In Japan, various art techniques have been passed down through a long history. Suminagashi, a Japanese marbling technique, is one of them.  

This technique was introduced from China and has been uniquely developed in Japan to decorate ryoshi paper and makimono scrolls.

Moreover, the gilding technique with metal leaf has been passed down for over a thousand years. Metal leaf is applied not only to paintings and Buddhist altar accessories but also to interior furnishings such as folding screens and lacquerwares.

These gilding techniques have been incorporated into diverse art and design fields such as fine art, interiors and fashion designs, beloved worldwide across eras.

At PIGMENT TOKYO, we occasionally offer an introductory workshop titled “Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes,” where participants can learn both suminagashi and a metal leaf technique called sunago.

The art style introduced in this workshop emphasizes the joy of the process, allowing the movement of water and wind to lead the work without aiming for a certain result.

As a result, participants can step away from everyday concerns and freely express themselves, using their sensitivities to focus on the interaction of colors and materials. By capturing transient moments of beauty created by these materials and working intuitively, participants may welcome some surprising results.

This workshop is open to everyone, from children to adults, including those with no experience using sumi ink or metal leaf. It is also ideal for anyone interested in traditional Japanese art materials and techniques, as well as for artists seeking new sources of inspiration.

In this article, we will introduce what participants can learn and experience through this workshop.

Contents Workshop Overview    WORKSHOP "Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes" Workshop Process    1. Suminagashi    2. Sunago

Workshop Overview

WORKSHOP "Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes"　（120 minutes)

*Note

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

Schedule: Please check our website for upcoming dates.
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
Venue: PIGMENT TOKYO
Fee: JPY 9,900 per participant (tax and materials included)
Recommended Age: 5 years old and above

*Children younger than 10 years old required parental assistance due to the fine detail work.
*If attending with a parent or a guardian, please select the optional free ticket.
Things to Bring: None required
Reservation: WORKSHOP "Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes"

<Optional Ticket (for parents/guardians who wish to accompany a child)>

■ Seat for a parent/guardian (1 seat): Free

One additional chair will be prepared for you.

* Ticket availability is limited.

* Only one parent/guardian is allowed per participant.

* You are unable to select more than two guests per reservation.
* Materials are not included with this ticket (however, you are welcome to assist your children during the workshop).

Workshop Process

Our instructor will explain and demonstrate the traditional art techniques of suminagashi (Japanese marbling) and sunago (meta leaf flakes).

One of the appeals of taking this workshop is that participants get to use authentic materials and tools, such as sumi ink sticks, inkstones, gold and silver leaf.

Other than that, the participants may bring back home the artwork they made in the workshop.

1. Suminagashi

At the start of the workshop, each participant will gently grind solid ink sticks on the inkstone to make their own liquid ink instead of using ready-to-use liquid ink (bokuju). By doing this, they can enjoy the smooth sensation of gently grinding the sticks and produce deep sumi ink color.

① Preparing Sumi Ink

At first, participants will grind sumi inksticks on an inkstone to create liquid ink. It takes more time than expected to produce richly concentrated sumi ink.

During this process, participants are encouraged to relax their shoulders, focus on the sensations at their fingertips and grind the ink with a clear mind.

Listening to the sounds created by the inkstick and inkstone while enjoying the aroma of the incense helps participants develop an intuitive understanding of sumi ink.

Also, they will experiment with how the color of sumi ink changes depending on the hardness of the water used for grinding the sticks. 

Our instructor will explain the basic steps for grinding inksticks, so even participants with no experience are welcome to join.

Solid inksticks are made using traditional methods passed down through generations. Soot, produced by burning vegetable oils and pine wood, is kneaded with animal glue, a collagen derived from animal skins and bones, and the mixture is then solidified in a mold.

For this workshop, we will use an ink called Daiwagaboku Watouseimyo, known for its elegant sumi ink with a perfect balance of deep and light black shade.

When ground to its darkest, the ink has a deep brownish black, but when diluted with water, the lighter black ink shows subtle brown and purple tones.

Unfortunately, the inkstones used in the workshop are not for sale. However, you can visit the following link to find inkstones available for purchase.

View Inkstones

② Making Liquid Sumi Ink

Add the ground sumi ink to the water prepared in the petals of the plum-shaped palette. 

You can also adjust the tone, color and consistency of the ink depending on how you feel, which brings greater depth and personal touch to your artwork.

③ Suminagashi — Creating Marbling Patterns with Sumi Ink

Two brushes are needed to create marbling patterns on water. One is for the sumi ink, while the other is for turpentine.

When you drop ink and oil alternately onto the water’s surface, repeating ring patterns spread outward from the center. The effect, caused by the repelling characteristics of ink and oil, creates dynamic movements in the patterns, reminiscent of a swirling galaxy, while also providing a calming experience.

The unique patterns created beyond our intention can be seen as an artwork formed through the collaboration of our sensitivity and natural phenomena.

What is the Difference Between Suminagashi and Western Marbling?

Western marbling is a technique similar to suminagashi.

Paints are usually dropped on a more viscous water surface and patterns are intentionally manipulated using tools such as sticks or combs in Western marbling. This allows the artists to control paints for making designs, vivid color and complex patterns.

On the other hand, suminagashi is a technique that relies on natural flow, such as dropping ink on a surface of water and letting the water spread the ink to create patterns.

The most enjoyable part of this technique might be watching the natural patterns that emerge when gently blowing, fanning or letting the wind ripple the water.

④ Transferring Suminagashi Patterns on Paper

Once the pattern is reaching to the desired forms and composition, it can be transferred to paper as if gently scooping up a landscape. Participants can choose from several types of paper, including different kinds of washi and colored craft papers.

⑤ Drying

After the suminagashi paper has dried, the next step is to decorate it with sunago (metal flakes).
While the paper dries, it is nice to observe how the bold, deep patterns that appear when the paper is still wet gradually shift into soft and beautiful color gradations. This transition is one of the unique charms of suminagashi.

2. Sunago 

The deep, rich glow of pure gold leaf and the elegant shimmer of pure silver leaf add a sparkling to galaxy-like forms created through the suminagashi technique.

“Sunago” are tiny pieces of metal leaf. 

When sunago is gently sprinkled over areas with adhesive, the metal leaf flakes and powder form patterns, spaces and depth, giving the work a sense of spatial expansion.

① Applying Glue

First, glue is applied to the suminagashi paper using a wide, flat hake brush.

For the sunago technique, animal glue (nikawa) is most commonly used, typically diluted so that it leaves no sticky residue on the surface after drying.

② Sunago — Sprinkling Metal Leaf 

Next, the sunago (metal leaf flakes) are sprinkled onto the surface.

For this step, a tool called sunago-zutsu is used to make this process easier even for beginners.

A sunago-zutsu is a bamboo cylinder fitted with a fine metal mesh on top. Metal leaf is placed inside and using a pounding brush made of firm, resilient deer hair, to gently tap the flakes out through the mesh. The metal leaf sheet passes through as fine sunago powder, spreading beautifully across the surface of the artwork.

Watch as the sunago flakes softly drift down onto the paper, like arranging distant stars right before our eyes. The interaction between the materials enhances their textures, adding even greater depth to the artwork.

 

③ Fixing the Sunago

Simply sprinkling the sunago flakes isn’t enough for it to adhere. Before the glue is completely dry, place a sheet of paper over it and rub with a baren (a printing pad) to smooth out the flakes, helping it blend into the surface and firmly fix in place.

④ Completed

The natural flow of water and air is an important element in the suminagashi and sunago techniques, allowing us to experience unexpected forms and patterns during the creative process. 

By enjoying the dialogue with uncertainty and embracing these surprises, your work can transform into a unique form of personal expression.

We invite you to join us in this workshop that embraces both creation and play!

At PIGMENT TOKYO, we offer special events as well as year-round workshops. 

For those interested, please check out the link below for more details and to sign up for the workshops. We would be delighted to have you join us!

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For more details about the workshops where you can learn metal leaf techniques, please check out our article below.

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