Making a great piece of original pattern mokume is very difficult and very technical.  Once made, this material is even more difficult to work than traditional precious metals. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Designing and making original, artful objects and the occasional piece of real art with mokume is tougher still.  The result is that the masters of this material, worldwide, can easily be counted on the fingers of one hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The quality of mokume objects must be judged using both the criteria used to judge the three-dimensional art of the goldsmith:

 

     originality

     artistic vision

     identifiable style

     quality of execution

 

 

 

 

 

as well as the criteria used to judge the two-dimensional art of surface pattern design:

 

     meaningful, painterly pattern

     clarity and fineness of line

     seamless pattern work

     appropriateness of metals and colors

     harmony between pattern and sculptural shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mokume is a material much like fabric. It can be an intricate tapestry woven with thoughtful attention to color and pattern - or scratchy burlap, without nuance or beauty. The maker’s skill is evident in the beauty of the mokume and the objects made from it.