Time for a new face in art

Vu Thuy Duong came up with an idea of drawing on the dial of a watch when looking at the beautifully engraved watches made by her husband. As a handiwork, each watch is unique.

A painting on watch face by Vu Thuy Duong. Photo courtesy of Vu Thuy Duong

For a year, Duong has been creating her own brand of painting on watch faces in which she highlights Vietnamese folk paintings, along with classic international works of art.

"My husband produced engraving tools some years ago before turning to engraving watch faces. I was very interested in his creations and thought I could make personalised watches myself by drawing a tiny painting on the dial of a wristwatch," Duong, a former Hanoian journalist, told Việt Nam News.

"Many people have been successful with painting on paper or canvas. Painting on the face of a watch is relatively new and different. I want to experiment with it and I am happy to see my works have been well-received."

Visible challenges

Nothing is easy in the micro painting field, which requires patience and dexterity. Duong spends hours every day by her microscope to draw on a tiny surface of about 3cm in diameter.

"I faced a lot of challenges in the first days and was a little discouraged. Blending colours on the watches is different from blending on paper. Drawing through the microscope was an obstacle while testing chemicals on the watch surfaces also takes time to get to know the best effects," said Duong.

"I had to do the same thing many times before finding the best way to overcome these difficulties and manage the pace of work."

The paintings might be tiny, but each can take the 37-year-old from 10 to 15 days to complete.

First, Duong sketches a design on paper, then it is transferred to the watch dials and hand painted with particular care. Some details are plated if needed, using materials such as gold, abalone shells or insect shells.

Creating miniature paintings with super small details on a watch dial that is approximately 3cm in diameter requires more than just an artistic talent. The artist must be highly focused, careful and meticulous to not miss any small details.

"I do every step under a microscope to ensure accuracy and finesse. Furthermore, micro paintings require very small tools. Tools available in art shops are not suitable, so I have to modify them by trimming the brushes, leaving only few strands to be able to paint the thinnest lines. Some details must be painted with a metal needle that is only 0.08mm in diameter," said Duong, who has made almost 40 artworks.

Dương uses layers of colour to create depth and richness in her miniature paintings.

Limitless creativity

Her first work was a tiny replica of the famous oil-on-canvas The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. It was a milestone for her, as she found herself pushing her artistic limits and mastering a new arena.

She presents paintings with different themes ranging from beautiful landscapes and fauna and flora, to people's portraits and famous characters.

"The technique of the artist plays a key role in making an impressive painting. She or he must focus on not only drawing but also colour mixing. A beautiful product should be a harmony of colour and shape of the picture combined with the colour, form and size of the watch," Duong said.

Recently, she has introduced a set of watches drawing "Five Tiger Generals", a genre of Hang Trong folk paintings, to celebrate Tet (Lunar New Year).

Five tigers of five colours -- white, black, green, red and yellow -- represent the five elements of yin and yang: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth, showing the power of nature and how the laws of motion interact with the earth.

With help from her husband, Duong applies lacquer sanding and gold plating techniques before using a special kind of paint to make a protective layer that can ensure the durability of the paintings over many decades.

Sharing a passion for designing watches, her husband strongly supports and encourages Dương. He gives her precious advice on materials and colour to make her work more attractive and beautiful, and helps her in the last touches.

"Folk art has an important value in Vietnam's culture and it also excites me a lot. There are many beautiful Vietnamese folk paintings. which have great meaning. It is not only transferring this folk painting on the watch dials, but an artist must convey emotion, making it soulful, lively and eye-catching," Duong said.

"My set of 'Five Tiger Generals' is first to welcome the Year of the Tiger, this lunar year. But I also want to preserve the beauty of national folk art, and give it a new look as well."

Vu Thuy Duong spends lot of time using a microscope to create micro painting on a surface 3cm in diameter. Photo courtesy of Vu Thuy Duong

Vu Thuy Duong's tiny watch paintings range from classical art works to people's portraits, or even both at the same time. Photo courtesy of Vu Thuy Duong

Duong has created a set of watches with dials having Hang Trong folk paintings, Five Tiger Generals, to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Photo courtesy of Vu Thuy Duong