"Taisho" and "Kosen" are produced by Yasunari Ikenaga, who remixes the techniques of Japan and Western paintings and draws a woman's image, from Namura Taisakudo Co., Ltd. It was released in May 2023.

We talked about secret stories from development to completion and Ikenaga's ideal brush, including Hisaki Ishikawa of Namura Taoseido Co., Ltd., who was involved in planning and production.

—Why did you focus on nylon hair? Is there any effect of the shortage of beast hairs these days?
Ikenaga: The brush of other companies used before was discontinued, so I wanted a convenient nylon brush.

Hisaki Ishikawa (hereinafter referred to as Ishikawa / Honorable Omit): The first concept at the time of development was whether it could be cheaper so that young writers could be easily used.
When I asked the young writers who were interacting with Mr. Ikenaga, I was worried that the price of weasel hair soaring and the quality was different. For this reason, I received a request to make a stable nylon brush.
Also, Ikenaga said that he used the tip of weasel hair and used it, so that is one of the reasons.

By the time we talked about the project, we were a watercolor paint.NORMEWas released.
NORMEI first started with the prototype, wondering if it could be used in the nylon hair used in the nylon hair.

Prototype brush


—Do you have any difficulties or points before completion?
Ishikawa: Mr. Ikenaga was drawn on the canvas with rock paint, so it also needed durability, and in the case of a nylon brush, that point was a concern.
When I consulted with a material contractor about durability, it was said that in the case of nylon, it was easy to bend if the tip was thin and it was difficult. However, two or three months later, the other contacted me, "I got a good thing," and it was completed as soon as possible. That is the white nylon hair of "sharp".
I made a sample using the hair and had a test written and feedback. Perhaps you repeated that and prototyped about 20 samples.

Sparing ears

Ikenaga: The ears of the "sharp" were made immediately, but the compatibility with the axis was a challenge.

According to experience, the face brush has water accumulated in the tube at the base of the ear neck, and if it is a bamboo axis, paint is moderately replenished while replenishing water, but the combination of the ear and the axis is poor. The paint hangs at once.

In addition, the hair on the tip (thin hair at the tip of the ear) is necessary when writing a piece of paper, but if you want to draw a canvas thread like me, land in an unintended area. It is unnecessary because it will be broken. Therefore, I was cutting the tip, but then the brush would be useless.

So I asked if I wanted a brush with the tip of the ears where I was able to hold the cohesion of the ears.

 The ears of Taizen

Ikenaga:The hair ( * 2) of "Taizen" had a proven track record, so I asked for something that was so strong, sharpened, and aimed at the tip so that paint could be put in the canvas eyes. 。

( *2 Used hair: High -performance nylon fiber "exclusive syn. Sable")

- Is there a reason why it was made into a metal axis?

Ikenaga: I heard that not only beast hair but also bamboo used for the pencil axis has a problem with lack of raw materials.

One of the options for alternative materials is plastic, but it is used on the plastic axis and does not increase motivation.

I used the wooden axis samples for a while with other alternatives, but this was inconvenient anyway, and it was incompatible with the axis dirt and ears.

So I was suggested by the aluminum axis. In the past, I used to work for stationery, but at that time there was a mechanical pencil boom for drafting aluminum shaft.

I think the texture of the aluminum was also attractive, but in addition to that, the grip changed, the pen tip pops out, and some gimmicks are also the reason for attracting people.

Remembering that, I decided to go with an aluminum axis. It was a bottleneck that the price would be higher when it was decided to make the axis of Taizen and the sharpness made of aluminum. However, I decided to make a beautiful and beautiful thing to have.

-Do you have any thoughts on shape and thickness?

Ikenaga: However, this axis is thinner and heavy compared to many face brushes. It has a slightly uncomfortable shape. Even if other artists use it, it is said that it is "thin, heavy", so I think that kind of opinion will be given from the purchased customers. Then, you should think of gimmicks, such as "I tried wrapping the rubber". In order to make the user want to customize it, we decided on the shaft material, thickness and design for beautiful, incomplete but joyful shapes.

Some of you may think that the aluminum axis may slip, but it doesn't slip much because the friction coefficient is high. And this weight reduces the blur of the line drawing.

I adjust it by wrapping a curing tape around the grip.

By the way, the flyer was also designed with the image of a drafting pen.

Ishikawa: The nylon hair of "Shaku" uses a new material, so I tried to positively challenge the new attempts of the aluminum axis.

At the beginning of the development, the axis was a little longer, but then the body became heavier, so I reduced it a little.

In addition, this brush devised the development of S, M, and L size, but when it was L size, it became heavy. At the same time, there was a request that we wanted a thinner and further tip than the S size, and we changed to XS, S, and M size.

—How do you use brush properly in the work production?

Ikenaga: I do not use many kinds of brushes and use one kind of brush for a long time.

I'm timid, so I can't draw a stroke or move the paint on the screen like a Rinpa. The basics are drawn with face brushes, and no color brushes are used.

In general, color brushes use the stomach of the ears, but in my case there is a canvas eye, so only the tip is used vertically to the screen. I thought it would be nice if I could use the tip to be able to color it.

Taizen is very useful because it can be drawn like a colored brush with a hatching luck brush. I like it because it can be dressed at the tip of the ear, it is easy to control, and the paint is good.

—This this time you produced a facial brush, but did you start using the “line” symbolically?

Ikenaga: I am often asked, but I don't really care about the lines, and I don't think the lines as much as possible.

I can only draw "lines" in a sense because I do not add intonation at the time of drawing, and I can't draw lines that make use of the stroke. However, we believe that the lines that we do not say are also beautiful lines.

Mr. Ikenaga's studio, which is systematic 

—How did you become the current style of Japanese painting?

Ikenaga: Originally, I was from an oil painting system, and at that time I wanted to try classical technique expressions, so I tried to pack everything I could and what I knew. However, I thought that the production would be difficult, and I would not be able to draw unless I forget what I learned.

Due to timid, you will be scared of those with a high degree of freedom. I was addicted to the Japanese painting method because it was the painting method that I didn't know what to do most.

I'm afraid that I will draw the work with the momentum. The current combination of “canvas on a canvas and rock paint” is a painting method that does not move forward. It's easier to say, "I can do this only," it's easier, and it's a reason why the brush doesn't work.

Scenery with Mr. Ikenaga

- Is it from that time that people have come to be drawn?

Ikenaga: I didn't go to an art university due to troublesome, but went to Tokyo because of going to a vocational school in the photo.

However, you can't take a picture unless you go out. That was also troublesome. If you want to draw a mountain, you have to go to the mountain. There were a lot of humans around, but they didn't do what they wanted.

- The picture of the canvas is also unique to Ikenaga -san, but is it done?

Ikenaga: Mud paint is a canvas eye. Therefore, mud paint will not be established unless it is a geri -strengthed deer glue.

Funaoca's canvas had a strong twist (higher) of hemp thread, and the woven was dense, so I just made a thin ground with mud and put the rock paint neatly.

What I am using now has a weak twist and rough weave. It's like a cold gauze, so you have to put more paint than before. I am looking for an improvement method because it is difficult to handle in my painting method.

—How was the expression of ground dyeing born?

Ikenaga: It was a coincidence that this skin color was first created.

I was stuck in the production, I didn't know how to draw, I tried various methods, such as drawing on paper and boards, drawing on a golden background.

At that time, I happened to imprint the mud on the canvas, and when I was washed, the glue fell and it became like this. However, because it is a color that was accidentally made, I do not know how it was made. It took about 10 years to reproduce.

Actually, it should have been reproduced on the way, but at that time I was obsessed with reproducing the first color that I had.

However, it was the same as how to take the data when developing a print paper, and the recipe was recorded. After repeated, the recipe was completed to some extent, so I started making it with that content. ConclusionThe fruit rampages, but by allowing it, I can finally draw it.

Right now, I'm doing what kind of results with this recipe than to make it after imagining "let's do this".

I intend to make it in the same way every time while fine -tuning, but it will be slightly different every time depending on the work.

I haven't seen the color that came out because if you judge yourself, you will not go ahead.

We measure the weight of rock paint and make it while thinking that this recipe should work.

—How do you proceed after the ground dyeing?

Ikenaga: Bone drawing is about half a day.

Most of the paint used after that is gray, but I use a lot of mud paint.

Make a black background with mud paint and put a bright color on it, as if you were drawing a chalk on a blackboard. If the base is white, it does not develop such a color.

My hobby is to appreciate the floor plan, but I like to think about modules and recipes, such as "how to accumulate modules a livable housing complex or city."

The time of Taishin and Kazumi made this time also manages the replacement time by color of the masking tape.

My studio is also designed with the image of a dark room in the photo, and I think the aesthetics for modules and recipes have a strong effect on production.

Brush used by Mr. Ikenaga

It is a product that has been planned for Japanese painting writers, but it is now used for watercolors, modelers, and oil paintings.

Taizen, which can handle well with paint, which can be compatible with fine linear and coloring, and a durable brush, a durable brush, has a flexibility and restoration force, and can express delicate expressions.

Please enjoy it with a gimmick that matches you with a rugged and stylish body that is not found in other brushes.

It is a set of 12 natural and new rock paint, 24 colors.

This set is easy to use for those who use rock paint for the first time with a small amount of particles.

Please try this together with "Taizen" and "Kazumi".

Ikenaga Yasunari Ikenaga Yasunari

Born in Oita Prefecture in 1965.

Graduated from Oita Prefectural University of Arts Junior College.A beautiful painting drawn with rock paint on a linen dyed by himself offers a unique texture and fragrance.

There are many offerings from overseas, such as stationery and book bindings.

The painting book, "Kimi Foukan Hyakuyoku Happiness," continued to be a long seller.

Paintings in Spain, the United States, and Italy, Lamb Daprint in Germany, stationery design in Russia.

In JapanThe work is drawn down to AKB48's Yokoyama Yui Photo Book, shows a unique development of Ukiyo -e prints and collaboration with love dolls, leading to a modern beauty painting scene.

Web sitehttps://ikenaga-yasunari.com/index.html

Namura Taoseido Co., Ltd.
Web site　https://www.namura-tsd.co.jp/
Namura Taizenhttps://www.namura-tsd.co.jp/taisei/
Namura Shakuhttps://www.namura-tsd.co.jp/kousen/

Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO

Natsuko Shiraishi

Graduated from the Textile Design at Tama Art University. She is an artist who mainly works with original Washi paper and calligraphy.

Graduated from the Textile Design at Tama Art University. She is an artist who mainly works with original Washi paper and calligraphy.

Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO

Akira Oya

Born in 1989 in Tokyo. Master of Fine Art and Design at Nihon University College of Art. While working at PIGMENT TOKYO as an Art Materials Expert, he also continues his career as a visual artist.

Born in 1989 in Tokyo. Master of Fine Art and Design at Nihon University College of Art. While working at PIGMENT TOKYO as an Art Materials Expert, he also continues his career as a visual artist.