Earthen Wall: Straw Visible Within the Wall

A close-up of a traditional earthen wall. The material is a mixture of clay, sand, and chopped straw mortar, hand-applied onto a bamboo lattice base. The surface is matte and rough, with a warm grayish-brown or earthy yellow color and uneven shades; the straw fibers mixed within are clearly visible, some protruding from the surface to form small bumps and shadows. Trowel marks are random and directional, and corners naturally thicken and round. There are several fine cracks due to drying shrinkage, left unfilled. The lower edge of the wall is slightly darker due to moisture. Light hits at a grazing angle, making the straw fibers and irregularities clearly visible. Avoid: making the wall surface smooth and flat, using uniform imitation earth-colored paint, eliminating straw fibers and cracks, using cool gray tones.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一面傳統土壁的近景。材料是混合了黏土、砂與切碎稻草的泥漿,手工抹在竹編的底層上。表面是霧面而粗糙的,顏色是溫暖的灰褐或土黃,並有不均勻的深淺;可以清楚看見混在裡面的稻草纖維,有些露出表面形成細小的凸起與陰影。抹刀的痕跡是隨意而有方向性的,轉角處自然變厚變圓。有幾處因為乾燥收縮而出現細密的龜裂,沒有填補。牆的下緣顏色略深,因為濕氣。光以掠射角度打過來,讓稻草的纖維與凹凸都清楚可見。避免:把牆面做成平整光滑、使用均勻的仿土色塗料、消除稻草的纖維與裂紋、使用冷灰色調。