masking, Kyo Yūzen

The fabric is attached with a thin layer of paste-resist to a 7-meter-long pinewood frame (yūzen ita) on a stand. The stencils bear marks known as okuriboshi or awaseboshi that serve as reference points for each application of paste-resist and coloring. Kataoki is repeated over and over, depending on the number of colors and their gradation and shading, and then the fabric is left to dry. Before the ground is dyed, the design is covered with protective resist.