Typically use hake brushes for broad washes and thoryu (?), a natural hair brush that comes to a point, for fine lines. Set your brushes in water about 1 hour before using (some artists let them sit overnight) This allows the brush to fully absorb the water, "coming alive" and "broadening out." Don't force the brush when it's not ready or you can damage and lose the hair.
In class we used Kumohada paper, a high quality Japanese paper that is fairly expensive and must be ordered directly from Japan. This is a traditional paper to use with Nihonga and its even texture and consistency accepts the paint well.
However a variety of papers and substrates can be and have been used with Nihonga. Japanese paper is especially good because the Japanese technique for papermaking manipulates the layers of long fibers of the paper pulp in such a way that they interlock, creating a very strong paper. Also the hand-made paper is typically not made with chemicals and is therefore archival. However many western and machine-made papers are also suitable once they have been sized with dhosa.
Here is a video showing how Japanese paper is typically made.
Whatever paper you use, take it out of its packaging once you get to the studio. Paper needs to adjust to the air and environment and should not be tightly rolled or encased in plastic.
mineral pigments: Japanese pigments are ground into 16 variations from coarse to fine. The higher the number the finer the grind. #11 is more like what is used in the West for oil and watercolor painting. We worked with #9 and #11 in class.
natural mineral pigments: ground minerals mined from various places around the world. They are usually more expensive than synthetic pigments.
synthetic mineral pigments:are created through chemical manufacturing rather than by grinding natural minerals. Their size is much more uniform than natural pigments and usually cost less than natural pigments.
Earth pigments Although earth pigments don't have the same "refracting" quality of the mineral pigments, they are also used in Nihonga. They are typically fine powder and mix well with the glue. They are especially useful on the first layers of the painting where you want to use the finer ground pigments.
Mica powder can be added to pigment or gofun for additional glisten and effects.
Nikawa - a hide-glue solution used as a binder for pigments
Kumohada (cloud skin) - commonly-used, hand-made paper from western Japan. Its high quality even texture makes it exceptional for Japanese painting
Dhosa - a mixture of nikawa, water and aluminum sulfate (myoban also known as alum) used for sizing paper
Gofun - powdered calcium carbonate that is made from cured oyster, clam or scallop shells mixed with nikawa is used as a ground, for under-painting, and as a fine white top color.
