Gamboge should be used by placing some water into a plate and kneading it until it turns a vivid yellow, and it is good to add some glue solution when using; while dark red pigment has usually already been soaked into a cotton cloth so cut the necessary amount of cloth when needed and put it on a plate, then add a small amount of boiling water and squeeze it hard with Japanese cedar chop sticks which do not contain oil, to release the dark red pigment.
藤黄は、水を数滴皿にそそぎ、すれば鮮黄色になるが、使用時に膠液をくわえればなおよい、臙脂は、綿にひたしてあるから、綿を使用分切り取り、皿に入れ、熱湯を少し加え、あぶら分の無い杉箸などで強く搾れば、濃赤色の液汁が出る。