline that first comes to mind. A documented Chinese amber square cup offers a way to separate an object’s named function, geometric form and material. A drawing study explores those relationships while leaving historical use, condition and suitability for drinking to appropriate evidence.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingBeijing bristle dolls: study the object together with its stageA small crafted figure may be designed to move through its relationship with a supporting surface. Beijing bristle dolls make that relationship a useful subject of observation. Keep the figure and platform together in your notes, and distinguish a demonstration you actually watch from a still image that can show only part of the experience.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingChinese bronze vessels: draw the empty space as part of the designA vessel’s hollow center is easy to overlook because attention goes to its decorated outer wall. A conceptual study of documented Chinese piece-mold casting puts that empty space back into the explanation. Use diagrams to distinguish outer form, wall and inner cavity, with no attempt to turn the lesson into metalworking instructions.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingThe new monochrome journal collectionThirty-seven subjects. Twenty new posts in each journal.
SaveHome & makingDecorative Chinese knots: trace a path before naming a patternAn elaborate decorative knot can look like a solid emblem until you follow the cord through it. A path map makes its crossings, loops and endpoints easier to discuss. Begin with a documented knot-making context, then use an original drawing exercise to learn a way of looking without claiming that one diagram teaches every named traditional knot.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingDough figurines: establish a gesture before adding tiny detailsA miniature figure can carry a recognizable action before it has a detailed face or elaborate clothing. Studying dough figurines through gesture helps a beginner understand how much design happens at the level of body arrangement. An original paper exercise makes that question accessible without pretending that a simple drawing replaces a skilled modeling tradition.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingA collaborative folding fan: keep carving, painting and calligraphy creditedA finished object can look unified while carrying work by several named people. A documented Chinese folding fan makes that collaboration visible through carved frame, painted surface and calligraphy. Build a contribution map that preserves those roles instead of letting the most prominent name absorb every part of the object’s making.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingFanhua: compare the closed and opened states of a paper objectSome paper objects are designed to change as they open, making one still view an incomplete account of their form. The documented craft name fanhua offers a starting point for a broader design exercise: compare an object’s compact state with its revealed state, and explain what the movement contributes to the experience.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingChinese hardstone carving: treat material variation as a design constraintA patch of color within a material can be a starting condition rather than an error to erase. Study a documented Chinese hardstone carving with that possibility in mind. An original paper exercise asks how a maker might respond to a given visual variation, while keeping interpretation separate from claims about the exact intention behind a historical object.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingInside-painted bottles: ask which surface the viewer sees throughA painted image inside a transparent container asks you to think about support, image and viewing direction at once. Begin with a documented Chinese inside-painted bottle, then make an original transparent-sheet analogy. The goal is to clarify the layers, leaving the real artist’s tools, access and brush control to specialist demonstration.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
SaveHome & makingA jade pendant: compare the outer contour with the inner spacesA small carved pendant is shaped by the material that remains and the spaces opened within it. Study those two outlines separately using a documented Chinese jade example. An original paper drawing reveals how an inner gap can change the reading of a creature-like form without requiring stone carving or claims about the object’s authenticity.20 October 2026 · 3 min read
