Japanese paper, ink, and face painting. The dragon is said to "bring good luck" and is a very auspicious creature. I drew it in sumi-e ink and later painted it in kyosai. This is another favorite dragon. Nihonga" is based on a style of painting that has existed for more than 1,000 years, and uses traditional materials that have been cultivated throughout history. The technique involves painting on Japanese paper, silk, wood, etc., using natural paints such as sumi ink, iwa-enogu (mineral pigments), gofun (gofun), etc., and glue (nikawawa) as an adhesive. Gold and other metal materials (gold leaf, etc.) are also used. Iwa-enogu, made from ores, is a beautiful, sand-like powder. Mizuhigure, made from clay, is a fine, stretchy, fine-particle paint. Artificial versions of iwa-enogu and mizuhoshi-enogu are also made, and are available in a wide variety of colors. Goko, made from shells, is a white pigment with fine particles.
