This video shows the very beginning of the coloring processes of the piece. It shows how my father paints eyes and brows with sumi ink.
It is often said that “the face is the most important part of a doll.” It is also true that the eyes are the most important part of a face, so this process of painting eyes and brows makes my father (and me a viewer) feel tense.
He draws lines on a small piece of material as a test, using thick sumi ink, and adjusts the tone of the ink by adding water, since the ink looks darker when it gets into incised grooves.
From around 7:40 on, he delicately removes any excess ink that protruded from the desired edges, using scrapers. He also paints a bit to make fine adjustments.
