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Among these, "Suminagashi", which was introduced from China and developed independently, has been used to decorate writing papers and scrolls.
Furthermore, "Haku(Metal Leaf)" is applied not only to paintings and Buddhist utensils, but also to furnishings for formal ceremonies such as folding screens and lacquerware, and is a technique that has been passed down for over a thousand years.
These techniques have been incorporated into design in a variety of fields, including art, interior design, and fashion, and have been popular throughout the world throughout the ages.
At PIGMENT TOKYO, we irregularly hold an introductory course called "Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes", where you can learn both "Suminagashi" and "Sunago", one of the foil techniques, all at once.
The production style, which allows the results to depend on the movement of water and wind, allows for free expression without being bound by the final form, and even those who are new to ink and foil can learn through hands-on fun in this course. A time to forget everything else, use your senses to the fullest, and concentrate on the resonance between the materials. Everyone from children to adults can participate, regardless of their experience, as they can intuitively capture the serendipitous beauty of materials and the momentary brilliance of their resonance.
It may be an opportunity to gain new awareness for those who are interested in traditional Japanese art materials and techniques, or for those who want to expand the range of their production methods.

In this article, we will introduce the production process and the content you can experience.

Contents Workshop Overview   Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes Production Details    1. Suminagashi    2. Sungo Flakes

Workshop Overviewe

Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes  (120 min.)

*Note

This workshop will be conducted exclusively in Japanese, and no English materials will be provided. If you are concerned about understanding the content, we kindly recommend enrolling in one of our workshops where English course materials are available. Thank you for your understanding.

Date:   Event schedule is here. You can view it on the page.
Time:   14:00 – 16:00
Venue:    PIGMENT TOKYO
Fee:   ¥9,900 per person (tax included, material cost included)
Recommended Age:   Recommended 5 years old or older
  *Due to the detailed work involved, children in the lower grades of elementary school and younger require parental assistance.
  *If accompanied by a guardian, please apply for the option (free of charge) as well.
What to bring: None
Reservation:   Workshop –Suminagashi

■ Guardian Option (1 person): Free of charge

*If a parent or a guardian wishes to accompany the participant, please select the free “ticket option" when making your reservation.

*One guardian is allowed per participant.

*Limited seats are available and reservations will close once capacity is reached.

*Materials are not provided for accompanying guardians. (However, assisting your child during the workshop is welcome.) 

Production Details

The instructor will explain the classical techniques of Suminagashi and Sunago through lectures and demonstrations.
Another great feature of this workshop is that you can actually use authentic art materials and tools such as ink stick, inkstones, and gold and silver leaf.
All works created on the day can be taken home.

1. Suminagashi

The ink liquid used is made by each person grinding solid ink stick with an inkstone.
By using solid ink stick instead of ink, you will be able to bring out the deep colors of the ink while enjoying the smooth feeling of polishing.

① Grind the Ink stick

The first step is to grind the ink stick with an inkstone.
It takes more time than expected to create a concentrated abrasive ink.
During this process, the artist relaxes his shoulders, concentrates on the sensation of his fingertips, and grind the ink stock without thinking. By listening to its sounds, sensing its scent, and facing the ink, you will deepen your sensual understanding of the art medium.
Also, pay attention to the difference in color that occurs depending on the hardness of the water, and compare the results by polishing with soft and hard water.
Even if you don't have much experience using ink, don't worry, we will explain the key points of grinding in an easy-to-understand manner.

"Ink stick" is ink made using a manufacturing method that has been passed down from ancient times.
Glue made from animal collagen is mixed with soot obtained by burning vegetable oil and pine wood, then molded and dried.
This time, I will be using "Daiwagaboku Watoseimyo," a sophisticated ink color with harmonious shades.
Dark ink gives you a deep brownish black, while light ink gives you a black with a hint of light brown and purple.

*The inkstones used in the workshop are not available at PIGMENT TOKYO.
Please see the inkstones we have for sale here.

Inkstones

② Make Ink Liquid

Add the ground polishing ink liquid to the water placed in a plum plate to prepare light ink.
Additionally, being able to intuitively adjust the color and viscosity brings a rich variety to the expression of the work.

③ Suminagashi — Creating patterns with ink

By applying ink and essential oil (turpentine) to a brush and dropping them alternately onto the water surface, a concentric striped pattern gradually spreads out. The phenomenon, which takes advantage of the property of ink ink to repel oil, has a sense of tranquility and dynamism reminiscent of a whirlpool in the galaxy.
The one of a kind facial expressions created beyond the artist's intentions can be said to be the moment when the creator's sensibilities and natural phenomena interact.

What is the difference between "Suminagashi" and "Marbling"?
"Marbling" is a technique similar to Suminagashi.
Marbling is a technique in which paint is floated on the surface of viscous water and a pattern is intentionally manipulated using a stick or comb. It is relatively easy to control the design, and is characterized by the ability to produce vivid colors and complex patterns.
Suminagashi, on the other hand, involves dropping ink onto the water surface and allowing the flow and expansion of the water to create patterns.
The real pleasure of this technique is to enjoy the shapes and movements that are created naturally by gently blowing on the water, fanning it with a fan, or indirectly shaking the surface of the water with the wind.

④ Copy the suminagashi pattern

When the suminagashi pattern approaches the ideal shape, scoop up the scenery and transfer it onto paper.
You can choose from several types of Japanese paper or colored folk art paper to use.

⑤ Drying

Once dry, decorate with sand.
The strong, deep patterns that appear when the paper is wet transform into gentle, beautiful gradations of color as it dries. This change is also a taste unique to suminagashi.

2. Sunago Flakes

The gold leaf and genuine silver leaf give off an elegant shine, adding sparkle to the galaxy created by Suminagashi.
"Sunago" is finely crushed foil. The foil is danced softly over the area where the glue has been applied, and the margins and depth created by the density create a sense of spatial expansion.

① Apply the Guilding Size

Use a brush to apply guilding size to the Suminagashi paper to adhere the Sunago Flakes.
For the glue under the foil, we use a "Animal Glue Liquid" diluted to a concentration that does not leave any stickiness on the surface of the base material after drying.

② Sunago — Sprinkling Metal Leaf Flakes

Sprinkle the metal leaf flakes (Sanago) over the surface.
Here, we will use a tool called a "Sunagozutsu" that is easy to use even for beginners.
A Sunagozutsu is a bamboo tube covered with a metal net, and foil is placed inside and gently rubbed out with a Poundin brush made of hard, chewy deer hair. The foil passes through the mesh and becomes fine grains of sand, which spread beautifully over the surface of the work.

Let's imagine the distant stars lined up close to us as we watch the ``sunago'' gently falling one after another.
The materials complement each other's expressions, adding even more depth to the work.

③Fix the metal flakes in place

If you just sprinkle the sand, the foil will not be fixed yet.
Before the glue completely dries, apply paper and rub it with a baren to smooth out the unevenness of the sand, blend it into the screen, and firmly fix it.

④ Completion

Suminagashi and Sunago Flakes techniques, which make use of the fluctuations of water and air, are attractive in that they allow you to encounter unexpected forms during the production process.
By enjoying dialogue with such incidental things and accepting them with amusement, they transform into expressions unique to oneself. Please take this opportunity to experience the time of going back and forth between play and production.

PIGMENT TOKYO also holds special projects and workshops throughout the year.
Please see the link below for details.

Workshop –PIGMENT TOKYO

Workshop where you can learn foil techniques

Basic information for private workshops (individuals, corporations, organizations) 

Private Workshop Information for Corporate and Organizational Clients

PRIVATE WORKSHOP

PIGMENT TOKYO

Contact –PIGMENT TOKYO