Gofun is a white pigment made from the shells of oysters, clams, scallops, etc. used in Japanese paintings. Its main component is calcium carbonate and is characterized by the fine particles which produce a smooth matt texture. Gofun itself has no ad

Suihi-enogu is a nihonga paint containing fine particles derived from natural mud or made by dyeing gofun or white clay. It spreads well and is characterized by the matte texture it produces. It is often sold in slabs and is ground into powder before

Since ancient times, humanity has used mineral ores, soil, animals and plants in the natural environment around them to produce coloring materials. This original form of paint has been handed down to the present day in the form of nihonga paint. In m

Kumohada mashi is a thick, strong washi paper made from hemp and mulberry. It is mainly used as a support medium for Japanese paintings. The name kumohada (literally, cloud surface) comes from the fact that the fibers of this paper are entwined so th

Nikawasui (literally, glue water) is used in the production of Japanese painting, mainly for fixing paint onto the surface and is a solution made by dissolving glue in water. The basic method of making this glue solution from sanzenbon nikawa (hid

Glue has been used since the days of ancient murals and primitive paintings, and continues to be an important material for fixing paint onto the surface in the production of Japanese paintings today. It is made by boiling animal bones, hide, intes

A dosa sizing solution is a mixture of glue solution and alum for treating washi, eginu (silk canvas) and boards used as the support medium for Japanese paintings to prevent ink from smudging. When gilding with gold and silver leaf, applying sizing s

A dosa sizing brush is a brush that is used to apply dosa (sizing) when preparing for and working on a Japanese painting. It is mainly used for sizing washi and silk canvas so that the ink does not run, and for gilding with gold or silver leaf. Th

Hydrated alum is one of the additives in the dosa solution used for sizing washi and silk canvas supports, etc. in Japanese painting. Hydrated alum is a material that has long been used in a number of applications including dyeing and the eliminat

Flat brushes have a slightly wide, flat base and a tip made of quality sheep wool trimmed in a straight line. They are used to lay down a flat wash over a relatively wide area. They come in various widths, ranging from size 0 (approx. 0.5 cm) to a

Nenshi is a piece of paper coated with mud pigment or charcoal powder, etc. used in Japanese painting to transfer a rough sketch to the final work. It is also used in lithography to copy a design from the matte film to the plate. Japanese painting

Iwa-enogu is Japanese paint made from particles of pulverized rock, mainly minerals. The particles have a similar coarseness to sand and feature a lusterless matt feeling. The paint itself has no adhesive properties, but by adding glue, it sticks to

The line-drawing brush (senbyō fude) does precisely what its name suggests: it draws thin lines. Artists can select brushes made from the furs of different animal species or fashioned with different tip shapes depending on the type of lines they want