Kumadori

Colours

Only a few colours are used in ja makeup; red, blue, brown and black. Whilst black is simply used to exaggerate features, such as eyebrows and the line of the mouth, the other colours are used to tell the audience about the character's nature.

Red ja indicates a powerful hero role, often a character with virtue and courage. The most famous role to use red ja is that of the hero in ja, ja, and has come to stereotypically represent kabuki in the West.

Blue makeup is used to represent a villain, human or not, and represents negative emotions such as fear and jealousy. Ghosts in traditional Japanese dramas are often trapped by their attachment to such emotions, and so often wear blue makeup; ja (fox spirits) such as ja in ja wear blue makeup as well.

Brown represents monsters and non-human spirits, such as ja (demons). One example of the usage of brown ja is the ja (ground spider) fought by ja in ja.

Patterns

Though only four colours are used, there are over 50 different patterns of ja. ja is worn symmetrically on both sides. Some patterns are used for a number of roles, as they have come to represent a specific type of character over time, regardless of the play being performed:

• Ni-hon-Guma - this style of ja features two red lines leading up into the hairline, one leading off the eyebrows and one leading off the eyeline. This pattern is used to express quiet strength in heroes.
• Suji-Guma - the most well-known pattern of red ja, as seen in ja on the hero ja. Its dramatic red lines represent the power and righteous anger of the character.
• Mukimi Kuma - a stylish form of red ja used for young, handsome and virtuous heroes. The character of ja in ja wears ja, and is the epitome of a handsome kabuki hero attempting to win the love of a high-ranking courtesan.
• Zare-Guma - the style of ja used for comic villains; though the ja is red, the lines used make the character look like an animal, indicating that they should not be taken seriously. Some forms of ja make the character look like a monkey, or a crab.
• Kuge Kuma - a dramatic form of blue ja used to indicate a villainous imperial court aristocrat looking to overthrow those in power. The design used is very similar to that of ja.

An impression of a kabuki actor's face make-up, preserved on a piece of cloth, is known as an ja.

References

References

1. (2016). "Photographic Kabuki Kaleidoscope". Shogakukan.
2. "Kumadori". Global Performing Arts Consortium.