Color the Arhats!

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My job is to paint a picture on ceilings and walls and to paint Ranma and Buddha statues.
This time, I will be painting a carved Ranma.
First, we carefully remove the Ranma from the temple, clean it thoroughly, and repair it.
Then I prepare the surface and apply the color.
Ranma is installed in wooden buildings to improve ventilation in damp rooms and allow sunlight to enter.
The Ranma I’m painting this time is carved with arhats.
Arhats are great monks who attained enlightenment in the past.
The carvings are based on anecdotes of these great monks.
As I paint the Ranma, I can feel the high level of expression from the Buddhist sculptors.
The design is magnificent, but it’s quite challenging to paint.
The carvings, made with great effort, are deep and have complex shapes,
so the brush does not move smoothly and it takes time.
Gold leaf is made by mixing real gold with traces of minerals, and then tapping and spreading it thinly.
It has been used as an ornament since ancient times.
Gold leaf is very light, so work is done in a closed room to prevent it from flying away.
The expression of the tiger is defined by its pattern, so I’m very nervous while painting it.
After preparing the base, I’ll apply the gold leaf.
Any gold leaf that falls off at this time is collected as much as possible and made into new gold leaf to be reused.
I carefully check to make sure there are no areas left unpainted before the work is complete.
I painted the Ranma, which was carved by an excellent Buddhist sculptor in the olden days.
As time goes by, someone will wash the old Ranma and repaint it again.
Thank you for watching the video until the end. See you soon.