A solid career

Making the paintings requires eight complicated procedures, Xu said.

"We need to have a picture first, burn the furnaces, make the iron sticks into the shapes and add lacquer and color," he said. "For elements like the crane, I am swift in creating it because I have done it so many times."

But for tailor-made products, it usually takes more time and energy because every painting is handmade.

"There are no two identical iron paintings in the world," he said. "Every painting is unique."

Xu said that most iron paintings are colorless these days because "the black color perfectly represents the styles of Chinese calligraphy and brush paintings."

The tough job has scared away many young people from learning the craftsmanship.

"You need to have a deep understanding of iron paintings and work really hard," he said.

In 2017, the Wuhu government issued a regulation to protect iron painting. It encourages colleges and vocational schools in the city to set up related courses to turn out talents in this regard.

Xu said that they are working with universities to increase the art's influence among young people.

"I often invite students to come over to visit, and we communicate," Xu said. "I want them to appreciate the essence of the art."