林丙皇

A Colorful Life of Paints behind the Curtain

Lin, Ping-Huang

A stage is a world. We could never help but immerse ourselves in front of the stage because in every show, each glamourous actor and all the properties that are just right altogether tell a fascinating story. Perhaps, the spotlight is usually shining upon the characters. The properties at the back seem invisible and separated from the light; yet, they are tacitly glimmering as well. It is the work Lin, Ping-Huang, "Master Ming Nan," has been devoting himself to for the rest of his life - theatre set painting.

Lin, Ping-Huang revealed his talent in painting as early as his childhood. He became an apprentice to Chang, Chin-Tao, the third-generation master of Chao Yang School at the age of 15. Lin finished his apprenticeship four years later, and launched his own business after his military service in 1975. Except the techniques from Choa Yang School, he also observes and picks up the merits of others. Meanwhile, he learned sketching on his own in order to catch every detail. It is his limitless mind that led him to success without being bound by his school. He and his fellow senior brother, Chen, Ming-Shan are known as "Ming-Shan in the South, Ming-Nan in the North". His advice toward the younger generation is that "patience is the key to persistence; focus is the key to devoted practice; diligent is the key to get hold of every detail that matters."

戲說人生，我們總在劇臺前忘情地投入，每一場戲，除了粉墨登場的演員們，還有那恰如其分的背景道具，一同訴說著每段引人入勝的故事。也許，聚光燈總是打在臺前各個角色上，然而，背後的造景雖兀自獨立，卻也在默默耕耘中漸漸發光，這就是人稱「明男師」的林丙皇投身半輩子的工作。

四年養成，一朝出師的學徒生活

雲林臺西出生的林丙皇，因為從小嶄露繪畫天份，村裡從事布袋戲工作的人就引介到繪製布景的師傅那邊學習。十五歲那年，他到了嘉義大林，拜入朝陽派第三代傳人張錦濤門下學藝，排在大師兄賴銘彬、二師兄陳明山、三師兄洪武雄之後，開始了四年的學徒生活。

當時的學徒沒有薪水，甚至每個月還要繳交兩百元的飯錢，林丙皇因為很受老師疼愛，幫忙看顧老師的小孩，因此非但不需交錢，每個月還有十元零用錢可領。一開始幾個月只能幫忙洗筆，或是站在旁邊觀摩學習，大約四個月後才開始在老師或師兄的指導之下上單色，練習將粉漆平均上色，進而慢慢開始學構圖、部件的畫法。整年的工作，除了過年休假六天，二月十五日神明生跟中秋休息一晚，其他時間全年無休，從早上八點工作到晚上一、兩點，每個月更是有四、五天工作到天亮，雖然日以繼夜地工作十分勞累，但是師傅跟師兄不藏私的教授，讓他累積了厚實的功底。