The first step is to choose leather. The raw materials of shadow play vary from place to place. For example, in the production of shadow play in Longdong, young black bull cowhide is generally used, which is moderate in thickness, firm and flexible, and green and transparent.
Step 2 There are many ways to make leather. Taking Shaanxi shadow play as an example, there are usually two processing methods for its raw material-cowhide: "clean leather" and "gray leather".
The third step, when making shadow play, there are special drawings called "sample spectrum". These design drawings have been handed down from generation to generation.
The fourth step is to over-draft. Step five, the sculptor breaks the scraped cowhide into pieces, moistens it with a wet cloth, and then uses a special push plate to push and knead it one by one with a little oil juice to make the cowhide smoother. Step six, after the shadow play carving is completed, color it.
The seventh step is the dehydration and perspiration after ironing and coloring, which is the key process. Its purpose is to make the painted color be eaten into cowhide at a proper high temperature, so as to get rid of the water left in the leather.
In order to make the shadow play flexible, a complete shadow play character usually has eleven parts from head to toe, including head, chest, abdomen, legs, arms, elbows and hands.