- The technique of lacquering has a long history in Vietnam, as lacquered objects have been seen in tombs dating from the 3rd and 4th century B.C. The technique is used for preservation and embellishment and traditionally utilized three colors: black, brown and vermillion (bright red). To create lacquerware, an object is given several coats of resin, resulting in a highly polished look. Originally coming from China, the technique has been used in Vietnamese pagodas (pyramid-shaped temples), furniture, wall art and souvenirs.
- Silk painting in Vietnam originated when people drew and painted on homemade paper made from rice. Still being created today, these creations have a mystical softness and beauty in their renderings of Vietnamese life. Subjects of the paintings may include people working or fishing in a natural setting. The use of colors and nature in the paintings are unique to this country and differ from the silk paintings created in feudal Japan or ancient China.
- Wood block prints are thought to have started in the Ho village, north of Hanoi. They were originally created for the Lunar New Year Festival celebration. These carvings traditionally involve drawing and engraving on wood and printing a picture. The pictures were then sold, given away or displayed. The scenes depicted in the prints symbolized good luck or oral stories, among others.
The blocks are made by carving shapes into the wood, putting paint on the block and then pressing the block onto the paper, similar to a printing press technique. The paper is then allowed to dry before another application of paint. - Stone carvings were, historically, associated with royal and religious building decoration. They are now seen in public statues, which vary in artistic style from classic to modern art. The large amount of limestone and the influence of the Hindu motifs on the Cham people have helped to bring about the stone carving tradition in the country.
- Other Vietnamese art includes woodcarvings, which are often darkly colored or lacquered and highly incised. The craft of inlaying items, especially with mother-of-pearl, is another Vietnamese artistic tradition.
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