~Why can foil stamping never be perfectly replicated?

A few days ago, a customer visited our studio. As they looked at one of the paper carving artworks on the table, they suddenly asked me a question. "Why does your foil stamping look different from the ones outside.?"

I smiled. Because many people, when they first come across foil stamping, assume it's the same as printing. They think that once everything is set up on the computer and the machine starts running, it can simply reproduce the exact same result over and over again. But that's not actually the case. If it were really that simple, perhaps we wouldn't still be doing this today. Most people only notice the beautiful colours on the surface. But to us, every round of foil stamping feels like getting to know a sheet of paper all over again. The same foil, when applied to different types of paper, reflects light differently. A slightly higher temperature, a slightly heavier pressure, or even a second more or less of the imprinting time will result in a different final appearance.

That is why, even when we are using exactly the same colour, we still have to keep retesting. Not because the previous result wasn't good enough. But because we know that every sheet of paper has its own character. To be honest, I actually quite like this feeling. Because it reminds me that the beauty of handcrafted work has never been about making perfect copies. Instead, every creation carries something unique from the moment it was made. 

This koi paper carving artwork began in exactly the same way. Our client did not give us many requirements. They simply said, "I hope this artwork can feel different from the ones before." We spent a long time thinking about those words. Because creating something "different" is never as simple as changing the design or choosing another colour. If the only purpose of being different is simply to be different, then I don't think it means anything. 

For quite some time, my husband and I spent a long time discussing how we could make this artwork feel different in a meaningful way.  Then one day, we placed several different foil colours on the table and began testing them, one sheet at a time. Gold felt timeless. Silver felt clean. But when we combined different colours within the same artwork, we discovered something surprisingly beautiful. Every colour seemed to have its own personality. Some felt warm. Some felt quiet. Some felt lively. Some felt calm. What surprised us even more was that when sunlight streamed in, the colours changed with the light. The morning light was different from the afternoon light. It even looks different depending on how close you are to it.  At that moment, I suddenly realised that we were not simply adding colour to an artwork. We were giving it a little more life.

Later, someone asked me, "Why not just print it? Wouldn't that be much faster?" Of course we could. Printing is stable and it is efficient. But it could never give us this sense of anticipation. I love that every morning when I walk into the studio, I can't help but take another look at the artwork.  Because somehow, what I see today always feels just a little different from what I saw yesterday. The changes created by the light are quiet. But it's very real. I think that is one of the reasons we have never been willing to let go of foil stamping. To us, it is more than simply a technique. It feels more like a way of creating an artwork together with time.

As I write this, something suddenly comes to mind. The truth is, every day we are making choices. In the past, I never connected those choices with the idea of "aesthetic appreciation." Only later did I realise that aesthetics is not simply about understanding art, nor is it about knowing which colours are trending. To me, it is much more like a way of living. Will you spend a little more time on a small detail? Will you refuse to compromise too quickly, simply because something feels right to you? Will you be willing to slow down, just to do one thing well?

These all seem to be related to aesthetics. Many people believe that aesthetics only influences a work of art. But over time, I've come to realise that it quietly shapes the way a person lives.  When you begin to appreciate things that carry warmth, you naturally learn to value handcrafted work more deeply. When you begin to notice the details, you also find yourself becoming more careful in everything you do. When you begin to appreciate the beauty of empty space, you also learn that life does not always have to be filled to the brim. None of these changes happen overnight. They happen quietly. Very slowly. They build themselves into your everyday life. Eventually, they become part of your perspective. And they become the way you see the world.

So now, if someone asks me again, "Why can foil stamping never be perfectly replicated?" I think my answer would be this: Because what is truly worth keeping doesn't need to be exactly the same. Every subtle variation left behind by foil stamping records the warmth of that moment, the light that surrounded it, and even the state of mind of the person creating it that day. Perhaps that is the true beauty of handcrafted work. It isn't about creating perfect copies, but about giving every creation the care it deserves. 

I have always believed that a person's life is not changed by a single artwork. But perhaps, the moment someone is willing to pause and truly appreciate one, something has already begun to change. Because what truly changes us has never been a sheet of paper, nor a layer of foil. It is the moment we become willing to see the world through different eyes. And I think that's probably why I've always loved paper carving, and why I've never let go of foil stamping. Not because it is complicated. But because it reminds me that every artwork created with sincerity deserves to be gently treasured by time.

( Translated from the original Chinese text )