A Craftsman’s Obsession

During a whirlwind tour of western Japan in spring 2019, I interviewed several craftsmen who work with sap from the Asian lacquer tree to make exquisite pieces of lacquerware. I imagined these craftsmen working in well-lit art studios or museum-like surroundings. Instead, I found them working out of their homes or in a warehouse-like office, their work aprons stained coal black from the urushi...

2021.01.06

Musou Black Continues to Reign as the World’s Blackest Paint

2020.12.30

Musou Black – The World’s Blackest Paint

Koyo Orient Japan, Co. Ltd. released a world’s blackest water-based acrylic paint, “Musou Black.” “Musou” means “unparalleled” or “the one and only” in Japanese. The word is often used for a game title to depict the overwhelming existence.  Musou Black successfully achieved an impressive light reflectance rate of 0.8%. In other words, the paint absorbs 99% of light. That is practically pitch-black! For your...

2020.05.29

Daruma Daishi – Coloring from ORIGAMI

2019.11.22

Phoenix – Coloring from ORIGAMI

2019.05.04