japanning, in the decorative arts, process popular in 18th-century Europe for finishing and ornamenting wood, leather, tin, and papier-mâché in imitation of the celebrated lacquerwork of the Japanese. In modern industry, the term refers to the decoration and protection of the surfaces of metal articles with finishes hardened by oven heating.
Black japan, which was among the most widely used traditional japanning materials, is a mixture of molten asphalt, natural-resin varnishes, drying oils, and turpentine having a clear, brownish undertone. The japans have largely been displaced by modern baking enamels: these are tough, durable coatings composed of pigments ground in synthetic-resin varnishes. The word japan survives more actively in an altogether different product—japan colours. These are quick-drying, lustreless paints miscible with turpentine and universally sold in tubes and cans for sign painting and decorative work.