The ban includes popular—but expensive—brushes such as Winsor and Newton Series 7, Escoda Optimos, Richeson Siberian Kolinsky and Da Vinci Kolinsky, all known for their unique "springy" quality.
Kolinsky brushes are not made from sable martens, but rather from the tails of male Siberian weasels, found in Russia and northern China. Siberian weasels don't do well in captivity, so they are obtained by trapping wild animals.
Some have noted that the animals are trapped mainly for other economic uses, and that the tail fur can be regarded as a byproduct. In China, Kolinsky weasels are often regarded as pests because they kill chickens. But for those troubled by the ethics of brushes sourced from a wild animal, there are synthetic brushes that attempt to match the characteristics of Kolinskys, such as the Escoda Versatil Synthetic
.The ban, which affects only U.S. customers, was brought about because the species was grouped into a list of endangered species, though the level of endangerment is reported to be relatively low. According to a Winsor and Newton spokesperson quoted on Artist's Daily, "Kolinsky Sable is not an endangered species."
Manufacturers of Kolinsky brushes are still making them, and U.S. dealers are still able to sell them as long as their supplies hold out, but it's illegal to import new stocks, even to do so personally.
Symi Jackson at Rosemary Brushes, mentioned that they are still manufacturing brushes made from materials that were purchased before the ban, and said, "At the time of purchasing all of the ‘Kolinsky Sable’ hair it was both legal and ethical. Indeed, it still is legal and ethical, though it is now under restriction in the US only."
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While stocks remain, it's still possible to purchase such brushes as
Winsor and Newton Series 7
Richeson Siberian Kolinsky brushes
Escoda Optimo Kolinsky
Da Vinci Maestro Series 35 Kolinsky Red
Winsor and Newton Series 7
Richeson Siberian Kolinsky brushes
Escoda Optimo Kolinsky
Da Vinci Maestro Series 35 Kolinsky Red
Further discussion and press releases at Arcane Paintworks
I have used sable brushes for years now, but lately I have grown aware of how these animals are killed for fur... rather brutally in countries where they're harvested.
ReplyDeleteI know that painting isn't a green choice by itself, and I'll be keeping the W&N / Rosemary's sables I have with great care (they've lasted years so far), but I have decided to stop purchasing natural hair altogether; I have got to say that the quality of synthetic fibers can equal that of natural hair and since these brushes are so cheap, they're absolutely worth trying in case of skepticism.
I read this news with mixed feelings similar to Excessit. I also will pamper and continue to enjoy the W&N sable brushes I have owned for years, but frankly the expense has kept me away from adding or replacing those brushes with other sables for a while now. I too have found some synthetics to be very serviceable (to say the least)- especially considering the price. I should quickly add, though, that I paint much more in oil than in watercolor these days. I find the W&N Monarch series to be great for that application - somewhere between bristle and sable in feel.
ReplyDeleteI was really surprised to see this notice on Dick Blick a few weeks back. If anything it's given me a good opportunity to see if I can find a synthetic that handles inking chores as well as W&N series 7. Any suggestions from anyone on a synthetic they particularly enjoy that has a good spring and snap to it?
ReplyDeleteHmm...I had no idea that the sables were trapped; I thought that they were just farmed and their tails shaved every year. Did not know that the sables don't do well in captivity.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that a substitute needs to be found, I'm don't think synthetic brushes are the answer. After all, synthetic brushes are made from fossil fuels (petroleum byproducts.) Probably the worst polluters on the planet. Aren't we encouraged to cut down on the use of plastics?
I can't make art with animals suffering. I only use synthetic brushes, even if hte quality is not here.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather use a brush from a wild animal than from one that has been farmed - there are so many absolutely horrible stories about how animals are treated in the Chinese fur industry, even if they aren't killed (such as angora rabbits).
ReplyDeleteBut I must admit that I have been a bit worried about the sourcing of hair for brushes. Exact information seems to be hard to find. If there is going to be a bit more focus on this area, that would be a good thing.
True the Siberian weasel is on the list of endangered species that the government uses. I frankly think the government is wrong here. We are talking about the weasel that is all over Asia. They used to live on the Kolo Peninsula next to Finland which is sometimes considered to be in Europe and not Asia, but I think they were all killed there, and as a result they were presumed to be endangered elsewhere. Actually the law says that all the brushes being made with this fur must be labelled with country of origin (it really was intended for fur coats). True it kills chickens but in Beijing were it kills rats, cars stop to let it cross the road! The best hair is from a male that is living in very cold climates.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's yet another reason to learn how to make my own. The other is expense and the third is scarcity. Just wonder where are some of the parts sold at. I already have a good source for the handle and experimental hair like my kitty's wonderful back hair and my really soft and fine hare. But I need that little metal ring thing that goes on top of the bundle of hair and attaches to the wooden handle.
ReplyDeleteHummmmmm.....
Hello
ReplyDeleteI recently bought an Escoda versatil brush no 12. It is absolutely excellent :o)
K-tigress: Back in the olden days, the ferrule (that's what that metal ring thing is called) was a quill from a bird feather, so maybe you could use that?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the useful info.
ReplyDeleteI have never liked the idea of killing animals for making art material, so I bought my first sable brush only after having tried many synthetic alternatives (with no success). The problem is inking; for watercolor synthetic brushes are pretty good. I've never seen Escoda brushes here in Italy, I will look for them.
Hmmm. Doesn't sound like Siberian weasels are being trapped into extinction just to make artists' paintbrushes.
ReplyDeleteTruth is, we use a lot of animal-based products. Bone black pigment and bristle brushes are examples. I don't know how much the animals suffer, but I like to hope that these materials are "harvested" as humanely as possible. Ultimately, if they stopped making Kolinsky brushes, would fewer weasels be trapped? Sounds like maybe not. I don't personally feel like when I buy a sable brush I'm causing animals to suffer needlessly.
A good Kolinsky brush ought to last years if it is taken care of. And who wouldn't take care of it, considering the high cost?
Truly endangered species ought to be protected, yes indeed. It sort of sounds like Fish & Wildlife is being a bit hysterical in this particular case.
I talked to a fws inspector and asked about this. Seems they can be legally import for the import or export company applies for the permit. In fact that permit requirement is the same for Canada, Japan, the us or any other member of Cities
DeleteI'm curious if Fish and Wildlife has comprehensively studied the impact to animals that the oil industry has, as it is them enabling synthetic brushes and myriad other things to be produced...
ReplyDeleteThe issue is they can be imported, hell elephant hide leather products can be imported legally. Seem the problem is the company dont want to go about getting the proper export permit that is required
DeleteI exclusively use WNS7 Kolinsky sables. For the level of detail I require, synthetics (and frankly cheap sables) simply aren't good enough.
ReplyDeleteI only know one miniature painter who doesn't rely solely on Kolinskies (and he's an utter madman, there's always one).
There seems to be a lot of confusion and mis-information about this topic. I've yet to see an authoritative article on the topic (no offense to Meg). I'm surprised by what the Winsor & Newton rep said about personal import, as I had previously heard that was legal and it was only business import that was impacted by the lack of CITES documentation (I stocked up when the news of this first broke a year ago).
Indeed, from what I can tell, the core issue seems to be that there was a bureaucratic change on the US's end (requiring a new form) and the rest of the world is not complying with the form change.
As I said, lots of mis-information and I'm not sure you'll ever hear a straight answer when your sources are a governmental bureaucracy on one side and a self-interested capitalist entity on the other.
For those looking for a good inking brush, I highly recommend the Pentel Pocket Brush. They are synthetic and hold their points for a very long time (up to a year or more, if taken care of), and run about $20. The replaceable ink cartridges are somewhat pricy, but I just refill them with Rapidograph Universal black india ink. I've been using them for about 15 years for drawing my cartoons (after using #2 W&N Series 7s for 20 years), and find them as good for line work and a heck of a lot more convenient than dipping a brush in an ink bottle every 30 seconds.
ReplyDeleteGary, I have the Pentel Pocket Brush too, and like it for certain situations. How do you refill the cartridges? I assume some sort of syringe, or...?
ReplyDeleteTom, I regularly refill Niji water brushes and Waterman fountain pen cartridges, and I use a hypodermic syringe that I got with an inkjet printer refill kit. Some art stores also sell syringes that end in a small nozzle instead of a needle. An eyedropper is a bit too blunt.
ReplyDeleteCashwiley, thanks for bringing up those other issues. There's a lot more to this story, of course, and people who are interested should follow the links I provided to read the message boards, which include various press releases and artist comments. Also there are letter writing campaigns afoot to try to change the designation, and you can find out about those on those links. I just tried to boil down the whole issue into a brief blog post to act as an introduction for people who haven't heard about it.
While I appreciate trying to condense the issue saying that the brushes are banned is incorrect. If a company fills out the right paperwork they can continue to import their kolinsky sable brushes to the US. I believe that Raphael has gone this route since Dick Blick, at least, has been receiving regular restocks of those brushes.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom,
ReplyDeleteIt can be a little messy, so I hold the empty cartridge in a paper towel. I use the small 3/4 oz bottle of ink and hold it a half inch or so above the cartridge opening. I slowly squeeze and fill it one drop at a time. I usually get air bubbles at the top, so I pop those with a toothpick or paper clip. It only takes about 40 or so drops to fill it up, and takes only about 30 seconds. I probably get a couple dozen refills from the small bottle (about $5), much cheaper than paying a buck-and-a-half each for the cartridges.
Thanks, Kris, for clarifying that.
ReplyDeleteGary and Tom, you can get syringes with blunt tip fill needles at any medical supply place or online.
They make the refill process very neat and quick.
Thanks, James.
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent decision. Whether the Kolinski is endangered or not, they are trapped and most are certainly left to die a slow, horrible death. Think overnight in the Siberian winter.
ReplyDeleteAnybody thinking art can have any value when made with tools "containing" the DIRECT death of such an animal is not an artist. This is the 21st century, people. For the same reasons, other sable brushes and squirrel mops mustn't be bought anymore.
Also consider the record of Russia and China -where the Kolinski are killed- regarding human rights, and guess what their policies are about animal rights, ethical treatment etc. Winsor & Newton saying that Kolinski brushes are ethical is a most shameful example of profit-motivated bad faith.
I can recommend the Escoda Ultimo mops and rounds. They are affordable, soft, springy-yet-shapable brushes. They snap back gently, without returning to the rigid, always-the-same shape of other synthetics.
Thanks to others for mentioning the Escoda Versatil, I will try it!
"Anybody thinking art can have any value when made with tools "containing" the DIRECT death of such an animal is not an artist. This is the 21st century, people. For the same reasons, other sable brushes and squirrel mops mustn't be bought anymore."
ReplyDeleteSay what? Why do they have to die in the first place?
"Whether the Kolinski is endangered or not, they are trapped and most are certainly left to die a slow, horrible death. Think overnight in the Siberian winter."
The hair is supposed to be removed from the tail! I'm not so sure about the picture being painted with your new Peta brush.
Kolinsky sables are inextricably linked to the entire HISTORY OF PAINTING! You cannot wake up and say, oops, it appears we've irresponsibly harvested our resources and will be forced to now, very sneakily remove all the brushes from the market, in a deceptively much lower quality which has doubled in price over the last decade, I might add.
Stop misdirecting blame and marginalizing artists that prefer natural hair.
How do you support the alternative brush of the same brands which irresponsibly sourced such a catastrophic impact on the species in the first place?
How can any human that eats meat be of value to society when they are DIRECTLY linked to the death of animals. Maybe that's true, I really don't know, but I like burgers and I like Kolinsky.
In reply to Chris d:
ReplyDeleteYou REALLY DON'T KNOW IF ANIMALS ARE KILLED BEFORE WE EAT THEM?
That says it all. "The worst deaf is the one who doesn't want to hear."
To me, bad faith is the worst human failing, and that's my last comment in this post.
My point is that by your logic that anyone using Kolinsky is not a "true artist", is like saying anyone that eats meat is incapable of producing anything of value, which seems unfair.
ReplyDeleteI understand your compassion about the animals but you should also take into account that every painter in history used these brushes, and for good reason.
The problem isn't that they are using the hair from the animal. It shouldn't be, because it isn't necessary to kill the animal!
Sorry to come late to the conversation, but here's an article which should clear some things up re. the harvesting of sable fur and other animals whose fur goes into sable brushes: http://www.animalethics.org.uk/i-ch8-4-forgottenfur.html
ReplyDeleteI came on it a few years ago because I love my Blue Heron waterbrushes and it says on the package that they are 'goat' brushes and 'wolf' brushes respectively. I was a bit worried about the 'wolf', so I did some research. Imagine my feelings when I found out about other brushes altogether! Basically all natural-hair brushes are harvested in ways that do not leave the animal alive. It makes me sad as I love the lush feel of natural brushes, but as someone on this board said, it's like eating meat. You have a choice, but to make a fully informed choice you need to know where the meat comes from.
Sorry for the long comment Mr Gurney! (I have been a fan of yours since Dinotopia first came out - I still have my first edition!)
Hi to all out there,
ReplyDeleteI ask my self why this is illegal in US only. I take all my sable brushes from Norway to the best prices found on the net.
www.kunstnerutstyr.no/Produkter.htm
Finally, Lizard Licks are available at Cheap Joe's! http://www.cheapjoes.com/cheap-joe-s-lizard-s-lick-brushes.html
ReplyDeleteAll you need to do is google Chinese fur farms to see the suffering animals are subjected to before being being inhumanely slaughtered for our art tools. I cannot in good conscience buy products that contribute to the pain and agony of any living being. There are some great synthetic alternatives out there, please give them a chance. I don't mind the extra time required to rewet my synthetic wash brush, and good quality paper is the most important material for a watercolourist anyway.
ReplyDeleteGary Bookins: Have you ever tried the Kuretake brush pen? I find it even better than the Pentel brush pen. I have both and I prefer the Kuretake slightly more because of it's spring. It is available at Amazon
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Kuretake-Sumi-Brush-Pen/dp/B000EBJIKS/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1457829039&sr=8-10&keywords=kuretake
Gary Bookins: Have you ever tried the Kuretake brush pen? I prefer it over the Pentel pen. I have both and I find that the Kuretake has better spring. I've read, but never tried it yet, that the proprietary ink cartridge can be switched out with a converter and permanent black ink can be substituted. These pens can be found on Amazon:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Kuretake-Sumi-Brush-Pen/dp/B000EBJIKS/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1457829039&sr=8-10&keywords=kuretake
I have seen those on Amazon and thought about trying them, but I haven't yet. I do have some of the Kuretake disposable ones with what I think is a nylon tip? ... They are ok, but don't have the variation of line I like. Plus, they don't seem to last very long. I will give their brush pen a try. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI do own some sable brushes, yes they were expensive. Some are squirrel, boar, some are synthetic. Does make the synthetic ones add plastic waste to an already bad situation, as our waters, and food are now contaminated with plastic?
ReplyDeleteIf we all stop eating beef. do you think any one will raise beef cows as pets and they will not become in short supply, pigs, chicken sheep the same way. This is an industry that exists because we eat these things. I do love my vegges but I also love a good burger or steak. if farmers stop raising them the only place you will see them is in a zoo.
instead of worrying about the fate of animals raised for a purpose, how about working about your neighbor your children, your parents How about we love one another. BE KIND do not make fun of others Try to make the world a better place, and if you want to save a cow adopt one.
In recent years I have come to feel guilty about taking a life just so I can paint. I used to be able to justify this mentally because sable brushes were just so much better, but with the rapid advancements in synthetic materials, I can personally no longer placate my internal guilt. I have decided to completely switch to synthetic brushes, and have found the ones in the Escoda Versatil line to be exceptionally made.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna feel guilty using my new no. 12 Winsor and Newton Sable brush when it turns up in the post tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteQuitting using our favorite brushes won't stop the killing. it would evantualy put out of jobs a bunch of artisans Who are preserving a 200 yo tradition of near Perfect craftmanship tho... This has nothing To do whit preserving nature, just an other colateral damage from Trump's economic "war"
ReplyDeleteI am against CAFOS but I do eat meat, dairy and fish. The best I can do is to vote with my wallet and buy as sustainable and cruelty-free as I can. As for the Kolinsky sable brushes, I own them, I use them and I buy them. Because if an animal is going to die anyway, I don't want the sacrifice of that life to be wasted in any way. Use as much as possible. These are weasels that are not endangered and are going to be processed into fur clothing. I don't wear it and you might not either but buying synthetic brushes isn't going to stop it. (And I'm sure synthetic brushes have their own burden of evil byproducts in the manufacturing.) Even if these animals weren't going to clothing, a certain number would be killed simply as vermin to control crop and animal losses. The tails, from which the brushes are made, are a by product that would otherwise be thrown away. That's wasteful. So yes, I will buy all of the Kolinsky brushes I can from reputable sources. I don't buy from China. Not paint. Not paper. And not brushes. Mostly because I'm not just interested in the brush hair but want to know what is in my pigments and paper to avoid toxins and other pollutants and China has a very poor reputation for not only wasteful and toxic manufacturing but also lying about it. For that reason, I didn't lose my dogs to Chinese pet food.
ReplyDeleteOf course, as with everything else, the cost has gone up. If the companies are going to have to jump through red tape paperwork hoops, someone is going to have to pay for that.