Bamboo Arts: Plaiting Techniques

Bamboo artists usually start making baskets from the base. Transition from the base plaiting to the lower part of the body, where two-dimensional flat plaiting turns to three-dimensional form, is one of the most important and difficult stages of making a basket, and determines the success of the rest of the work. According to the shape and design of a basket envisioned, the master chooses a technique or combines many techniques to build the body of the basket. After having successfully executed the body, the master forms a rim to finish the basket. For this particular basket shown here, the artist dyes the entire basket in a hot dyebath to give a rich color, then he applies several coats of "urushi" (natural lacquer) to complete his creation.

View stages in the process using the link-images below.