Supplies and Tools
by John Marshall
Having the right tools and equipment will make any endeavor a more rewarding experience. I recommend acquiring the best quality supplies and equipment right from the start. Imagine trying to learn origami using construction paper!
CARVING KNIVES - Traditional carving knives have curved blades that make it easier to cut several stencils at one time. X-acto® knives work quite well as a substitute.
HOLE PUNCHES - Traditionally, stencil carvers make their own hole punches, often in very complex shapes. Circular hole punches, in a variety of sizes, are available for the studio artist.
CUTTING MAT - The mat allows your blade to pierce the paper and at the same time protect your table top. The mat should be a bit resilient and should not contribute to the dulling of the knife.
SHIBUGAMI - Shibugami is made of hand-made mulberry paper that has many layers laminated together using persimmon tannin. It is then smoked to preserve the paper and speed the curing of the persimmon. Synthetic stencil paper is also a modern option.
SHA - Stencils often need additional support, especially when there are very delicate lines or free-floating elements. The sha, a silk leno-weave gauze, supplies this support.
LACQUER - In lieu of lacquer, I recommend using a high quality water based floor paint. It is less toxic and much easier to use. When shopping for paint, look for the most rugged. This will normally be indoor/outdoor paint or floor paint, and high gloss.
KOMON NUKA - Nuka is rice bran and may be found in any Asian market or health food store. However, komon nuka is very finely ground, de-oiled bran.
MOCHIKO - Mochiko is available in any major supermarket or health food store. You may also be able to find it in gourmet grocery stores (it is used to make curry roux) and of course in Asian food stores.
SURIBACHI - A suribachi has grooves all along the inside surface of the bowl. It is used to grind and mix.
SURIKOGI - A surikogi is the pestle used with the suribachi. Any wooden pestle will do – in a pinch, even a broomstick handle may be pressed into service.
HERA (a.k.a. DEBABERA) - In English this may be referred to as a spatula or a spreader. In a pinch, a silkscreen squeegee pay be used.
HARITE and SHINSHI – The shinshi stretch the yardage side to side, the harite are used to stretch the fabric lengthwise. Harite may be purchased, or if you are a bit handy with tools, they are fairly easy to make on your own. Shinshi are bamboo dowels with needles inserted into their tips. The shinshi should be longer than the fabric is wide.
SPRAYER – The sprayer is used to moisten newspaper during the lacquering process and to make it easier to pull the stencil up from the fabric once paste has been applied.
JIZOMEBAKE - One of the most difficult affects for dyers to achieve is an evenly solid background of color. Jizomebake have been designed to have the same number of bristles touching the surface of the cloth as long sweeping applications of dyes are made. Made of deer hair, it will last decades if given proper care. After each use, be sure to shake out as much dye as you are able, rinse the brush thoroughly, shake again, and hang to dry. It is important to set it aside at the end of the day and allow it to dry completely before using it again.
PIGMENTS- Dyes come in many forms, both natural and synthetic. Pigments make up the oldest class of natural dyes and come in a large range of colors. You may make your own or purchase them commercially. All pigments need soymilk or some other binder to hold them to the cloth. Pigments may be produced from mineral sources, such as dirt (ocher), as well as plant and animal sources in the form of lakes, such as indigo.
Commercial pigments may be purchased from stores that care quality paints for artists. You may also use high quality watercolors.
JUICE DYES - Dyes made from plants or animals are called juice dyes and referred to as kusaki-dyes in Japanese. In most cases, the dye source must be steeped in hot water to extract the dye stock. Mordants or other helpers are added to help the dye stain the fabric or to enhance its color range. When juice dyes are forced to settle out of the liquid as a lake, they fall into the category of pigments.
AOBANA - One of the weakest of all natural dyes, aobana (blueflower) has found great popularity among artists. It is used to sketch out designs and register marks on the silk before dyeing begins. This is especially important in designs that must register with several other panels or be placed just so on a garment. For artists using rice paste resist in a cone (tsutsugaki) it is especially useful in transferring complicated designs to the cloth before paste is applied freehand.
Aobana is produced as both a natural and a synthetic dye. It has also found great popularity among quilters in the West, in pen form, to mark out cutting and sewing lines.
Once dry on the cloth, aobana disappears on contact with water. Some pen versions have been found to re-appear years later – causing much grief – but natural aobana and the liquid synthetic version I carry do not do this.
