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#　02.23.2010
Casting of 100% pure tin

Traditional & fine casting techniques of Takaoka, Toyama prefecture

Sample at ubushina.


Material is 100% pure tin, which is very soft and flexible.
Let me introduce you how soft it is...









Casting is a method of making products by puring molten metal
into a mold.


Extremely detailed (by silicone casting).


Samples of the texture of surface.

 
 

 

 

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#　12.25.2009
Japanese silk

Japanese silk, produced in Nagano prefecture.


With "silk glue," utilizing the self-adhesive property of  silk,
we did some trials using clothes iron.








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#　12.21.2009
Three-dimensional Japanese washi paper

One and only technique to make "seamless" 3D washi.
Expressing warm and unique texture when held against the light.
 

Moon-like surface.
 

 

 



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#　09.27.2007
Coloration of iron

Do you know we can color iron?

Normally only gold and copper have colors and especially copper alloy
is easy to be processed to various colors from red, yellow to black and blue.
The most used metal we see in architectural works is iron because of its
strength and reasonable cost but its coloration method
was limited only to red rust.
Now the new coloration method is developed and the coloration used for
copper alloy is applied on the iron surface.
This allows gradual oxidative discoloration to the iron and
spots appeared on the surface through this coloration process
can give special appearance resembling ink painting.
The craftsman can control the patterns and
colors by how long they dip in this coloration liquid.
This method can also be applied to copper and
the color result can be varied depending on the season and humidity.
The traditional coloration is a technique based on something
by leaving material as natural as it can be.








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#　08.17.2007
Bronze coloring technique

Thing to be prepared
Bronze product (bronze vase etc.)

1. apply paste mixed with niter, copper vitriol and salt to the surface of the vase.


2.bake it at less than 1000 degrees C and polish it until red bronze appears.


3. boil copper vitriol and copper carbonate in a pot for 20 to 30 minutes.


4. put the vase in the pot and heat the bronze vase and polish many times until the red surface comes out.


5. wax it at the end to finish


There are more recipes for bronze coloring such as polishing with radish or steaming it with ammonia.




This cooking recipe like technique has been used for hundred years and old recipe is with plum or vinegar and so on.
Nature has always been very important part of our traditional coloring technique in Japan.

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