在大多数人看来，麦秸只不过是麦子成熟后留下的一堆杂草，似乎没有特别的用途，但这些麦秸经过能工巧匠的精巧运用，就会变成盛开的腊梅、振翅欲飞的雄鹰、清高淡雅的竹子……
麦秸画，又叫麦秆画、麦草画或麦秸画，是始于隋唐时代的宫廷工艺品。它和剪纸、布贴一样是一种剪贴艺术。作为我国美术园地里的一种新品种，麦秸画被誉为美术苑地里的奇葩。
麦秸工艺品历史上曾一度出现，但通常把麦秸染然后再拼贴成图案，以求得工艺品效果。麦秸画的技艺更高，它的主要特点是以精选麦秸为原料，经过除膜、切片、劈丝等加工处理，运用拼贴、镂刻、镶嵌等制作方法，按照平面、浮雕、立体等构图造型，并熟练地利用麦秸（杆）原有的光泽、独有的纹理，巧妙设计，精工细作，通过麦秸的明暗、深浅、厚薄、疏密等等搭配，以及点、线、面的合理布局来表达，表现创作者对真善美的理解，对艺术的追求。
麦秸画的材料只有一种――小麦麦秆。民间艺人利用麦秸自然光泽和抢撕成丝的特性，经烫色，经过"熏、蒸、漂、刮、推、烫、剪、刻、编、绘"等多道工序，并根据需要进行剪裁和粘贴。颜色全部用烙铁烫出来，无任何染色。金子般的颜色，然后通过深浅不一的色彩过渡，达到单一颜色表现整体色彩的效果，比如鸳鸯的每一片羽毛都经过由浅到深的色彩处理。
麦秸画具有特殊的表现力，但它也有一定的局限性。为了突破传统麦秸画在表现题材方面的局限，手工艺人们广泛吸收现代绘画的艺术手法，通过精心设计，改革工艺等方式，不断拓宽麦秸画的艺术表现范围。同时，麦秸画又将传统工艺与现代科学技术有机结合，在保持麦秸自然光泽和纹理的基础上，大胆吸收国画、版画、剪纸、烙画等诸多艺术表现手法，巧妙制作成古相典雅，富丽堂皇、惟妙惟肖、栩栩如生的手工艺精品。
麦秸画分字屏、画屏，已制作出玻璃镜框与油漆硬板两种幅面，挂式立式座式，大中小型齐全、多种字画图案。麦秸画属纯手工艺术品，它用料环保，形象逼真。虽制作艰辛，但它表现出的艺术效果令所有印刷品望尘莫及。
麦秸画古朴典雅，惟妙惟肖，富有有立体感层次感，散发出自然光泽，极其赏心悦目。一般运用国画形式构图。麦秸画具有光泽透亮、装钸效果好、艺术感染力强等优点，制作出的人物、花鸟、动物栩栩如生，活灵活现，给人以古朴自然，高贵典雅之美。画人物，惟妙惟肖，做动物，栩栩如生；描林海，飘逸洒脱，绘江河，气势雄浑；用它装饰客厅、卧室、办公室，情趣高雅，与众不同。
麦秸画工艺品，全国很多地区部有生产，以哈尔滨、潮州南阳、浦江和广西等地生产的较著名。
麦秸画是我国古文化艺术的一块瑰宝。但长期以来难觅其踪，直至秦怀王墓发掘时才出土面世。虽经两千多年腐蚀，但仍造型逼真，色泽鲜明，不失其古朴典雅本色，令人叹为观止。后经有关专家精心研究，这一古老工艺终于重现人间。麦秸画的发展虽几经周折，仍以其顽强的艺术生命，在民间艺术的殿堂里独秀一枝，绽放异彩。
被誉为“中国民间艺术一绝”的麦秸画艺术精品，正源源不断的走向全国，走向世界。因麦秸画金碧辉煌、富贵高雅的视觉效果与独特新颖、雅俗共赏的艺术效果，深受行家与观众的青睐。近年，麦秸画已走向日本、韩国以及欧美、东南亚国家、港台市场，成为馈赠礼品与旅游纪念品，也被艺术爱好者收藏。
麦秸画DIY：
一、原材料。麦秸、各色染料、乳胶或浆糊、黑绒布或黑绒纸、漂白粉、棉丝纸等。
二、工具。中小号轻便剪刀、裁纸刀、绘画用品、玻璃纸、调色工具、水盆或大铝锅、毛巾、电熨斗、毛笔、板刷、各式刻刀、针、粉扑、镊子。
三、选料。宜选粗壮、圆挺、有光泽的麦秸。选好的麦秸去掉顶梢和根节部，只取中间部分。用小尖刀将麦秸从中间剖开，压成条片状，刮去里面的薄膜。
四、染色。经过挑选的麦秸用漂白粉溶液漂洗，使其润白、洁净。如果设计要求只用原色（不需染色），应精选色泽一致、无脏污的麦秸。虽说是原色，但也可将麦秸做成麦秸纸后，用电熨斗烫成浓淡、深浅不同的赭、棕、黄等色调。凡需染色的麦秸要经水煮脱脂，也有用米汤浸泡的，之后才能放入颜料液中染色。染色时要勤翻动麦秸，防止色调不匀。
五、制麦秸纸。经染色后晾干的麦秸，逐条紧靠用胶水贴在棉丝纸上，制成麦秸纸。要求麦秸之间没有空隙，也不要重叠。粘贴时，刷胶要均匀，用胶量要适宜。胶多了，易从麦秸缝间溢出，弄脏麦秸；胶少了，粘不牢，使麦秸纸出现漏缺。
六、设计。麦秸画的设计与绘画大致相同，设计时要充分考虑麦秸上的自然丝纹，利用它剪贴后呈现出的横、平、竖、斜的光亮，来表现画的色彩和品位。设计中要使麦秸的色调和光泽自然和谐，主调明确，主题突出，不可杂乱无章。
七、作底稿。小图案不用作底稿，较大幅或复杂的图案需要底稿。方法是:将透明玻璃纸放在设计图稿上面，按照图样轮廓用针扎刺出许多小孔。然后将扎刺出图案轮廓的玻璃纸放在准备加工成麦秸画的底板上，以粉扑在其上不断拍按或轻擦，图样即清晰地印上底板。
八、剪贴。把麦秸纸按照设计图样的需要剪成若干部分，然后用胶粘贴在底板各相应部位上，即成一幅画。剪贴的技法主要有以下几种:
1.平贴法:主要用线或面来表现物体的形状、色彩和透视、解剖关系等。
2.拼堆法:运用两片以上的麦秸纸部件拼贴而成，适宜表现人物的佩饰、器皿上的纹饰和古建筑上的彩画等。
3.层递法:运用麦秸染色加工后色泽深浅、浓淡的不同，层层粘粘，以表现物像的远近、虚实等关系。
4.排列法:根据物像的形状，有次序、有规律地排列粘贴，如表现鱼鳞、鸟羽及房屋上的琉璃瓦等。
九、整理装框包装。剪贴完成后，对照原稿看有没有漏掉的部位。检查认为满意后，装入已做好的玻璃画框中即告完成。
Straw patchwork is a well-known Chinese art and boasts a history of over 2000 years, as evidenced by ancient relics. It traces its roots to folk art, originating as handicrafts used by local governments to pay tributes to emperors during the Sui Dynasty. This artwork constitutes the essence of Chinese folk art, and has a distinctive national characteristic.
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Straw patchwork is handcrafted, and takes full advantage of the straw’s natural glow and its material to depict landscapes, flowers, animals and human figures. The visual images and wonderful handicraft is not only a good reflection of profound traditional Chinese culture, but also a wonderful artwork used as decorations.
The straw patchwork is exquisite with its choice of material, because of its good natural sheen of a golden color. The artistic techniques used in straw artwork are borrowed from many other art forms such as paper cut, print, paste, painting, etc. Each patchwork requires a process that is more than ten steps long. The process includes polishing, bleaching, steaming, ironing, pressing, and cutting of materials. The process cleverly combines together a variety of techniques showcasing skilled workmanships, such as traditional Chinese parings and printing, which works in sync with the straws natural colors.
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All these techniques bring forth a rich expression of the straw artworks, making it a unique art form with artistic features that is both simplistic yet elegant.
Then what is wheat straw? Wheat straw has long been regarded as a sacred object in Chinese beliefs. It is said that Liu Xiu, the Dong Han dynasty emperor, was hunted by his enemies before he ascended the throne. He had no choice but to hide in wheat straw, which immediately changed into wood to protect him. Since then wheat straw has been considered a symbol of good fortune. So the Chinese people made wheat straw patchwork, a unique art form devoted to the royal court.
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Modem pieces are produced by combining modern production techniques with the traditional techniques. Modern art techniques are applied in the manufacturing process, for example, evaporation, dissection and ironing. But it is filled with a rich Chinese countryside flavor. The final products portray Chinese flowers, birds, worms, landscapes, buildings, people and fashions. The quality of the workman ship combined with outstanding artistry further contributes to the work's lasting value.
Straw patchwork owes its popularity to its bright vibrant colors which does not fade and its simple, lifelike designs. The artifact is a combination of primitive simplicity and elegance of exquisite craftsmanship. Furthermore, it is able to retain its original texture and color for up to thousands of years without aging or fading.
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This ancient art disappeared for awhile but was soon revived in the 1970s, when these ancient straw patchwork relics were discovered.
The straw patchwork, with its excellent detailing showcasing the works of talented Chinese artists, are highly enjoyed and appreciated by both the Chinese and Westerners. It is used to both decorate and beautify homes and offices, and is also often given as gifts.
