Delving deeply into your tools and materials not only enhances your creative process but also opens new perspectives and inspiration for your artistic practice.

In the summer of 2025, PIGMENT TOKYO will host a series of three workshops designed for both children and adults, focusing on brushes, silk canvas and suminagashi (Japanese marbling).

These special workshops provide hands-on experiences where participants can engage with art materials and appreciate their unique qualities. We are excited to invite Kyoto Nakasato, a long-established brush manufacturer, to lead the Brush Making Workshop. 

Next, in the Silk Painting Workshop, we will introduce painting techniques that are specific to silk canvas. And the Suminagashi Workshop offers a fun and spontaneous creative experience using Japanese marbling and sunago (sprinkled metal leaf flakes).

Join us in rediscovering the history of art tools and the beauty of Japanese traditions passed down through generations. This summer could be your gateway to a new world of artistic expression!

 

① Learn the Art of Brush Making with a Brush Maker from Kyoto

Join Fumihiko Nakasato, CEO of Kyoto Nakasato Co., Ltd., a well-established brush manufacturer in Kyoto, for an immersive brush-making workshop. Participants will explore the traditional process of making Japanese paintbrushes while discovering their beauty and construction. 

This workshop combines lectures with hands-on experience that not only equips you with skills to create your own brush but also helps you understand its significance in artistic creation. It's highly recommended for anyone interested in the rich culture of Japanese brush making.

Workshop Overview

［Special Workshop］By Kyoto Nakasato – Understanding and Making Brushes 

Date: July 26, 2025 (Sat)

Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Instructor: Fumihiko Nakasato, CEO of Kyoto Nakasato Co., Ltd.

Fee: JPY 9,900 (tax and materials included)

Recommended Age: 5 years and up (participants of all ages are welcome)

Reservation Opens: From 12:00 PM on June 1 (Sun)

Reservation Page: Special Workshop by Kyoto Nakasato – Understanding and Making Brushes 25/07/26

■ 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.

 

*Materials are not provided for accompanying guardians. (However, assisting your child during the workshop is welcome.)     
*As the workshop involves detailed handwork, children in lower elementary school or younger will require assistance from a guardian.

◾️Brush Making Experience

After learning about different types of animal hair, which is the primary material for brushes, participants will create two of their own paintbrushes（one large and one small).

Participants practicing thread-wrapping around the brush handles.

Broadly speaking, a brush consists of two main parts: the "ho" (the bundled animal hair) and the "jiku" (the shaft).

During the brush-making process, participants will focus on a technique called "itojime", which means thread-binding. This vital step involves skilfully wrapping thread tightly around the ho-kubi (the hair bundle), ensuring that the hairs remain secure and don't loosen or fall apart.

Since this process requires some skills, participants will initially practice this technique on the shaft instead of the hair bundle to build some foundation. 

Using their hands, fingers, and sometimes even their mouths, participants will then attach the completed ho-kubi to the prepared shaft, resulting in a carefully crafted paintbrush.

 

Left: Thread-binding process/ Right: Completed paintbrush

Participants may take home the brushes they made during the workshop. We hope you enjoy using your handmade brushes at home!

 

Moreover, other than learning about the structure and characteristics, participants will also have the opportunity to try out a wide variety of brushes using actual paints.

In general, brushes are made from various types of animal hair, including weasel, goat, raccoon dog and deer, all carefully blended by skilled artisans. The differences in hair type, the animal's origin, the specific part of the body the hair is sourced from, along with the manufacturing methods and brush shapes, profoundly impact how these brushes hold paint and create strokes. 

 

Therefore, we welcome you to join us and experience these unique differences firsthand!

Nakazato  Brushes

The following article also introduces the characteristics of brushes according to the type of hair used.

It will be a helpful resource for review before the workshop and will help you formulate insightful questions for the instructor.

Fumihiko Nakasato, CEO of Nakasato Co., Ltd.

 

Kyoto Nakasato has consistently prioritized high-quality brush-making while adapting to changing times and circumstances through continual experimentation. By engaging with the craftsmanship cultivated over many years alongside artisans and painters, this allows the company to gain a deeper understanding of the tools and transforms its approach to creative work and art materials.

Kyoto Nakasato

 

https://www.kyoto-nakasato.com/ (Japanese only)

 

② Exploring the Unique Beauty of Traditional Silk Canvas through Painting

Although Eginu (silk canvas) features beautiful translucency and a lustrous surface, because of its delicate nature, it requires special preparation and techniques that differ from working on paper.

By learning the traditional technique of kenpon-saishiki (painting on silk) using suihi pigments, participants can now experience the unique tactile quality of silk canvas and its vivid colors through brushes. 

The workshop offers easy-to-follow guidance, making it a great introduction for beginners and those interested in silk canvas and traditional Japanese painting techniques.

Workshop Overview

Introduction to Eginu Silk Canvas (Porcelain Berry) 

*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: August 11, 2025 (Mon, public holiday) and August 17, 2025 (Sun)

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Venue: PIGMENT TOKYO

Fee: JPY 9,900 per person (tax and materials included)

Recommended Age: Junior high school students and up

Reservation: August 11, 2025 (Mon.)  Introduction to Eginu Silk Canvas (Porcelain Berry) August 11.2025

                     August 17, 2025 (Sun.)  Introduction to Eginu Silk Canvas (Porcelain Berry) August 17.2025

■ 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.)      

◾️Transferring the Image & Backside Coloring (Urazaishiki)

When painting on eginu (silk canvas), the fabric needs to be stretched onto wooden stretcher bars to prevent shrinkage and distortion caused by moisture. Next, a sizing agent (dosa solution) is applied to the surface to evenly tighten the weave and stabilize the texture. After these steps, the silk canvas is ready for painting.
At PIGMENT TOKYO, we use our original Pig Glue for Sizing 20％, which can be easily diluted with water for the sizing process.

Our workshop begins with transferring an image onto a piece of silk canvas that has been pre-treated with a dosa sizing solution.
A ready-to-use design featuring porcelain berry will be provided as a motif, allowing even beginners or those new to silk painting to enjoy the creative process with ease.

Left: Transferring the motif / Right: Backside Coloring (Urazaishiki)

Once the image is traced with a pencil, participants will explore a painting process unique to translucent silk canvas.

One distinctive technique, known as "urazaishiki," involves applying colors to the reverse side of the silk. 

For example, if you apply an opaque white shell pigment called gofun to the back of the silk beforehand, the areas appear brighter and more vivid when viewed from the front, in contrast to unpainted areas.

◾️Painting on Silk Canvas

After completing the urazaishiki (backside coloring), participants will move on to the main painting from the front surface.

They will color the porcelain berries using a mixture of animal glue solution (ox glue) and suihi pigments.

The delicate texture of silk canvas allows for capturing the subtle color transitions and freshness of the berries.

Participants will discover the extraordinary qualities of silk canvas, including its smooth painting surface and the captivating depth created through backside coloring (urazaishiki). The soft, delicate expressions made possible by gently blending the pigments further enhance the artistry. 

By working with silk canvas, we invite you to unlock a new realm of artistic expression!

③Enjoy the Random Beauty of Material Interaction Suminagashi Marbling × Sunago Flakes

Suminagashi, or Japanese marbling, is a technique in which ink patterns floating on water are transferred onto paper. Combined with Sunago, the delicate scattering of gold or silver metal leaf across the surface, this workshop offers a sensory, hands-on experience of capturing the interaction of materials and the unintentional beauty that emerges from the random movement.

Suminagashi originated in China and developed uniquely in Japan, historically used for decorating washi paper and scrolls. Today, it is also appreciated in art and interior design. On the other hand, Sunago is a traditional Japanese decorative technique using metal leaf, often found in folding screens and lacquerware.

By embracing the natural flow of water and air, this intuitive, process-focused approach encourages free expression without the pressure of completing a finished piece. It's an open and enjoyable experience for participants of all levels.

Workshop Overview

Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes

*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: August 24, 2025 (Sun)

Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Venue: PIGMENT TOKYO

Fee: JPY 9,900 (tax and materials included)

Recommended Age: 5 years and up

Reservation:

   August 24 (Sun.)　 Make Your Own Galaxy with Suminagashi Marbling and Sunago Flakes August 24.2025

■ 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.)      

*As the workshop involves detailed handwork, children in lower elementary school or younger will require assistance from a guardian.

◾️Suminagashi

This workshop begins with grinding an inkstick on an inkstone. 

During this process, participants engage not only their sense of touch but also their hearing and smell, enhancing their awareness through all five senses as they create the sumi ink.

They will learn essential grinding techniques and explore how the hardness of water (soft versus hard) affects the ink’s color and appearance, gaining a deeper understanding of the ink’s unique characteristics.

When sumi ink and essential oil (turpentine) are dropped alternately onto the water’s surface with a brush, concentric ring patterns gradually spread out.

This phenomenon, caused by the repelling nature of the ink and oil, evokes a sense of stillness combined with the dynamic swirl of a galaxy.

Once a pleasing pattern forms, participants can capture the design by transferring it onto washi paper or Japanese craft paper.

*Please note that the inkstones used in the workshop are not available for purchase at PIGMENT TOKYO.
However, you can view and purchase available inkstones on the following page:

Inkstone List

Moreover, marbling is a technique similar to Suminagashi, where paints floated on water are manipulated with tools like sticks to create patterns with some degree of control.
On the other hand, Suminagashi is more focused on the formation of the natural water flow and the ink patterns.

By gently blowing with a straw, fanning with your hand or disturbing the water surface, you can encounter unexpected shapes and expressions. This process is also a part of what makes Suminagashi so fascinating.

◾️Sunago —Sprinkling Metel Leaf Flakes

After completing the Suminagashi process, a diluted pig glue solution is applied to the paper. Then, metal leaf flakes are sprinkled over the surface using a special tool.

Participants can envision arranging distant stars close at hand as they watch the fine flakes of Sunago gently fall through the mesh of the tube, softly showering the paper. This interplay between materials enhances their textures and adds greater depth to the artwork. 

 

The techniques of Suminagashi and Sunago, which embrace the natural movements of water and air, offer the exciting possibility of unexpected expressions emerging throughout the creative process.

 

Another highlight is the opportunity to work with authentic art materials that might feel a bit intimidating at first, such as pure gold leaf, silver leaf, sumi ink and inkstones.

We recommend taking this opportunity to experience the smooth grinding texture and beautiful black of high-quality sumi ink, along with the soft and rich luster unique to pure gold and silver leaf.

 

Last but not least, PIGMENT TOKYO also offers special programs for children as well as year-round workshops. If you are interested, feel free to check the details at the link below.

Workshop - PIGMENT TOKYO

Translated by Atsumi Okano, Nelson Hor Ee Herng
PIGMENT TOKYO Art Materials Experts