Naturally, color reproduction is crucial, but another challenge is recreating the texture and details of the original piece. In the case of Nihonga, this involves nuances like the buildup or peeling of gofun (whitewash), the grainy texture of paint depicting rocks, the fibrous texture of washi (Japanese paper), and the inclusion of materials like gold foil and paint. These elements can be scanned and printed as a flat image, but the result won't accurately resemble the original piece. Utilizing SunM Color's diverse set of technologies, we integrate various techniques and recommend optimal printing approaches for each work.

The choice of printing medium (support such as washi, silk canvas, or canvas) plays a vital role in achieving realism. Printing on the same material as the original is ideal when reproduction fidelity is paramount. At SunM Color, we strive to replicate a sense of presence similar to the original by employing print technologies capable of handling a wide range of media, and selecting materials close to the original work, such as handmade washi or silk canvas.

The reproduction process goes beyond just the print itself. Framing and mounting are also key elements. Fashioning things like hanging scrolls, folding screens, and fusuma (paper sliding doors) requires traditional techniques. In reproducing cultural properties, mounting of the work is often regarded as a traditional craft. In such cases, our local connections as a Kyoto printing company allow us to collaborate with mounting artisans with a high level of expertise.

This is a scanner specifically designed for art, especially high-definition digitization of cultural properties and artistic works. It has a maximum scanning range of 1800 x 4000 mm, at high resolutions up to 1200 dpi and 16 million pixels. With control similar to camera lighting, it accurately captures color and three-dimensional nuances like the canvas weave and texture of painting/drawing materials. The scanner can also be disassembled and reassembled for onsite scanning, allowing archiving of cultural properties that are hard to move.

By using a camera equipped with a full-size CMOS sensor for greater dynamic range and meticulous color reproduction, we can accurately and beautifully photograph not only flat works but also three-dimensional pieces like sculptures and crafts at high resolutions up to 187 million pixels. LED illumination, which emits no UV light, allows reproduction photography without the risk of harming cultural properties or artistic works.

We carry out digital photography of spaces using various types of equipment. Matterport photography uses a special-purpose 3D scanning camera to digitally archive entire spaces. This allows people to explore a space with a sense of immersion on the web. 360-degree high-resolution photography is a technology for capturing a few tens to a few hundreds of images in all directions, centered on the camera, and then stitching them together into a seamless spatial image with ultra-high resolution. These images are used to capture exhibitions, archive the interiors of shrines and temples, and record gardens in each season.

We also perform photography for 3D digitization of objects. We use different approaches depending on the application, such as photogrammetry for generating 3D objects from images taken from all directions, and 3D scans using a 3D scanner. We also do texture photography of materials, and create high-quality normal maps using a large scanner.