I first got a series 7 brush as a gift when I was just learning the basics of watercolor. Of course I was too inexperienced to understand how good it was but having used synthetic and regular sables brushes I can say it really is the best. I love that they put as much care into making their brushes as I do my paintings 🙂
@@christopherh4653 I mean which one's worst? Killing these animal or still using plastic for alternative synthetic brush? Yet another carbon footprint from these animal farms or yet another microplastic from the synthetic brush? It's more complicated, huh
Wow, this is totally incredible. So good to see such a high standard of quality being sustained; a high quality is achievable, it just takes time and determination.
I am always so fascinated by videos like this, so thank you WN! I might’ve moved to the UK at 18, if I’d known, as this would’ve been an excellent job for an illustrator, painter, perfectionist such as myself.
This video is why I've always wished for Christmas, a Series 7 brush! Finally received one about 6 years ago. VERY disappointed with a brush with split hairs and never to a point. Notified WN with pictures, shortly afterwords with no reply; A few years later I complained again but this time they wanted a receipt which my husband lost...... I am a Watercolour Canadian Instructor and I have mentioned this several times to my students to NEVER purchase the Series 7 brush and demonstrated with the one I received as a gift.
Bev Morgan several years ago i purchased a 00 and it was amazing but i replaced it last year and went thru 3 brushes and they're are garbage done even compare to the quality from before frayed and loose strands I thought to give them a second go and purchased a size 2 and it is in the same state fills with ink and had no point just a giant blob and then it has stray hairs going everywhere it truly is garbage i requested a replacement and will see if it's any better when i receive it, i will be getting a refund if it is just as bad that's for sure
Bev Morgan Also if you are exclusively watercolor I bought the Silver Brush Black Velvet and they are amazing, need to make sure you get a decent set thou hear horror stories from them as well i guess the QC isn't the best but the three i have are my fav brushes to water color with
and then poor wezels are stressful inhamane hunted for their fur. sometimes even horrific cruel. seen a video years ago of a wezel fur farm in Russia where they were tied on a board with their paws and skinned alive to not damage the fur with killing them beforehand. done by those who get low paid for that fur harvesting and safe money with not buying humane killing tools.
I bought a brush like this, nr 7 in size5, but the first time I was going to use it, the tip split. It became completely impossible to paint with. I had to complain about it, sent it back to the internet store, although I as a customer had to pay for the shipping back and received no compensation more than a new brush. So I dare not buy more. It was the only one I dared to buy. You think for that price they should be tested and not a tip that splits so it becomes a thick stretch!
It's bad that you had to pay for shipping (in some countries it is enforced that the shop pays). I had similar problem with Raphael brush. As I was told by an artist shop owner, natural brushes can be tested at factory, but after that they are transported and live on the shelf for some time. Some of them go bad before going to the customer and it could not be prevented.
I was heartbroken when I tried out my new series 7 brush as it did not retain it's tip, lacks spring, and holds very little water. What happened to W&N's quality control?
People like to joke about men's hair loss and the treatments but if hair follicle cloning was already possible, think of how easy it would be to make these brushes! No more trapping animals, no more split hairs, no more having to separate the sizes by hand, you would just need to clone the follicles and set them up, then the hairs could be produced at maximum quality all year around without any animal suffering.
Google Alaska Fur ID project and as the name states it seems to be a group of people that have archived information on various(50) furry mammals and there furry properties. Nothing to do with hunting.
They aren't selling them based on a performance point that cannot be obtained elsewhere, they are selling you a piece of functional art to use in the creation of your art that is granted a royal warrant from the Queen (rest her soul) herself, it's not everyone's jam, but a couple Series 7's are on my hobby desk, and I use them for special projects, because that is how they speak to me
Astonishing! What blew me away as a clumsy male viewing this video was the wondrous realisation that it is 'women' and only 'women' who for their particular and special dextrous eye and hand coordination - even with the femininity of manicured long painted finger nails you'd have thought were an encumbrance to handy-crafting - are able to make a first class paintbrush using age-old traditional skills. We can never ever look at any premium paintbrushes again without discerning that 'a women' will certainly have crafted it as only women can. This craft clearly speaks of the qualities of female capability which, surely, as in other skills women are especially sort for, must provide anthropologists and researchers reams to base their doctorates on.
For a money grubbing corporation who kill our wildlife for their blood money, and I thought it was the women who was for protecting mother nature, I mean it's called mother nature, not father nature. they must be desperate women.
I question the validity of the claim of sustainability in the hunting practices of remote Siberian trappers. Oversight, transparency in conduct, quotas and harvesting rates should be total and complete, but could any regulatory body charged with this oversight is in for a tough task, given the lucrative nature of the black market, I cant reconcile that these beautiful animals are treated humanely.
And yet you believe that the goobermint is capable of being omnipresent in other areas of life no doubt, I think you will find that hunters tend to be the MOST concerned individuals with the population of the intended prey species, you kill them all and then you no longer get to hunt them, and as a group hunters vastly out spend other groups in conservation efforts...I absolutely believe these hunters are making every effort to be as sustainable as possible because they don't want to go learn a new trade or hobby any more than anybody else, and it is 100% in their best long term interests economically for the number of animals available to harvest to increase every year, not decrease
I'm a big fan of Winsor & Newton's watercolor paints, but I would never use a sable brush, no matter how beautiful the result. I use synthetic brushes even for watercolor and am always satisfied with their performance. Knowing that an animal was sacrificed for my paintbrush would kill my creativity...
But most watercolors including W&N have oxgall (and therefore not vegan) also "Bone black" or "Ivory Black" are made from charred animal bones. So if you're vegan, you wouldn't buy those either. It's the Cotman (student range) that have vegan colors (not all) if I recall
@@onemig00 Watercolour paper is often sized with gelatine, too, W&N, Arches, Saunders, Khadi, all do. Pads and blocks often have rabbit skin glure, too. Most producers are happy to share the information. If you are vegan, some paints also include honey, M. Graham and Sennelier both do. If you are ecologically minded Hannnemuhle is the most rigorous for paper.
@@debramoss2267 exactly. Not many people know the animal products in art supplies. Hopefully the original commenter now realizes that they're preferred brand isn't vegan. Daniel Smith except for bone black is vegan, if I recall :)
@@onemig00 Thanks for the information - I always try to buy animal-friendly and environmentally-friendly art supplies if available (recycled paper, synthetic brushes, etc). I wish these issues were something that was more often addressed by the manufacturers, and I hope they're becoming more aware that a lot of people want humane art supplies.
I admire the skills here, but I don't want animals suffering for my art and I don't like the idea of my art containing dead animals or their products, the new synthetic replacements are consistently reviewed as better, it makes sense at every level for me, ethically, ecologically and artistically.
It is NOT a foregone conclusion that synthetic is better just because you say they have been reviewed as better. Who's reviews? Where? , Why do you think they are called 'synthetic'. Hmmm? And why do you feel the need to wave your politically correct credentials? Plastic hairs aren't going to miraculously enlarge your talent if you have any..
My brush is like hydrophobic. It spreads out in the water like crazy and the same when it dries again the tip becomes a bush when dried. German quality is superior
After seeing this, I will purchase a series 7. Prior to that, I was using my pet sable's tail for wet-on-wet and large areas, something she found objectionable. Getting nipped was part of the process.
Nope, nope, nope!! Synthetic brushes for me and my students! And always from Rosemary & Co (and even though they also make sable brushes which are supposed to be wonderful I just can't justify them at my level of art or my love of animals).
I drawn and painted since was a child..thinking i was a artist...but not ,realize at the end of my days that the true artist in the world are men and women who handcrafted all these beautiful objects for us..brushes,canvas,art paper,colors pencils,oil tubes ,etc.. Now only loooking at these great tools give me jhappiness..no need sometimes to create,the miracle is right in my hands.
They could shoot gold and paint for themselves and I still wouldn't buy them because there is no reason to be hunting animals for their goddamned tail hair in 2020.
Why is dexterity only a female quality? Explain.. go on.. Because they have narrower fingers? Tosh. Men were making fine hair brushes for centuries for use by the masters. Just imagine that eh.. men making brushes. They must have been terribly poor quality. No wonder the old master's brushwork is so poor eh?
I first got a series 7 brush as a gift when I was just learning the basics of watercolor. Of course I was too inexperienced to understand how good it was but having used synthetic and regular sables brushes I can say it really is the best. I love that they put as much care into making their brushes as I do my paintings 🙂
Yet no love for animals was put into your practice.
@@christopherh4653 Yet your love for animals have done nothing to help them, but just to talk and do nothing..
@@christopherh4653 I mean which one's worst? Killing these animal or still using plastic for alternative synthetic brush?
Yet another carbon footprint from these animal farms or yet another microplastic from the synthetic brush? It's more complicated, huh
@@christopherh4653 animals ):
@@cocoroach_ok yeah, what even to do 😭
I wish the quality control was top notch too - it is a hit or miss these days, just a shame.....
Depends on WHO made the brush. Trainees = sh!t
30+ year vet = perfection
Another gem. Please find a way to get these videos out there to the wider world.
Wow, this is totally incredible. So good to see such a high standard of quality being sustained; a high quality is achievable, it just takes time and determination.
Astonishing dedication by those workers. Hats off to their manufacturing skills
7 Series W&N Brushes are the absolute business. Beautiful to work with 👍
I am always so fascinated by videos like this, so thank you WN! I might’ve moved to the UK at 18, if I’d known, as this would’ve been an excellent job for an illustrator, painter, perfectionist such as myself.
This video is why I've always wished for Christmas, a Series 7 brush! Finally received one about 6 years ago. VERY disappointed with a brush with split hairs and never to a point. Notified WN with pictures, shortly afterwords with no reply; A few years later I complained again but this time they wanted a receipt which my husband lost...... I am a Watercolour Canadian Instructor and I have mentioned this several times to my students to NEVER purchase the Series 7 brush and demonstrated with the one I received as a gift.
Bev Morgan several years ago i purchased a 00 and it was amazing but i replaced it last year and went thru 3 brushes and they're are garbage done even compare to the quality from before frayed and loose strands I thought to give them a second go and purchased a size 2 and it is in the same state fills with ink and had no point just a giant blob and then it has stray hairs going everywhere it truly is garbage i requested a replacement and will see if it's any better when i receive it, i will be getting a refund if it is just as bad that's for sure
Bev Morgan Also if you are exclusively watercolor I bought the Silver Brush Black Velvet and they are amazing, need to make sure you get a decent set thou hear horror stories from them as well i guess the QC isn't the best but the three i have are my fav brushes to water color with
and then poor wezels are stressful inhamane hunted for their fur.
sometimes even horrific cruel. seen a video years ago of a wezel fur farm in Russia where they were tied on a board with their paws and skinned alive to not damage the fur with killing them beforehand. done by those who get low paid for that fur harvesting and safe money with not buying humane killing tools.
I bought a brush like this, nr 7 in size5, but the first time I was going to use it, the tip split. It became completely impossible to paint with. I had to complain about it, sent it back to the internet store, although I as a customer had to pay for the shipping back and received no compensation more than a new brush. So I dare not buy more. It was the only one I dared to buy. You think for that price they should be tested and not a tip that splits so it becomes a thick stretch!
It's bad that you had to pay for shipping (in some countries it is enforced that the shop pays).
I had similar problem with Raphael brush. As I was told by an artist shop owner, natural brushes can be tested at factory, but after that they are transported and live on the shelf for some time. Some of them go bad before going to the customer and it could not be prevented.
I was heartbroken when I tried out my new series 7 brush as it did not retain it's tip, lacks spring, and holds very little water. What happened to W&N's quality control?
You're around 18 years too late, they switched to a different hair quality and the quality was never the same, before that they were truly incredible.
Fascinating. But I kept thinking, carpal tendon syndrome.
People like to joke about men's hair loss and the treatments but if hair follicle cloning was already possible, think of how easy it would be to make these brushes! No more trapping animals, no more split hairs, no more having to separate the sizes by hand, you would just need to clone the follicles and set them up, then the hairs could be produced at maximum quality all year around without any animal suffering.
We make ocular prosthetics with these brushes. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. Nelson from Canada.
Suggest you show the story from when and how the live animal is killed, to how their hair is made into a paintbrush.
Thank you, guys, for your amazing job!
If I lived in the UK, I would love to work here.
One of the best e-mails I have seen over the many years of following Winsor & Newton. I now want a new brush, ( Series 7 Brush !! ) Thankyou.
Quick Question: I notice at the end it states- Alaska Fur ID...I thought you mentioned that these were sustainably gotten from Siberia?
Google Alaska Fur ID project and as the name states it seems to be a group of people that have archived information on various(50) furry mammals and there furry properties. Nothing to do with hunting.
@@sgrenis Thank you for this reply
Because they are a lying corporation they could get the fur without killing any animals, the same way we get wigs without killing a human.
@@TheFixIsIn-fe1jyHow do you get Kolinsky Sable Fur without killing a Sable? You'd leave it tailless? Such a compassionate fellow.
These are the best for glazing because they leave the smoothest brush strokes. Love my sable brush 👍
Series 7s are beautiful brushes to use, but you'd be mad to think there aren't equally good brushes out there at a cheaper price point...
They aren't selling them based on a performance point that cannot be obtained elsewhere, they are selling you a piece of functional art to use in the creation of your art that is granted a royal warrant from the Queen (rest her soul) herself, it's not everyone's jam, but a couple Series 7's are on my hobby desk, and I use them for special projects, because that is how they speak to me
Do you have to kill the Sable to get tail hair ?
To make it profitable they do, which is why they still won't answer your question.
They don't have to, shaving an animal would get the same hair.
@@TheFixIsIn-fe1jy But they do
Wonderful
This is so cool. Thank you! I have three series 7 Windsor and Newton Brushes. I love them.
How much did they cost?
You probably don't have a real one if you're talking about the $13 set.
Astonishing! What blew me away as a clumsy male viewing this video was the wondrous realisation that it is 'women' and only 'women' who for their particular and special dextrous eye and hand coordination - even with the femininity of manicured long painted finger nails you'd have thought were an encumbrance to handy-crafting - are able to make a first class paintbrush using age-old traditional skills. We can never ever look at any premium paintbrushes again without discerning that 'a women' will certainly have crafted it as only women can. This craft clearly speaks of the qualities of female capability which, surely, as in other skills women are especially sort for, must provide anthropologists and researchers reams to base their doctorates on.
For a money grubbing corporation who kill our wildlife for their blood money, and I thought it was the women who was for protecting mother nature, I mean it's called mother nature, not father nature. they must be desperate women.
@@TheFixIsIn-fe1jy You are so right even while I marvelled at women's skill in making paint brushes from animals we predate and farm for their fir.
how i can do to learn this work ???
My mind is made up on my next brush purchase
I question the validity of the claim of sustainability in the hunting practices of remote Siberian trappers. Oversight, transparency in conduct, quotas and harvesting rates should be total and complete, but could any regulatory body charged with this oversight is in for a tough task, given the lucrative nature of the black market, I cant reconcile that these beautiful animals are treated humanely.
And yet you believe that the goobermint is capable of being omnipresent in other areas of life no doubt, I think you will find that hunters tend to be the MOST concerned individuals with the population of the intended prey species, you kill them all and then you no longer get to hunt them, and as a group hunters vastly out spend other groups in conservation efforts...I absolutely believe these hunters are making every effort to be as sustainable as possible because they don't want to go learn a new trade or hobby any more than anybody else, and it is 100% in their best long term interests economically for the number of animals available to harvest to increase every year, not decrease
I'm a big fan of Winsor & Newton's watercolor paints, but I would never use a sable brush, no matter how beautiful the result. I use synthetic brushes even for watercolor and am always satisfied with their performance. Knowing that an animal was sacrificed for my paintbrush would kill my creativity...
I feel the same.
But most watercolors including W&N have oxgall (and therefore not vegan) also "Bone black" or "Ivory Black" are made from charred animal bones. So if you're vegan, you wouldn't buy those either. It's the Cotman (student range) that have vegan colors (not all) if I recall
@@onemig00 Watercolour paper is often sized with gelatine, too, W&N, Arches, Saunders, Khadi, all do. Pads and blocks often have rabbit skin glure, too. Most producers are happy to share the information. If you are vegan, some paints also include honey, M. Graham and Sennelier both do. If you are ecologically minded Hannnemuhle is the most rigorous for paper.
@@debramoss2267 exactly. Not many people know the animal products in art supplies. Hopefully the original commenter now realizes that they're preferred brand isn't vegan. Daniel Smith except for bone black is vegan, if I recall :)
@@onemig00 Thanks for the information - I always try to buy animal-friendly and environmentally-friendly art supplies if available (recycled paper, synthetic brushes, etc). I wish these issues were something that was more often addressed by the manufacturers, and I hope they're becoming more aware that a lot of people want humane art supplies.
I admire the skills here, but I don't want animals suffering for my art and I don't like the idea of my art containing dead animals or their products, the new synthetic replacements are consistently reviewed as better, it makes sense at every level for me, ethically, ecologically and artistically.
It is NOT a foregone conclusion that synthetic is better just because you say they have been reviewed as better. Who's reviews? Where? , Why do you think they are called 'synthetic'. Hmmm? And why do you feel the need to wave your politically correct credentials? Plastic hairs aren't going to miraculously enlarge your talent if you have any..
Beautiful brushes, thank you.
My brush is like hydrophobic. It spreads out in the water like crazy and the same when it dries again the tip becomes a bush when dried. German quality is superior
After seeing this, I will purchase a series 7. Prior to that, I was using my pet sable's tail for wet-on-wet and large areas, something she found objectionable. Getting nipped was part of the process.
*"The intricate work and dexterity required means that these brushes are almost exclusively made by women"*
wtf !
@@canobenitez yea, idk whether thats a backhanded insult or a compliment 🤣
It's a skill to take a compliment and turn it into an insult. Well done you.
@@thequietroom3991 you know what, it is a skill because i can see things from all angles whereas someone else, like you couldn't.
Better synthetic then :s i would feel bad paiting with the fur of an animal, yikes!
I make my own brushes from my animals just by shaving them slightly in summer. Perks of looking after abandoned exotic/wild pets.
Ước mơ được sở hữu cây bút tuyệt vời được làm ra từ những đôi bàn tay vàng.
Nope, nope, nope!! Synthetic brushes for me and my students! And always from Rosemary & Co (and even though they also make sable brushes which are supposed to be wonderful I just can't justify them at my level of art or my love of animals).
So, is the painting done with it that much better than a cheap brush that doesn't require murdering animals to make them?
Can you show how you kill the Animals first in order to get the hairs
So I get to flex on other artist with fancy weasel fur brushes? 😂😂😂
I drawn and painted since was a child..thinking i was a artist...but not ,realize at the end of my days that the true artist in the world are men and women who handcrafted all these beautiful objects for us..brushes,canvas,art paper,colors pencils,oil tubes ,etc..
Now only loooking at these great tools give me jhappiness..no need sometimes to create,the miracle is right in my hands.
They could shoot gold and paint for themselves and I still wouldn't buy them because there is no reason to be hunting animals for their goddamned tail hair in 2020.
,💜
Can you check this out
TT-TT
so sad kill a animal for a hobby!!!
Bullshit. They don't work any differently then a $10 water color brush. And they defiantly won't make you a better painter, only a poorer painter.
Nope
out of interest, how many of these sable brushes have you worked with?
As someone who has both sable and synthetic brushes, I can confirm that sables are much, much better
Why is dexterity only a female quality? Explain.. go on..
Because they have narrower fingers? Tosh. Men were making fine hair brushes for centuries for use by the masters. Just imagine that eh.. men making brushes. They must have been terribly poor quality. No wonder the old master's brushwork is so poor eh?
Because all their ideals are over 100 years old.
Wtf
These brushes are shite nowadays; maybe they should go back to employing men.
Cry more😊
Dissgussting..... Animals suffer for profit.... Times are changing