How to Increase Zigong Lanterns Span Life by Craft Improvement

With elegant design and fancy craft, Zigong lantern is bright and colorful at night. It is not only a kind of folk culture but also an outstanding festive product. In most people's eyes, lanterns are only holiday decorations, which can create a happy atmosphere during the festivals. They can hardly realize that Zigong lantern is a kind of landscape lighting product. You might even say it is a sort of garden artwork. The lantern cannot be exhibited for a long time because of its craft construction and materials. How improve the craft so that Zigong festive lanterns can be exhibited for a longer time and continue the brilliant light?

Ⅰ. Spraying a resin layer on the silk cloths of Zigong lanterns to prolong the shining time

The biggest problem for a short exhibition of Zigong lantern is the color fading of the silk cloths since most lanterns are placed outdoors, suffering from the wind, sun, and rain. Especially the sunshine causes the color to fade gradually, from new colors to grey ones. At present, most makers of Zigong lanterns will add a process after completion of the lanterns, namely spraying a layer of resin on the silk cloths. The resin will harden the surface, which can withstand the wind and the rubbers will not fall. Meanwhile, the hardened silk cloths can resist fading at a certain degree so that the lanterns can be exhibited for 2 to 3 more months.

Ⅱ.  Zigong lanterns apply high-class spray lacquer against corrosion

The ultimate solution for color fading is upgrading the materials and craft of the lanterns. For the technology of internal skeleton, high-class spray lacquer can reduce corrosion. Some small parts can apply electrostatic spray so that they have rust protection within ten years. Besides, the papering craft is the key point of innovation. The malleable PVC material will be a good alternative solution. It has a series of advantages such as papering arc, customizing colors, unfading, and so on. Maybe in the near future, the Zigong lantern is not only a kind of temporary festive lantern but also a sort of long landscape decoration.