Fans

Fans have been a prominent feature in Japanese culture and society for thousands of years. Folding fans, made from strips of cedar bound together, were first developed in Japan before the 9th century. Later, paper or silk was stretched across the ribs. Today, fans are often made of bamboo and paper. Some of the oldest Japanese folding fans date to the Heian Period (794–1185). During that time, primarily members of the aristocracy used folding fans. From at least the 13th century, the warrior class used fans. Later, starting in the Edo Period (1615-1868), everyone in Japan more widely used folding fans.

Fans serve a variety of purposes, like creating cooling breezes, fashion accessories, wedding gifts, and important objects during Japanese tea gatherings. When a fan is open, the image is read from right to left. Designs vary, but seasons and items from nature such as bush clover, mountains, trees, and the moon are often used. What designs will you use?

Artwork and instructions courtesy of Evan Sneed.

Materials

You will need:

newspaper, large piece of paper, or plastic tablecloth to cover your work surface
fan (see note below)
medium-size glass, plastic cup, or bowl for water
watercolor or ink
watercolor or Sumi paint brush
pencil
painter’s tape (optional)
paper towels (optional)

Note: You can either use a premade fan or make your own. To make your own fan, use a piece of 8.5 x 11 inch drawing or mixed media paper. Hold it vertically in front of you so that it is taller than it is wide. Make accordion folds approximately ¾–1 inch apart along the short edge, from the bottom to the top. Secure the bottom edge after creating designs on the fan’s surface.

Instructions

Step 1

Plain brown fan, pencil, paintbrush, and various watercolor paints laid out on tabletop covered with brown paper — Let’s get ready! Cover your table or work surface to protect it. Place the materials listed above, or those from an MFA art kit, on your protected surface.

Step 2

Using pencil to draw on fan — Start planning out the illustration for your fan. Use a pencil to lightly sketch your design ideas before adding paint. Some common themes on Japanese fans are bamboo, birds, cherry blossoms, and landscapes. Tip: To keep your fan in place while creating your design, open the fan and use small pieces of painter’s tape to attach the fan to the table covering.

Step 3

On left, dipping paintbrush into small bowl of water; on right, dabbing wet paintbrush head on watercolor paint — Soak the tip of your brush in water then remove excess by pulling the tip across the side of your water container. If the brush is too wet, it will be more difficult to use. Dip your wet brush into the watercolor paint. Make sure the tip of your brush is pointed before you start painting. Drag the paintbrush across the water bowl or the edge of the watercolor cup to shape the tip of the brush.

Step 4

Using paintbrush to paint over lines drawn on fan with pencil — Start creating your painting on the fan! Use the tip of the brush for finer details, and experiment with different brush strokes to bring your work to life! Remember, images on Japanese fans are read from the right to left. What story will yours tell?

Step 5

Details of painted fan surface depicting trees and budding branches — Experiment with watercolor. Try painting with a wet brush on the dry paper, and with painting onto an already painted wet surface. Adding too much water might make the paint drip and blend together. Above, the background in the image on the left was painted using more water mixed with the paint, and then more paint colors were painted onto the already wet surface. The paint for the trees had less water and was added after the background was dry. The branches and leaves in the image on the right were painted directly onto the dry paper using less water to make the colors more vibrant.

Step 6

Various examples of fans with trees and branches painted fan surface — Make sure your fan is completely dry before removing the painter’s tape, if used, and before folding it up. Test it out! Will you use your fan to help cool off on a hot day, to accessorize your outfit, or to display in your home?

About the Artist

Evan Sneed is a historian and museum professional with a master’s of history and museum studies from Tufts University. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, he made the move from Cherokee, North Carolina, to New England in 2017. Evan currently lives in Boston and has been working in museums around the city for the last six years. Outside work he enjoys rooting for his favorite soccer team and studying Japanese history. He is excited to engage with a diverse audience at the MFA while focusing on two of his passions: history and education.