Tools II

Benedicte said: "would have like it better directly on the wood of the table with the traces of hard painting labour."

It just so happens I was doing some sumi-e this morning so here is a picture of the 'tools', more or less, in use.

The 'rice' paper is extremely absorbent so one works on felt to soak up the excess water in the ink. The orage rags (toweling) is to clean/dry the fude (brushes). The suzuri (ink stone); add a little water, grind for 15 minutes and youve got ink! The white ceramic, chrysanthemum, dish is to mix shades of gray from the ink. The two brushes (fude) I was using are sitting to the left on the fudemaki (brushholder). On the paper, at the top, is the bunchin, paperweight.