Nib: 14k Gold #5 Medium
Bonsai is called Makie (Maki-e) Matsu The pine (Matsu) is a traditional tree in Japan well used for "Bonsai". The pine(Matsu) is a symbol of Lucky.
Hira Makie is to sprinkle metal powder or grains, then stick them onto the surface, use the adhesive ability of urushi. For sprinkling metal powders puffy raw silk threads are used while for grains a thin bamboo cylinder filter is used. In some cases hira-makie parts are whetted or polished after drying.
Togidashi Hira Makie is more or less same as the hira-makie technique but using bigger metal grains for sprinkling. After the metal grains are fixed properly, the whole surface is covered with urushi. When urushi is solid the surface is whetted flat and smooth, then polished. So the surface of the togidashi-makie is completely flat.
Taka Makie is a kind of relief combined with the hira-makie technique. The base of the relief is made with charcoal powder or e-urushi.
Bonsai is called Makie (Maki-e) Matsu The pine(Matsu) is a traditional tree in Japan well used for "Bonsai". The pine(Matsu) is a symbol of Lucky.