Relationship between Sensitivity Evaluation and Light Reflection Characteristics of Urushi (Asian lacquer) Coatings

: We examined the correspondence between the subjective expression texture (psychological quality) and the physical information (physical quality) of the Urushi coatings. We applied black Natume which was coated with Urushi, cashew resin paint and polyurethane resin paint with semi matted-glossy coatings (brushing process and spraying process) as the samples, Psychological qualities were evaluated by three groups of subjects. For physical qualities, the glossiness, color, and the light reflection characteristics, via the prototyped optical measurement devices, have been assessed. As a result, a group of Urushi crafts specialists valued the characteristic texture of matted through semi matted-glossy coatings as “Mukkuri (swelling)” and “Atatakami (warm feeling)” and regarded as “Suki (favorite)” in the overall evaluation. These psychological qualities were considered to be related to the difference in L* value excluding regular reflection light in color measurement and the pixel value of the light reflection characteristic measurement by the optical measurement system manufactured, a trial based. And these differences were able to be characterized as an inherent of Urushi coatings which is not discovered in cashew resin paint and polyurethane resin paint.