What are the pigments of kumadori made from?

The materials of kumadori have changed with the times. In the Edo period the red is said to have come from safflower — a plant used widely for both dyeing and cosmetics, so the material was continuous with everyday makeup of the day. Blue came from indigo, black from ink: all natural colourants.

Today the mainstay is blended theatrical paint. It must read as the intended colour under stage lighting, resist running under sweat, and be safe on skin, so purpose-made products are used. Natural materials as such do not answer modern lighting and performance conditions.

The materials have changed; the method has not. A pomade base is laid, lines are drawn over it with brush and finger, and the edges blurred — a sequence continuous from Edo. Nor has the oil-based nature changed, which is why, before removing the makeup, a face can be pressed to paper or cloth to take an impression of the kumadori. This is oshiguma, kept as a memento; with a water-based pigment it would not work at all. The nature of the material has shaped the custom.