10 Of The World’s Priciest Arts And Art Supplies | So Expensive | Business Insider Marathon

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  • Опубликовано: 1 фев 2025

Комментарии • 1,4 тыс.

  • @ivy2089
    @ivy2089 Год назад +2398

    you can tell that the guy making the bonsai scissors really loves his work and his art. the fact that he’s also letting his sons choose whether or not they want to pursue in his craft was heartwarming but also bittersweet.. 22 generations thats craxy

    • @F.R.E.D.D2986
      @F.R.E.D.D2986 Год назад +93

      In all reality, they'll probably be more willing to help because they have that choice

    • @JH-fk8ow
      @JH-fk8ow Год назад +17

      ''the fact that he’s also letting his sons choose'' lol its 2020's not 1950's

    • @bubblebat
      @bubblebat Год назад +100

      ​@@JH-fk8owI wish I could agree but there are unfortunately still parents in the world who decides every part their kids life, even in the most modern countries

    • @DaniDecoder
      @DaniDecoder Год назад +11

      I'd gladly go live with that man not to let that art of making scissors die

    • @eden.nd.
      @eden.nd. Год назад +8

      ​@@notfiveobecause he makes scissors, not ink???

  • @usayedd4409
    @usayedd4409 Год назад +1158

    bro Ghassan is such an absolute chad. To rediscover a process from ancient historic texts is nothing short of remarkable. We need more of this dude.

    • @machetenikki
      @machetenikki Год назад +41

      When did being a chad go from a negative to a positive 😮

    • @dontworrybout2664
      @dontworrybout2664 Год назад

      @@machetenikkiit always has been positive. Only Iefties don’t think so because they’re weak men

    • @lore5080
      @lore5080 Год назад

      ​@@machetenikkiLike ages ago, it's been a positive thing for years now

    • @metalninetales
      @metalninetales Год назад +13

      @@machetenikki don't worry about it.

    • @nutinmyass
      @nutinmyass Год назад +1

      @@machetenikkiwas never a negative

  • @glass-yuzu
    @glass-yuzu Год назад +2711

    as much as I love the craftsmanship in the artisan calligraphy brushes, having practiced calligraphy for a decade with a master calligrapher whose family are all masters, they all say the same thing... the quality of the brush is far less important than the hand that uses it. if you are disciplined enough, you can write beautifully with the frayed part of a snapped chopstick

    • @vectorthehop3945
      @vectorthehop3945 Год назад +339

      After reading your comment, I would actually like to see master calligraphers try their hand at creating things, with the worst quality ink avalible and frayed snapped chopsticks. I know it's unlikely and would also be slightly rude to ask of someone but I'm just really curious

    • @Bxll_Bxll
      @Bxll_Bxll Год назад +151

      @@vectorthehop3945 I might just practice calligraphy for 10 years and become a master, while having a RUclips channel, then do what you just said.
      By then i’d probably have forgotten what I did it for though

    • @vectorthehop3945
      @vectorthehop3945 Год назад +73

      @@Bxll_Bxll alr cya in 10 years then

    • @BrazilianImperialist
      @BrazilianImperialist Год назад +5

      Doubt

    • @Star_of_eden
      @Star_of_eden Год назад +8

      this is unironically the most beautiful comment ive read

  • @Galvaxatron
    @Galvaxatron Год назад +980

    To me craftmanship means I pay once for an item to last me a lifetime versus buying multiple cheaper versions every few years.
    It really means paying upfront. It also means respecting the item and the value that was imbued into it.

    • @sammy4538
      @sammy4538 Год назад +44

      This is very true... I'm a roof blacksmith, I make metal roofs by hand, and the tools have a major role. It's a very niche business, so everything is not even available as new - but those basic ones that are, are usually crap quality and wear out quickly. Some older hand-made tools are seriously hard to find, and usually need to repair and modify them before use - but the difference is huge, they last a lifetime if maintained properly, and the effect on own work quality is totally worth it. The roofs I make last atleast some 50-70 years, some even longer, while the cost is triple compared to a cheap mass-produced one - but thankfully some do realize it's a price that only need to pay once, so the market still exists.

    • @user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb
      @user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb Год назад

      Well your wrong.

    • @Galvaxatron
      @Galvaxatron Год назад +37

      @@user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb you're*

    • @MusicAccount0102
      @MusicAccount0102 Год назад +9

      Agreed. Also, your buying an item that has history behind it; all the thought and creativity, raw material, and people throughout the years!

    • @SashasRevenge
      @SashasRevenge Год назад

      Absolutely incredible!

  • @Blick_Art
    @Blick_Art Год назад +703

    The development of modern pigments and large-scale paint manufacturing helped make the art and craft of oil painting affordable to almost anyone. It's always interesting to cite the luxurious, lapis-derived Ultramarine, the exotic and macabre Mummy Brown, and the sad (and thankfully obsolete) Indian Yellow, but the current palette is largely made up of highly affordable, synthetic organic pigments developed after the 19th c. These often out-perform historical colors in terms of permanence, tint strength (the potency of a color in mixtures) and covering power. Synthetic pigments also make it possible for a huge variety of artist's colors to be safe enough for anyone to use with no special concern for safety, unlike some historical colors which would not be considered safe today by most standards. We think the Old Masters would marvel at the low cost, high quality and broad availability of paint available to artists today!

    • @GirtheAlienGoldfish
      @GirtheAlienGoldfish Год назад +16

      Hi, Blick!
      Love your store!

    • @kamaniaray
      @kamaniaray Год назад +12

      oh wow!!! Dick Blick even commented!? ❤❤

    • @Blick_Art
      @Blick_Art Год назад +8

      @@kamaniaray Thanks for noticing!

    • @shereenhussain3610
      @shereenhussain3610 Год назад +1

      indian yellow is a victorian fallacy

    • @Blick_Art
      @Blick_Art Год назад +21

      @@shereenhussain3610 In 2018 examination of research by Carl Gräbe did authenticate the origin of historical pigment samples so, while for a very long time the only source for this claim was Sir Joseph Hooker' s correspondence with T N Mukharji, it does appear that Indian Yellow was, in fact, produced as believed, from the urine of cows.

  • @sophroniel
    @sophroniel Год назад +853

    For those of you who don't know, Daizo Kaneko has a line of calligraphy pens and brushes! He's like the Japanese bob ross tbh

    • @catubigklahrinz9553
      @catubigklahrinz9553 Год назад

      Do you have a site to buy those/

    • @steph8030593
      @steph8030593 Год назад +1

      But he’s not very well known or very famous outside of Japan :(

    • @Dreampedia
      @Dreampedia Год назад +4

      If that man was Indian or from a third world country you wouldn't hold him in such high regards.

    • @a-train8636
      @a-train8636 Год назад

      Link?

    • @pigeon1923
      @pigeon1923 Год назад +15

      ​@@Dreampedia???

  • @michaelwoehl8822
    @michaelwoehl8822 Год назад +272

    Amazing. The amount of work and time to make sumi ink is inspiring on its own. The ink is art.

    • @MossyMozart
      @MossyMozart Год назад

      @michael woehl - Yes, I had no idea!

    • @viktoraggerholm5102
      @viktoraggerholm5102 Год назад

      No, it’s stupid

    • @Elwingish
      @Elwingish Год назад +2

      Making soot seems like an incredibly unhealthy job though. Soot causes cancer and lung disease. Do they get Chimney sweeps' carcinoma?

  • @mostlyvoid.partiallystars
    @mostlyvoid.partiallystars Год назад +105

    The lifelong dedication to their craft is so amazing and admirable. This is a wonderful documentary.

    • @keariewashburn4680
      @keariewashburn4680 Месяц назад

      Yes indeed. Wonderful film. Truly amazing work and craft , talent into the artful pleasures.

  • @BooBuKittyPhuk
    @BooBuKittyPhuk Год назад +139

    A family of blacksmiths spanning 22 generations?!?!? Holly hell! That is so amazing, I hope he's able to preserve his family's business. His tools are definitely works of art themselves, and they create art as well. What a rich cultural background. I wish I had more culture in my upbringing. I don't even know what my Grandfather's names were.

  • @skyway7582
    @skyway7582 Год назад +79

    I am a traditional Chinese lacquer artist.Studied 26 years in China.The artist explanation is perfect.Japan makes the most pristine lacquer in the world.I believe Tang Ming Xi has visited this artist. The one problem is the fact natural lacquer is related to poison ivy and artists today are not Will to sacrifice the time to make apiece.Thank you for this video.

  • @chnchris
    @chnchris Год назад +149

    My ancestors used to make calligraphy ink, and I can still remember the wooden molds. But these molds were all thrown away 35 years ago. My family migrated from Southern Anhui, China, where the most famous calligraphy ink originated, and was produced.

  • @ismzaxxon
    @ismzaxxon Год назад +1253

    I felt sad for the lack of health and safety protection for the workers, even if they are self employed. Look at al the soot on the faces and no doubt the carbon in the lungs.

    • @violentmagician1
      @violentmagician1 Год назад +106

      This! All I could think is lung cancer

    • @sebastianpoe3934
      @sebastianpoe3934 Год назад +53

      ​@Patrick shea was hoping I'd find this comment.

    • @some.generic.username5254
      @some.generic.username5254 Год назад +87

      ​@Patrick shea poverty exists in every country

    • @violentmagician1
      @violentmagician1 Год назад +133

      @patrickshea5955 Come on! There are rich people and poor people everywhere. you cannot just say that Japan is a rich country and wave off these concerns. Inhaling that much soot is not good for anyone.

    • @Marshmallow_Trees
      @Marshmallow_Trees Год назад +3

      SAME

  • @hungrypikachu135
    @hungrypikachu135 Год назад +375

    I was NOT expecting the tyrian purple guy to sound like that omg

    • @Jmashandsprouts
      @Jmashandsprouts Год назад +20

      Haha, me neither! Total shock

    • @dirtycrowfeet
      @dirtycrowfeet 8 месяцев назад

      Fr!!

    • @kimokelly2841
      @kimokelly2841 7 месяцев назад +6

      I came looking for this comment. 😂

    • @laifyalif
      @laifyalif 5 месяцев назад +7

      the most american voice i ever heard in my life

    • @jonnylawless6797
      @jonnylawless6797 3 месяца назад +6

      @@laifyalifnot quite, there’s a small Arabic accent to it. He took great care to learn English with a nearly clean accent.

  • @lNoWayAroundItl
    @lNoWayAroundItl Год назад +56

    I am impressed and amazed anytime an artisan shares their process to bring understanding to their work. I appreciate the craftsmanship that takes time and pride in quality. I can only imagine the extinction of some processes that we lost over time.

    • @esmeraldaweatherwaxe970
      @esmeraldaweatherwaxe970 6 месяцев назад

      knowledge need no tbe lost but many artisans will rather choke on their pride than to hand over the secrets of the trade.. this is were guilds used to step in, but alas, they fell to the hands of the abusers, much like the unions did.

  • @MusicAccount0102
    @MusicAccount0102 Год назад +21

    I love seeing century-old, or even millenia-old, crafts kept alive, and seeing people appreciate their craft and the items they create. The items made carry so much history behind them; all the knowledge and creativity, the sourcing of the raw materials, the trail and error, and the people behind them. Hundreds or thousands of years of mankind's invention!

  • @cheriluzvillanueva
    @cheriluzvillanueva Год назад +650

    People making paint out of pollution made me cry, I literally cried, I am so touched that some people out there still do what they're passionate about and also love to save their planet. That's such a wonderful noble cause. As an artist myself, I think that is one of the ways we can show our love to others, to humanity, that we care about the future. Thanks for that.

    • @ochervelvet9687
      @ochervelvet9687 Год назад +37

      I’d love to see the line of earth reclaimed paints in acrylic as well as oil. I would definitely support them.

    • @BixbyConsequence
      @BixbyConsequence Год назад +29

      It's interesting but the small amount of material harvested doesn't make any substantial difference in the pollution. It's more of a fetish than a noble cause.

    • @victoriousvalentine9779
      @victoriousvalentine9779 Год назад +1

      Agricultural fertiliser?

    • @abukariba
      @abukariba Год назад +6

      Fool

    • @ToLa-qe1pg
      @ToLa-qe1pg Год назад +4

      Environmentalism is a religion.

  • @wmpowell8
    @wmpowell8 Год назад +38

    Someone once said that the most important factor in the value of an artwork is its noticeability; it doesn't matter the reason for which it is noticed. That person was the creator of the font Comic Sans, and that's why he considers it a success (despite many people absolutely despising it).

    • @spracketskooch
      @spracketskooch 8 месяцев назад +4

      Despising Comic Sans is a meme. Hardly anyone actually cares either way.

    • @romywhite290
      @romywhite290 8 месяцев назад +3

      All press is good press. But also Comic Sans is great for people with Dyslexia.

  • @yunnbachi
    @yunnbachi Год назад +26

    I've always wanted to explore the cultures around the world that are less recognized than what are usually commercialized. Lacquer painting really is an intricate form of art and I got to know about the Tyrian purple dye only now. Thank you for the video!

  • @lanettelambert2994
    @lanettelambert2994 Год назад +4

    It’s beautiful to see the value of quality exceed quantity and monetary success. You can tell these people take pride in their work above all else

  • @Eiramilah
    @Eiramilah Год назад +60

    In Mexico they have a similar snail that gives purple dye, but they milk the gland without killing the snail.

    • @Eiramilah
      @Eiramilah Год назад +2

      @@YTNoodle5 I don't know how they do it

    • @hannahwhitmore919
      @hannahwhitmore919 11 месяцев назад

      very, very carefully@@YTNoodle5

    • @coredefect6134
      @coredefect6134 10 месяцев назад +10

      If your thinking of the Murex snails, they have sadly gone extinct almost everywhere including mexico

    • @Eiramilah
      @Eiramilah 10 месяцев назад +2

      @@coredefect6134 that's sad to hear

    • @omnisexualidiot3750
      @omnisexualidiot3750 9 месяцев назад

      @@coredefect6134damn. That’s gotta suck for people whose livelihood depended on them.

  • @CrustyUgg
    @CrustyUgg Год назад +28

    Something that is so crazy and hard to comprehend is just how much time and how many trials and errors went into perfecting every single thing on this planet basically

    • @yellowblanka6058
      @yellowblanka6058 9 месяцев назад +2

      Billions of people live more comfortably with better health and technology etc. because a few percent of the total number of human beings devoting themselves to lives of painstaking research, artistry, trial-and-error - even something we consider as "simple" as the incandescent light-bulb took years of research to perfect. This is also why broad access to higher quality education is so important - we need to encourage that intellect, curiosity, creativity in the select few that are capable of creating world-changing technologies. We really should be venerating these researchers, artists etc. over social-media figures, athletes etc.

  • @barbaraseville4139
    @barbaraseville4139 Год назад +15

    I live in the Piedmont region of the USA……the “foot of the mountain “. Our soils contain high concentrations of iron oxides, eroded and oxidized ancient mountains, of which the Appalachians are the remnants. I harvested everything I could get my hands on to make various colors of paint……the resulting paintings made a show I called, “Dirty Pictures”. Fun! Quite crude compared to the Gamblin suppliers’ pigments. I’m going to order some of those right away!

  • @Kirrie_Sushicat
    @Kirrie_Sushicat Год назад +30

    Man, Ghassan could spread this technique as an influencer and also give workshops and turn his workshop into a museum- this way more people will get to know about him and the lost ancient tradition and support his amazing art!!

  • @Faithfamilyfarmingflorida8516
    @Faithfamilyfarmingflorida8516 Год назад +34

    😱WOW... I DEFINITELY was NOT expecting that voice @ 23:13 but TBH... it was a nice lil' unexpected surprise!! LOL🤪

  • @HappySlappyFace
    @HappySlappyFace Год назад +9

    Im Tunisian and this is the first time i heard of Ghassen and his insane dedication 😭

  • @SizzleCorndog
    @SizzleCorndog 4 месяца назад +2

    As an artist, anytime I see some effectively ancient craft shop my heart melts over the dedication of the workers to providing such amazing materials, because while it sounds pretentious high quality materials really do make a difference.

    • @warpedweft9004
      @warpedweft9004 5 дней назад

      yea but quality doesn't put the money in my bank account to be able to afford it, unfortunately.

  • @michaeljustinesario1771
    @michaeljustinesario1771 Год назад +281

    I guess in conclusion:
    • Materials
    • Labor
    • Rarity
    • Length of time in making it
    • Who is or are making it
    • History
    • Demand
    • Quality
    • Brand

    • @DarkModulator
      @DarkModulator Год назад +33

      and last, tax evasion (for modern art)

    • @michaeljustinesario1771
      @michaeljustinesario1771 Год назад +9

      @@DarkModulator Forgot about that most important part use by the rich in 20th century 🤣 My bad

    • @walkermott1750
      @walkermott1750 Год назад +7

      You forgot "campaign donations that exceeds the legal allowed limit so the donor buys a mediocre art piece to make a unofficial donation"

    • @iliketowatch.
      @iliketowatch. Год назад +2

      You forgot: HYPE and THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT.

  • @E-Kat
    @E-Kat 9 месяцев назад +1

    On a miserable, dark and rainy day, this program is very inspiring and it cheers my heart. Thank you ❤

  • @MrPhotodoc
    @MrPhotodoc Год назад +4

    Nice to see fine hand crafted items carefully made to last in an age where low quality and high quantity items are everywhere.

  • @DemetruisWilliams
    @DemetruisWilliams 7 месяцев назад

    Ghassan, the purple dye artist, hats off to you bro. So glad they featured your rediscovered ancient skilled craft. Thank you for the insight. You deserve much wealth for your tentative ambition. Well done, Ghassan. Very well done indeed! 👏🙌👌✌️💪💐🌹🙇‍♀️❤️

  • @asagk
    @asagk Год назад +52

    1:13:45 I can well understand why many people feel reluctant to contemporary art. The abstract portraits in particular lack recognizable craftsmanship. Accordingly, the majority of the value does not arise from the "artwork" and its creation, but from speculation in the art market, because it is not at all about "art", but about investments coupled with the desire for increase in value over time.That actually has nothing to do with what most people understand as art and its inherent search for beauty, and accordingly the general rejection by most people is understandable.

    • @carolallison9685
      @carolallison9685 Год назад +14

      Fun fact, abstract art only has value because in the late 50s, an artist begged his famous art critic friend to give him a good review. So the art critic, who actually hated his friends art, wrote a small review in a tiny publication that he thought no one would see. Well people did see it and abstract art exploded into popularity. So basically everyone is getting ripped off because one guy wanted to be nice to his untalented friend.

    • @katarinatibai8396
      @katarinatibai8396 Год назад +9

      ​@carolallison9685 100% agree. It's also very offensive to the real masters of a craft and artists at the beginning of this documentary 😢

    • @katarinatibai8396
      @katarinatibai8396 Год назад +8

      I taught - are you kidding me ?! Fingerpainting dots ?!!
      That's what the kiddies in the kindergarten do...

    • @jenniferlynnkarr
      @jenniferlynnkarr Год назад

      @@katarinatibai8396 It really did feel like the end segment came out of nowhere. Like here's a man who scoured 1st century documents to figure out the lost art of making tyrian pigment, here's a guy whose family is made of blacksmiths and they make the most amazing (and honestly beautiful) scissors in the world, here are the women who create extraordinarily high quality paintbrushes with decades of experience behind them, this man and his son use ultra rare goat hair to create exquisite calligraphy brushes, and... here's a guy who finger painted dots onto a canvas. like honestly it truly is offensive to put that in a video showcasing these master craftsmen

    • @RallyTheTally
      @RallyTheTally 10 месяцев назад

      Modern art hates beauty, that's why it's so vile.

  • @AnAxe-q7b
    @AnAxe-q7b 3 месяца назад +1

    That explains why artists are so attentive and choosy when they are painting. And why professional art materials can be so costly. Very interesting video, thank you for sharing!😊

  • @PamelaLUSAF
    @PamelaLUSAF Год назад +14

    Fantastic collection of artisan stories!

  • @villiasimpkins4820
    @villiasimpkins4820 Месяц назад

    Respect to these artisans for the beautiful traditional craftsmanships, leaving a cultural legacy behind. I sincerely hope the passion will be nurtured and passed onto the next generations.

  • @ayeshaclassesgk
    @ayeshaclassesgk Год назад +3

    Grt❣️Thank you for creating this lovely vdo | So kind of you always, keep it up!

  • @petroshingalana8556
    @petroshingalana8556 Год назад +1

    Amazing peoples that love so much what they do ❤ how bless the artists are to use these oils..be blessed each one ❤️

  • @userbythename7015
    @userbythename7015 Год назад +43

    "we have to be very careful about over harvesting" ... "I used 800lbs of snails to dye this scarf and im not finished yet"

    • @AgentOffice
      @AgentOffice 8 месяцев назад +6

      Yeah what a waste

    • @BrokensoulRider
      @BrokensoulRider 8 месяцев назад +8

      Which means it's taking probably years to finish the scarf. It's not a waste since every inch of the snail's being used.

    • @esmeraldaweatherwaxe970
      @esmeraldaweatherwaxe970 6 месяцев назад

      eactly, that was what I was thinking, you can achieve that colir purpe just by mixing blues and pinks.. hs endavours are admirable but unnecessary and he is killig the snails for nothing. Theory is aso useful, it need no tbe accompanied by wholesale slaughter just to prove a point.

    • @cherno8336
      @cherno8336 5 месяцев назад +2

      ​@@BrokensoulRider yes it is

    • @tim895
      @tim895 2 месяца назад

      LMAO 😭😭😂

  • @HelenCamile63
    @HelenCamile63 Год назад +1

    I’ve used inexpensive (low end) sumi and it is a treat to use and see the results. So black and smooth. I can only imagine how delightful high end sumi feels and looks.

  • @wesco123
    @wesco123 Год назад +14

    Absolutely stunning mastery of their arts. The price of the end result is the cost of the creators life who perfected the excellence. Let us celebrate the masters 🙌👌

  • @dhruvbhatnagar4180
    @dhruvbhatnagar4180 6 месяцев назад

    What a country Japan is! Such rich heritage, such incredible traditions, such an inspiring work ethic. I was so moved by the bonsai scissors story.

  • @MsMousepusher
    @MsMousepusher Год назад +12

    That acid mine water is what the Mayan's used to soften granite rock so their walls would fit together so exactly. There's an interesting video by Ancient Architects about it.

    • @E-Kat
      @E-Kat 9 месяцев назад +1

      Thank you very much for this information. I never heard about this. How incredibly interesting! 👍

  • @rooteddwellings
    @rooteddwellings Год назад +98

    Anyone saying Tax fraud doesn't understand the majority of art... As a artist and a wife with a bachelor of fine arts. almost 90% of all art is not tax write offs and most artists struggle and their mediums are very expensive. support artists!

    • @elixier33
      @elixier33 Год назад

      Look me I don't care what you have to say no one has to spend 30 grand on the f****** brush. Sorry but while I don't think that people should buy cheap rubbish there is no way that anyone with any brains is going to buy anything like this you can do just as good with synthetic stuff. This is just fraud all the way and they are laughing at you all the way to the bank bank.

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Год назад

      'Tax write offs' don't have anything to do with it. It's MONEY LAUNDERING. For example, say a foreign country like China wants to pay Joe Biden to do something. So they 'buy' a 'painting' from his son, Hunter, for $500,000. Obviously he's not an artist. It's a doodle he did while he wash high, and not worth any money at all, let alone $500,000. So, Hunter passes the money to Joe, in exchange for a small piece of the action (he's a bag man).
      The crime is Joe Biden selling his elected office to a foreign country, not 'tax fraud'. But of course, he can't report that duffel bag full of cash on his taxes, because it will require him to explain where it came from. So, tax fraud is just a side effect of influence peddling.

    • @MiScusi69
      @MiScusi69 Год назад +7

      Modern art does not deserve any recognition though

    • @TheMuffinBurgler
      @TheMuffinBurgler Год назад +9

      @@MiScusi69 Of course it does. Art is art.

    • @iliketowatch.
      @iliketowatch. Год назад +2

      Most great artists die broke and unappreciated. It's the artists like Thomas Kinkade who achieve fame and fortune within their lifetimes. I'm sorry; I realize it's not fair.

  • @SeymaPRCKLI
    @SeymaPRCKLI Год назад +98

    I admire Japanese how they can still manage to hold on traditional work and put great effort for it.

    • @poppachoppa8956
      @poppachoppa8956 Год назад +3

      me too!

    • @jtris01
      @jtris01 Год назад +4

      Part of those traditional virtues is what is destroying Japanese society today.

    • @HollowBagel
      @HollowBagel Год назад +3

      I imagine it has something to do with the rigorous caste system of years past, and also the isolationism. Globalization is the mortal enemy of traditionalism, and Japan's youth today reflects that, with increasingly fewer people still continuing these traditional crafts.
      The caste system was divided between labourers of different skills. So over hundreds of years, you would find that the same families are still doing the exact same thing, since there was basically no way for peasants to move up in the caste system. The highest of the merchants were probably the only people with any upwards mobility in the ranks.
      So there would be families that do the same thing for generations, teaching their increasingly specialized and expert skills to their children. With the end of Japan's isolationism in the 1800's, and with the start of modern globalization, there was lessening focus on the traditional crafts, and more focus put towards modern or even just new traditional crafts from other countries.
      They became isolated again in the late 1800's-early 1900's, but then after WW2, their doors were basically smashed open to welcome the outside world completely. That's when traditional Japanese crafts were basically thrown out to welcome the easier and newer industries.

  • @lucky1u
    @lucky1u Год назад +2

    Fantastic, I love when people work so hard to create something brilliant out of something devastating. Thank you, wishing you all the best of luck in your mission.😊

  • @juliesczesny90
    @juliesczesny90 9 месяцев назад +4

    I'm so happy, that some of my iron oxide paints are recycled from this muck, so it's helping to clean up the environment! I love Iron Violet

  • @Art_by_Nicole
    @Art_by_Nicole Месяц назад +1

    3:31 my goodness, I can’t believe that this work is good for their health 😮

  • @brittany9725
    @brittany9725 Год назад +91

    Most people don't appreciate how expensive art is to produce.

    • @floridafrostbite8002
      @floridafrostbite8002 Год назад +23

      Nor the time it takes to learn and produce.

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Год назад +2

      Yeah, the people at the art factory work long hours.

    • @Robalogot
      @Robalogot Год назад +10

      too many people think the quality of the art supplies is what makes quality art

    • @thecatjall7848
      @thecatjall7848 Год назад

      ​@@Robalogotthat's true

    • @barbaraseville4139
      @barbaraseville4139 Год назад +6

      @@Robalogot The quality of the art supplies absolutely affects the quality of the art. It’s a clue to the artist’s self-respect, respect for the product, and respect for the purchaser. Rothko comes to mind.

  • @Macho_Fantastico
    @Macho_Fantastico 4 месяца назад

    Watching the craftsmanship is absolutely brilliant. Such care for the quality of the product, no wonder they are so expensive.

  • @fairlyfashionablefella8645
    @fairlyfashionablefella8645 Год назад +1405

    Money laundering makes art expensive

  • @Metzli
    @Metzli Год назад +7

    I have some kolinsky sable brushes. They were indeed expensive, but my teachers explained they were essential to get the best watercolouring possible :)

    • @thisissoeasy
      @thisissoeasy 7 месяцев назад

      ... and of course you believed it... hope you are a total expert now, because you use these brushes...

  • @Vermiliontea
    @Vermiliontea Год назад +343

    It was really cool to see the actual women who have made a handful of my brushes. 😀 I appreciate that.
    The section on oil paint was a bit BS'itty, considering the mentioned pigments. Tyrian purple has never been used in oil paint. It's way too substandard and fugitive. Tyrian Purple is, as was said previously, a collector's item. It has no practical use, as it's inferior to all other purple colorants in every way. 'Purple Lake' was historically a purple variant made from Cochineal insects, not snails. Today it's usually a Quinacridone. They also never ran out of Mummies. (there were plenty of them, in Egypt they even used mummies as fuel for the steam engines of a railway). They ran out of social acceptance, as society emerged from the gritty medieval ages (people were quite upset, at least one artist held funeral services for Mummy paint). And Mummy was also fugitive and thus unsuitable for permanent work. Cobalt Blue is not expensive because of the process temperature. Synthetic Ultramarine is in the furnace for 18-20 hours and is fairly cheap. Cobalt Blue is expensive because Cobalt is expensive and toxic, and the pigment's properties (extreme permanence) are little sought after outside the art material market. Thus it's not mass produced, which makes it even more expensive. Production volume is a major reason for cost of pigments. Even pigments which were difficult to develop and are extremely difficult to synthetize, eventually come down in price, if there is a sizeable market asking for them, thus driving mass production processes. The car, ceramic tiles and sign industries' demands for durable colors, is what has driven the emergence of fairly affordable modern fast pigments.
    Iron Oxide/Hydroxide pigments are the most important colored pigments in the world. They are also the most important Art pigments. They are in many ways the very best pigments there are. Synthetic Iron Oxide pigments can be a bit disappointing for artist use, but on the other hand we are running out of good natural deposits. Mining sludge from old mines, for pigment, seem like a brilliant idea. I was really happy to see this.
    The last section, on modern art, blah. 🤨

    • @janemiettinen5176
      @janemiettinen5176 Год назад +16

      I gotta tell this to someone who gets it, I ruined my favorite Kolinsky. I forgot it in a bag, that I left out at our balcony (I spilled booze on it and it stank horrible, promptly forgot I meant to wash it), thought for months that Ive lost it some weird way, found my outdoors painting back again, opened it and.. moths had eaten every single hair! Ill admit, I cried. I was so mad with myself, just looked at the empty ferrule and bawled. And I ruined 3 cheaper, but loved sable brushes by forgetting them in water for three days, when our cat had medical emergency. That only stung a bit, I was mostly happy the cat was ok, but I wasnt that excited about my newly made sable hair soup.. When I told my husband, he just shrugged and told to buy new ones, but these were my babies. Only a fellow artist understands.

    • @redpusey
      @redpusey Год назад +2

      Thanks for your observations. Most informative.

    • @tylerthegrimm
      @tylerthegrimm Год назад +5

      Well you seem like you know what you're talking about so I'll agree with you. I don't know anything about art, but like knowing how things are made. I also don't like bs

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Год назад +13

      I didn't understand the point about 'only women can make the brushes'. The narrator said because of 'dexterity', but that's a non-sequitur. If women have better dexterity then all the best surgeons would be women. I think what he meant to say is that men aren't interested in a brush-making career.

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Год назад +2

      @@janemiettinen5176 You sound like a very irresponsible type -- I'm not an artist, but I do use sable brushes in my work, and even a $5 sable brush is always immediately cleaned and pointed, after every use. If you switch to bulk brushes 100/pack or 200/pack, you'll have much less stress about it. Don't fight against your personality... go with the flow. Use the cheapies and throw them away after use. No more crying.

  • @naynay3710
    @naynay3710 Год назад +1

    This was incredibly interesting! I love seeing how other artists create but especially when they do things that are either traditional and old or in a different way than what most people do nowadays. The only thing that concerns me, is the second to the last one about the reclaiming pollution. I know people don't eat paint, but artists get paint on them all the time. Also, they were talking about using it in a lot of ways that people would come in contact with it, including make-up. Maybe I missed something, but I didn't notice them talking about making the product safe.

  • @peace4myheart
    @peace4myheart Год назад +9

    I can listen to the narrator's voice all day long. Watching an interesting topic at the same time is just a bonus. JAJAJA

  • @alyssatheexcellent
    @alyssatheexcellent Год назад +12

    It just goes to show you- quality is never achieved with mass production- but rather with human skill and passion and patience.

    • @some.generic.username5254
      @some.generic.username5254 Год назад +1

      Pretty sure machines would do the same job with more precision, less health adversaries and ofcourse faster

    • @alyssatheexcellent
      @alyssatheexcellent Год назад +3

      @@some.generic.username5254 you’re not disproving my point.

  • @mushibags
    @mushibags 3 месяца назад

    The process makes the journey more worthwhile 😍

  • @LoveHandle4890
    @LoveHandle4890 Год назад +199

    “Art is anything you can get away with.” -Andy Warhol.

    • @MossyMozart
      @MossyMozart Год назад +6

      @Based - The same with any capitalist commodity or service.

    • @MiScusi69
      @MiScusi69 Год назад +2

      @@MossyMozart EXACTLY

    • @cionm7077
      @cionm7077 Год назад

      People always get so many likes for commenting the most obvious things. Every single person knows is subjective.

    • @mikaelafox6106
      @mikaelafox6106 Год назад +1

      Heh, Andy should know! 😂😂

    • @marikothecheetah9342
      @marikothecheetah9342 11 месяцев назад +1

      Oh yes, good ol' Andy got asway with blatant stealing from other, less known artists. :/

  • @Violinist265
    @Violinist265 6 месяцев назад

    I never in my life thought that ink making is so complicated and delicate matter!!! These gentlemen are amazing skilful masters of their profession

  • @Bryan-C
    @Bryan-C Год назад +13

    @41:15 so we're just going to ignore the fact that the only thing he had to say about the practice of using crushed up human remains as pigment was that it was perfect for some flesh tones?

  • @Vikanuck
    @Vikanuck 8 месяцев назад +1

    36:15 Dude has the most rocking beard I’ve ever seen in my life.
    I mean, the rest of us shampoo, oil, trim, shape and pamper our freakin face hair and call it ‘effort’… but this dude has managed to grow solid 12 hairs on his chin to a respectable length, and maintain them just as they are without feeling the need to give up and just say - ‘Ahh screw it I can’t grow facial hair’ and then cut those lil’ whiskers off… and I call that sheer dedication… at least more than any of us will ever know or understand in a single lifetime 🙇🏻‍♂️ 👏 👏 👏

  • @mndlessdrwer
    @mndlessdrwer Год назад +20

    Sumi-e ink is one of those heritage crafts that, if the market truly demanded it, could readily be scaled through the use of automation. However, the artists and calligraphers who use the ink value the craftsmanship behind the inks that they use as much as the ink itself. So even if you could use industrial processes to produce an identical product, that isn't really what they want for their pieces. Maybe they would use those ink sticks to practice with, but for the calligraphy or paintings that they intent to pass on or sell, they would want something with more heritage and tradition behind it.
    Having used a few different grades of brushes while painting, I can 100% understand the demand for high quality brushes. Particularly if you work in washes and tints. Working with thicker media like undiluted oil paints and acrylics, you can readily make due with lower quality synthetic brushes that have the right spring force and shape, but if you use thin paints like watercolor and gouache, or thinned out washes of acrylic or oil paint, then the way a higher quality brush loads and dispenses this thinner paint is priceless to you.

  • @AVOWIRENEWS
    @AVOWIRENEWS 11 месяцев назад

    Wow, exploring the world of premium arts and art supplies sounds absolutely fascinating! Art, in its many forms, has always been a captivating expression of human creativity, and the materials used can be just as intriguing as the artworks themselves. Whether it's rare pigments, luxurious canvases, or historical art pieces, each item tells a unique story and contributes to the richness of the art world. It's amazing to think about the dedication and passion artists invest in their craft, often using such extraordinary tools and materials to bring their visions to life. Art truly is a window into different cultures and eras, offering us glimpses of beauty and innovation that transcend time and space.

  • @QuantumKatmusic
    @QuantumKatmusic Год назад +6

    When it comes to quality, as you go up in quality, price increases intensely for small changes. There is a uniqueness too when something is made via traditional, human spirited technique , not just admirable for the difficulty of it, but because to a highly knowledgeable and experienced artist or collector can both see and appreciate these nuances that a typical person would overlook, or perhaps see but not understand what makes an ink, or an art peice have a powerful spirit and beauty to them.
    I dont think this belittles modern inks or paints or artistic products that have created a fast and cheap "good enough" replacement , these are equally amazing discoveries , and sadly as the world constantly evolves, we lose some of these ancient industries , just as certain species go extinct, so too do our materials needed to recreate a moment in art history. I hope all these master craftsmen can continue their work as long as they are able. Its a lotus among so much murk and darkness that our world struggles through

  • @ThePigeonStoop
    @ThePigeonStoop 5 месяцев назад +2

    "oh my gawd I went through a lot of failures" Homie... I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT TONE FROM YOU

  • @Sillydilly321
    @Sillydilly321 Год назад +7

    I did NOT expect the Tyrian guy to sound like that.

  • @lexeiy1730
    @lexeiy1730 2 месяца назад

    Quite A Fantastic Video. Truly Fascinating ❤👏🏿👍🏿💯

  • @thebush6077
    @thebush6077 Год назад +33

    Fully convinced Japan is really good at overcomplicating and over perfecting things

    • @spracketskooch
      @spracketskooch 8 месяцев назад +3

      "And as I licked the flavor off the inside of the popcorn bag, I became one with the salt. My spirit melted like the butter" - Japanese man describing how and why he dedicated 70 years of his life to being the best popcorn bag licker.

    • @AgentOffice
      @AgentOffice 8 месяцев назад

      They did well with kamikazes

    • @cherno8336
      @cherno8336 5 месяцев назад

      remove the perfecting

  • @donnahague8983
    @donnahague8983 8 месяцев назад

    I am in awe watching this… They do such an amazing job and it’s so tedious…. Crazy how talented they are. I could never afford anything they make but, WOW…

  • @paranoiarpincess
    @paranoiarpincess Год назад +64

    As an artist, what bothers me about pieces that look like they were just slopped together is that there are people out there who put months into their work, use multiple skills to make massive pieces of mixed media art and get absolutely zero for them, despite only charging a miniscule portion of the millions the other pieces go for, and have people just telling them their work isn't worth that much. I've personally sold a few pieces maxing out around $50 and I'm genuinely worried about posting a piece I am going to charge $500 for for exactly that reason, despite my over 25 years of experience, multiple different types of classes and courses as well as continued practice with the help of teachers and university taught artists on RUclips, the use of multiple types of media and it being genuinely aesthetically pleasing on an objective level. I'm not saying I'm amazing at art but it is pretty and there are years of knowledge and experience behind it and still I feel like I would be cheating people out of money even thought in the art world $500 is really not all that much.

    • @gladitsnotme
      @gladitsnotme Год назад

      You need to target filthy rich people. Your customer base isn't bougie enough. Your customers like pretty things, bazillionaires don't. The uglier the better.

    • @Kirrie_Sushicat
      @Kirrie_Sushicat Год назад +20

      Hey man, I totally get you.
      However as a fellow artist who also keeps learning I have to tell you:
      Your art is never about technique or how personally you see it. It's about the vallue you produce for others.
      So tell your story and vallue yourself, sell it for 1000 instead of 500, MAKE others vallue your art.
      It's about creating vallue through storytelling. In short: MARKETING!

    • @paranoiarpincess
      @paranoiarpincess Год назад +4

      @@Kirrie_Sushicat I totally get you. I ended up paying it as an auction. It starts at $500 and as soon as the first person interested says they want it for $500 the war begins. People then have a week to make their bid and the highest bid wins.
      *I haven't received a single one*
      So I really can't expect to ever get $500 for it, let alone $1k. That said, I only showed it to my Instagram followers, and well, a heck of a lot of people scrolling specific related hashtags but that's had the potential of an upwards of tens of thousands of people seeing my art and it's price and not a single bid, but that's not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
      If you have any advice about where to post, that would be a massive help. I do plan to post on Reddit though. I'm just not quite yet sure where. I plan to look up and check out multiple at selling related subs.

    • @Kirrie_Sushicat
      @Kirrie_Sushicat Год назад +10

      @@paranoiarpincess well. Know your audience. What people are those? Are they poor students/very normal people? If yes, they would never pay more than 100 bucks for art. If that's the case, sell art prints for 5-25$ or downloadable digital content.
      Rich people don't care about the quality of art. If you can make yourself be memorable to them, they will gladly use your art to laundry money.

    • @paranoiarpincess
      @paranoiarpincess Год назад +3

      @@Kirrie_Sushicat it's insanely depressing how right you are about that. The rich people thing that is. I fully plan to make prints and I know a few people who would buy those. Thing is, my art is 3D so the originals are SO much better, and not just because they're original.

  • @No_Transitory
    @No_Transitory Месяц назад

    Beautiful, to think these pratices have been passed down for generations... Its family secrets with super hard work and attention to detail. I love my sumi sticks and especially sumi gold. It is expensive for quality sticks but well worth it.

  • @_nihongo_jouzu_
    @_nihongo_jouzu_ Год назад +14

    Its the artist's effort that makes it special. The blood, sweat, and tears give meaning to art

  • @mitch8235
    @mitch8235 Год назад

    Great work! Thank you for this compilation. I enjoyed watching and learning from it.

  • @ToudaHell
    @ToudaHell Год назад +35

    Art has always been expensive. That's why historically artists have noble patrons to pat for it. The higher quality equipment one require, the more expensive it is.

  • @gabsjohnson2652
    @gabsjohnson2652 9 месяцев назад

    Ordering a pair of bonsai scissors tonight. Thank you for your beautiful craftsmanship.❣️

  • @sophiaisabelle027
    @sophiaisabelle027 Год назад +17

    This is mesmerizing to watch. No wonder they are remarkably expensive.

  • @hanzflackshnack1158
    @hanzflackshnack1158 10 месяцев назад

    My series 7 was a gift from my instructor for graduating top of my class. I wouldn't spend that much for the minimal advantages over modern brushes but if you have one already, it's hard to deny they feel beautiful to paint with.

  • @Mecht143
    @Mecht143 Год назад +22

    And yet people ask artist to sell artworks for free😑

  • @DaughterofGaia1979
    @DaughterofGaia1979 Месяц назад

    I love these educational videos ❤❤❤

  • @mikaelaskalberg3640
    @mikaelaskalberg3640 Год назад +5

    it is so soothing to see its skilled people. I'm not a big fan of today's industries and waste! this is so durable in the long run! we need to go back in time and take care of what we have and live more sustainably! ❤️

  • @yekim138
    @yekim138 7 месяцев назад

    It’s crazy that bonsai trees needs generations to fully realize the potential! Also never knew about Vietnamese lacquer art and English hand made brushes ! What an interesting documentary!

  • @liaml.e.5964
    @liaml.e.5964 Год назад +17

    With all other examples you can see people loving their craft with passion... with modern art you can see a bunch of pretenders trying to defend the reason for their scam; no soul, no finesse, no function, only pretenses.

    • @RyunoOhi
      @RyunoOhi Год назад +4

      Same thing now with A.I. "art."

    • @spracketskooch
      @spracketskooch 8 месяцев назад

      @@RyunoOhi At least AI art is sometimes aesthetically pleasing. I can't say I've enjoyed looking at any contemporary art. I do laugh and puke when someone calls themselves and "AI artist" though.

  • @hondurasfan1
    @hondurasfan1 7 месяцев назад

    I wanna say this about "brush makers making makeup brushes" those words are so true! AND I seen some of my favorite makeup influencers buying some expensive Japanese makeup brushes because they are handmade. One spend $300 or more one a face blender brush and she talks many great details about each brush she buys and explain how to use every type of brush on the face in great detail. She even explains the type of hairs and takes great care of them. Like if there's a market for it, do it. I wouldn't be surprised if they venture out in that area. A lot of makeup lovers been wanting face brushes that works so well compare to the cheap brands or semi-okay kinds. Also, I understand that there might be a decline in "homemade" products, but I don't think these crafts will ever go away. Someone or Artists that love these kind of stuff will never allow it. I met artists that stick to a brand for a looonnnggg time because they love it so much.

  • @tuxedonoir7970
    @tuxedonoir7970 Год назад +15

    Can we get the British and Japanese brush and ink makers together and just kinda see what happens?

  • @fleurdelalune8745
    @fleurdelalune8745 Год назад +2

    "This pigment was made with mummies but we ran out" I'm sorry. WHAT?!?!??!? Why on EARTH would you do that?? 😭😭

  • @jimbosnice
    @jimbosnice Год назад +4

    49:29 whenever i use brushes from Sally's workspace #7, they seem to flow on my canvas like only a true English river of saliva can 👍 👌

  • @phaeb
    @phaeb Год назад +1

    I really appreciate how this narrator always makes an effort to pronounce foreign words as authentically as possible.

  • @PurpleOpinionM
    @PurpleOpinionM Год назад +7

    You guys should do Araish plaster from Rajsthan, its quite stunning and made with am interesting number of food ingredients

  • @chaudharyfahadali4838
    @chaudharyfahadali4838 Год назад +1

    Superb craftsman ship, loved it

  • @jen7662
    @jen7662 Год назад +28

    Interesting contrast of the craftsman clips with the abstract painting clip. While abstraction art is interesting it’s arguably easiest to con people with an abstract painting vs. the years of dedication needed to be a blacksmith, inkmaker, etc. I still really enjoy thought provoking abstract art…I just don’t know if it’s worth millions.

  • @nancytestani1470
    @nancytestani1470 Год назад +1

    Just absolutely fascinating..amazing

  • @mannyyoutube3259
    @mannyyoutube3259 Год назад +5

    If I were the snail and my gland was getting cut right off while Im still alive, I'd turn purple too 😱

  • @Yasmina-1979at
    @Yasmina-1979at Год назад

    This was an amazing documentary! Thank you

  • @splcsh8570
    @splcsh8570 Год назад +7

    The ink sticks were cool

  • @Sbangfpv_
    @Sbangfpv_ Год назад +1

    1:07:15 Mr. Yasuhiro! You do amazing work of art. I highly admire it.

  • @babagalacticus
    @babagalacticus Год назад +5

    by the gods it's SOOO refreshing & calming to get away from the socio-political sewer & be reminded that humans also do wonderful, lovely, ingenious things as well. but it's sad to reflect that japan's continually falling birth rate & the persistent lure of making $$$$, threaten all these sublime ancient arts.
    thank you & bless you for this excellent reportage. 💗👍

  • @dansadler2754
    @dansadler2754 11 месяцев назад

    I'm a new sub and love all of the outstanding work these folks are doing.
    They take great pride in their work I wish everyone did. Thank you for sharing this Daniel army strong

  • @GeeEmming
    @GeeEmming Год назад +3

    The entire modern "art" segment triggered tf out of me

  • @elishahankin6465
    @elishahankin6465 9 месяцев назад

    This is a beautiful, natural craft.❤

  • @cloudysky82
    @cloudysky82 Год назад +6

    I seriously don't understand how a fragile, timely, and expensive process like this could be sustainable in an economy. If I made a product that needs specialists that require 10 years of training, making a product that can go bad, there's just no way it'd work. But.. here we are!

  • @evelynramos445
    @evelynramos445 Год назад

    Detailed process and patience that goes along with it!

  • @lucianoromero777
    @lucianoromero777 Год назад +12

    I love when the paint is rollled like that 🤤