I am working on bodies made of hemp cloths and urushi (Japanese lacquer) with a technique called kanshitsu. The previous process is here.
After letting the plaster molds dry, I sandpapered them to smooth the surfaces and applied a release agent to them. I coated the surface of plaster molds with boiled white rice flour for dumplings with water as a mold release agent. It was colored to make sure the release agent has been applied evenly throughout. A lighter color would be easier to check, but this time I added too much paint. After the mold release agent has dried, apply another coat and let it dry.
After this, the base and several layers of linen cloth are pasted to create a body of 2~3 mm thick.

After a kanshitsu body is made, the plaster is broken and discarded. For this, a release agent is applied to make it easier for a plaster mold and kanshitsu body to come off, but sometimes it is very difficult to remove it from a box-shaped kanshitsu body.
I wanted to find if there was a more effective release agent that would make it easier to remove it. I fortunately had an opportunity to indirectly ask Dr. Hisaya Tsukiji, an expert in kanshitsu, and he told that he used a release agent made of white rice flour for dumplings as well. He is deeply exploring various materials and techniques, so I thought I would continue to use it as a release agent with confidence.

2025.02.20