# Manu Propria Pens - Tame-Oshidashi-Nuri



## manupropria (Oct 26, 2016)

A month ago I started working on this lacquer. Some remember an earlier post showing the pens after applying metal powders in pattern on the pen parts This is what turns out after 30 layers of transparent urushi. The lacquer I call "tame-oshidashi-nuri". With the time the various pattern, material and colors will appear more and more because thetransparent lacquer will get more transparent.

Best regards,

Martin


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## magpens (Oct 26, 2016)

Extremely nice !!!!! . What are we looking at in the last picture ?


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## manupropria (Oct 26, 2016)

The last picture shows how the work began before 30 layers of transparent lacquer were applied


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## Jim15 (Oct 26, 2016)

That is a masterpiece.


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## zaqdesigns (Oct 26, 2016)

Absolutely stunning! Gorgeous work...


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## leehljp (Oct 26, 2016)

Martin,

About 30 days for the process? Do you usually allow for 1 day per layer of lacquer? I know that you work on many pens at simultaneously but the process takes considerable time, and it is well worth the effort.

Beautiful finish. Thank you for posting these and thanks for that last picture. It clarifies your process. 本当に、どうもありがとうございます。


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## zaqdesigns (Oct 26, 2016)

manupropria said:


> The last picture shows how the work began before 30 layers of transparent lacquer were applied



Do you use water-based lacquer?


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## Charlie_W (Oct 26, 2016)

Absolutely Splendid work as usual Martin! 
I too like the last pic showing the pen parts before lacquer. The texture is wild!
Also, wonderful shop space with the natural light.


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## manupropria (Oct 26, 2016)

Thank you very much.
Hank Lee, yes one day per layer, 2 to 3 days for "shû" red lacquer.

D. E. West
The lacquer is "urushi", a natural sap from a tree.
Learn more about urushi here FAQ - welcome


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## zaqdesigns (Oct 26, 2016)

manupropria said:


> Thank you very much.
> Hank Lee, yes one day per layer, 2 to 3 days for "shû" red lacquer.
> 
> D. E. West
> ...



Very unique and amazing. Thanks for sharing...


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## liljohn1368 (Oct 26, 2016)

Beautiful set of pens...


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## SteveG (Oct 26, 2016)

Somehow you manage to outdo prior efforts which I felt were the very pinnacle of what could be done. The word penultimate comes to mind (which allows for 'pun intended' :biggrin, in that you manage to push your artful work a step further with your latest effort, making the previous design the penultimate one. I think I understand how you accomplish this, in that you posses unbounded artistic talent, and are unwilling to let that ability become stagnant. So 'BRAVO!!' on this latest!


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## SteveG (Oct 26, 2016)

PS: I am extremely jealous of your studio, with the most desirable high windows affording excellent lighting, and open space in which to work! :biggrin:


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## manupropria (Oct 26, 2016)

To flattering. here some pictures of my lovely atelier. I am very sure, that  making nice things can only be made in a nice place.
I had the chance to set up my ateler in an old black powder factory from the turn of the century. It is a very inspiring place


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## magpens (Oct 26, 2016)

Attractive, Inspiring, and Impressive !!!! ... that would have been the turn of the 20th Century !!!!


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## manupropria (Oct 26, 2016)

Yes, It was built around 1910


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## SteveG (Oct 26, 2016)

Martin, thanks for the add'l photos of the inspiring work place...it does seem conducive to creating beautiful results. That has proven true by the outcome, as seen in your work. Aloha!


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## Kaspar (Oct 27, 2016)

Gorgeous.  Sublime, really.


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## plano_harry (Oct 31, 2016)

Martin, thanks for the base layer picture.  It really helps to see what that looks like before the transparent layers.  Amazing work!


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## Wct3 (Nov 2, 2016)

More fabulous pens.   I just love the subtle light and color.


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## Skie_M (Nov 2, 2016)

The Urushi is a sap ... generally somewhat toxic.  This sap is closely related to the sap from Poison Oak, and in fact you could actually use Poison Oak sap for a lacquer.


Lacquer is thinned with ethyl alcohol, rather than water, but you can use standard types of acrylic dyes to color it.  The more dye you add, the longer it will take to properly cure and the softer the item would be, so less is better.... if you want the color darker or more pronounced, you simply add another layer! 

The lacquer cures in the presence of heat and moisture ... most lacquer masters in japan refer to their lacquer workshop as their "bathroom" .... simply because the lacquer would cure best in that type of environment.  Once cured, the lacquer is waterproof, hard, and non-toxic....  (well, it should be non-toxic in most cases, though the wet lacquer is toxic).


I'm going to have to see if Hobby Lobby carries any kind of Urushi lacquer... it seems to be something that would bring beauty not just in the present, but for many years to come ....


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## manupropria (Nov 3, 2016)

Thank you Skie for the explanation.

Maybe some corrections.

Urushi is a very aggressive product. Only a few natural pigments can be used to color urushi. Blue for example can only be mixed with Prussian Blue or Indigo. All other pigments turn the urushi gray. Same with other pigments. Lately also some chemical pigments were develpoped to color urushi.
Serious lacquer artists only thin urushi with caphor or linseed oil and only for "nuritate", final coat without polishing. I only use de best Japanese urushi which is extrelemy liquid and transparent, therefore I even don't need oil for nuritate. 90% of urushi used in Japan is Chinese and much cheaper but also more sticky and darker than Japanese urushi. Oil is weakening the urushi. In the industry urushi is often thinned with various chemicals and sprayed, mostly 20% urushi and 80% chemicals


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