Paint lust and wood love

[The Void]

So, am I the only one who doesn't get very excited when a new paint colour comes out? Am I the only one who doesn't think different wood types are the most amazing thing ever? Does anyone else agree with my opinion that any paint job that's much more complicated than "single colour" or "one stripe" just looks a mess when flying through the air? Am I the only person who thinks the best thing aout kendamas is playing with them?

Call me cynical, but mostly when some new model is announced, my reaction is usually nothing more than "oh". Ah well, kendama companies have got to hype the gear up somehow, I suppose.

Discuss!

(I realise this might sound hypocritical from someone with a medium-large collection of kendamas, but I'm an accidental collector, honestly!)

[happygoat]

Does anyone else agree with my opinion that any paint job that's much more complicated than "single colour" or "one stripe" just looks a mess when flying through the air?

I totally agree on this! I like the classic single colours like white, yellow, pink...all the bright "standard" colours are my favourite and ones with a single stripe.

The kendamas from sweets, in particular the marble ones, like yellow-black matte marble and so on look weird in my opinion and I would never buy one! But I guess they make those ones to stand out and be unique and recognizable..?!

[RodDama]

playability wise, a simple, striped tama is the best IMO... single colors make it harder to see where the hole is... but i enjoy the challenge i think all this crazy custom paint stuff is cool.. but a kendama is kind of like a skateboard in that no matter how cool the graphic on your board is...first boardslide (or spacewalk to the cement/tile/hardwood/etc.) its gonna be ruined.. lol I like seeing alot of crazy artsy kendamas. but am glad the competition ones stick to being the solid simplistic ones we all know and love

[HansNickmans]

Last year I purchased a Purple Rokurosen and Purple/white/blue marble Focus. I helps with some tricks, but for me it wasn't that big an advantage. I just loved the way the Rokurosen looked and I really wanted a try at a Focus.

My last two kendamas have been plain color, and there's just something about a brand new yellow oozora, with a smooth, unbeaten surface just smells more 'kendama' to me :-). Most of my future kendamas will probably be plain color or single stripe. Although they're mostly impulse buys, just to try out different types...

The hype of the gear is adressing to that need for players to personalize and customize things. I think this is great, and I think it is a part of the attractiveness of kendama for younger players. And there's nothing wrong with having more people play dama, am I right? For whatever reason..

For wood types I don't agree Void, I love to see different grain on a kendama. What terra does for example is wonderful, just letting the wood speak for itself instead of weird patterns or drawings on a tama. But I work in forestry, so I guess I'm biased....

[mreasyguy]

I wont lie, im a sucker for colourful kendama's as you can see just from my Sweets collection


I think it's just another way to show personality through kendama.

As for playing I will agree i like my solid colours. I always have a green Oozora on standby. Also loving my OG sky blue again recently.

It really depends on the tricks im trying to what type/colour kendama i use. I love my blue marble for any spacewalk lines.

[kuroo]

I think it's just another way to show personality through kendama.

Exactly.  Intrinsically, you consider your kendama a part of you while you use it.  So, a variation in the qualities it exhibits will represent a different aspect of expression from yourself for those moments you are absorbed in its use. 

I suppose your kendama could be akin to a piece of fashion, though its significance runs more deeply than that and I do realize that as a group we're going to be highly variable in the weight we attribute to that as well.  To illustrate... If you simply change your shoes, it can change the interpretation of your entire wardrobe, and the kind of person you are presumed to be both to yourself and in the eyes of others.  This happens whether we agree with it, or acknowledge it, or not.  You will assume the part of how you assert yourself, it automatically happens. And your kendama becomes a part of yourself as you use it.  Though some may consider their kendama to be a piece of their fashion, which is an important and valid point, what I want to say here is that we consider our kendama to be a part of us, so any change in it will change the meaning of our experience with it.  So, although movement is the substratum of our play, all attributes of our kendamas matter.  These attributes ricochet, affecting our play experience and even whom we consider ourselves to be. 

The idea that your kendama is a part of you is not merely my claim, it has been demonstrated on a cellular level:  Neural Representations of Graspable Objects  Look for articles related to this one as well--there are plenty.  Specifically refer to the ones pertaining to plasticity following tool use, and consider the kendama to be our tool.  Basically, as you become more proficient at using some physical object like a kendama, more and more brain cells become dedicated to it; it becomes more and more of a part of you.  The appearance of an object surely affects our interpretation of the object, and consequently, a change in a part of ourselves will generate a change in the interpretation of our experience.

How may you use this knowledge?  Pick the kendama you feel like playing at any given moment.  Pick the one that you feel will elicit the effect that would be most conducive to you at this given moment in time.  You may find that you prefer one most of the time.  Perhaps this is the one that on some level helps you the most.  In contrast, you may use this knowledge by strategically diversifying your experience, which would involve using a wide range of kendamas.  Since your interpretation of your experience changes when the qualities in your kendama(s) changes, you may offer yourself a wide range of different kendamic experiences by using a widespread spectrum of kendamas.  This is where a variegated collection may be advantageous.  It is more expression.  It is more experience.  It is an array of deeper meaning igniting your being as you interact.

Personally, I consider the type of wood of a kendama to be the essence of it, who it really is.  This is the soul, what really matters.  Consequently, to me personally, the type wood that my kendama is made of is a spiritual and absolutely crucial aspect of it.  So, this attribute may affect my experience more than other players because it possesses more meaning and is more heavily weighted.  To me, the scope of kendamic experience extends significantly further than mere play or physical activity.  It is an expression of the meaning of my own existence.  I am embedded within it.  As for superficial aspects such as the paint, grip, etc..., these are for our kendamas like clothes are for us--the fashion.  I prefer mine without that.  To me, kendama is all about the essence, so I express this philosophy in my play by being partial to hardwood kendamas that are unpainted.  This to me represents honesty, pride, and mettle--ideas that I will proudly cater to and cultivate. These are what I exist for, and in its coexistence my kendama can be complimentary.  We may not all prefer the same type of experience or consider the same constituents within it, a contrast that is perfect for where it is when it is and entirely desirable.

[Waylon]

That was awesome. What he said, yeah.

[JamesFM]

Im not a fan of painted / stained kens, but I absolutely love the look of natural exotic woods.

As far as tamas go, I am all for fancy paint jobs. Fades, marbles, chameleons, sparkly things, etc.

[Kev]

So, am I the only one who doesn't get very excited when a new paint colour comes out? Am I the only one who doesn't think different wood types are the most amazing thing ever? Does anyone else agree with my opinion that any paint job that's much more complicated than "single colour" or "one stripe" just looks a mess when flying through the air? Am I the only person who thinks the best thing aout kendamas is playing with them?

100% with you on this Void.

Obvs each to their own though.

[The Void]

Thanks for the replies. Glad to hear I'm not alone, but it's also good to hear from the other side of the fence.

[Cliffdama]

Haha i'm just a sucker for unusual stuff and thats why i just started a journey to custom in a different way. In my most recent project i used a natural oil and powdered color to let the wood soak in. In this way after allready countles tests i foubd the mixture that gives the wood a deeper color and in the light it shines a bright green color on the ken. I'm not done testing to do customs for sale but soon i will! Love all the different tamas and kens!

[Java]

I'm new at this, but so far I'm tending towards the more simple ones. Some of the elaborate ones would look outstanding on a shelf in my office, but for now I can't be trusted not to destroy one of those. I am susceptible to collecting things, but not just for the sake of collecting, they have to be items I can use. I would be kidding myself to say I'm not going to end up with several kendamas, some for fun, and some simple ones for getting serious. I do feel a connection to my simple, unfinished beech kens, and I'm resisting the temptation to drive 2 hours south to KendamaUSA to pester them constantly with wanting to compare the wood grain on the ken of every red Oozora they have, for instance. As far as the original question; No, I'm not one of those sitting, staring at my computer screen, hitting "Refresh" every 20 seconds, waiting for the next Limited Edition to drop. I'm more of a user than a collector.