The bulk of the Chens’ employment comes from calligraphers and painters of Chinese calligraphy, who require scrolls. Most scrolls are straight up and down, a loop at each end for the wood to slip into, and some ribbon for hanging; there are other scrolls which are more advanced—like those that open sideways and have treasure maps on them, as seen in martial arts movies—but the mainstay are fairly simple. The Chens can also do Western-style frames, and dozens of other variations.
Chen the elder got into the business when he was still in his teens. Back then, framers were all on the street level, their studios visible from the road. Young Chen would simply stand out the front of their shops and observe. As time went by, he started to do his own work. Between then and now 60 years have passed, and at some point during that time Chen himself became a scroll-making master.
A Timeless Process
The basic process of making scrolls hasn’t changed for thousands of years: The artwork is flattened with a kind of mixture, smoothed out, given a backing, left to dry, and the silk scroll attached.
First the work is laid flat on the table and sprayed with water, then hit with a layer of Chinese glue—the Eastern version of flour and water (they use rice and water). This step is a little tricky, because when applying the glue, the work has to be completely flush against the table. No air pockets are allowed. This requires using one hand to gently pull the work taut on its dry end, while spreading the lathered brush from the inside out, over both sides, until the whole work is flat on the table.
Depending on the kind of paper they deal with, the Chens also have to take different approaches. Thinner paper is much easier to tear, and needs to be given a harder backing, or even several layers of backing.
