Sumi

Description

A type of black ink Japanese ink. Sumi is a mixture of black carbon black with a water-soluble binder, usually a gum. It is formed into a solid block and wet as needed for use.

Synonyms and Related Terms

black watercolor; Japanese ink

Authority

• Ralph Mayer, Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

• A Glossary of Paper Conservation Terms, Margaret Ellis (ed.), Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York City, 1998

• Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000