
In that same post I actually did review an Escoda brush, which I'd totally forgotten about. I got it on my trip to SCAD Atlanta, liked it okay, and suggested it for people as a possible alternative if Raphael brushes weren't available. I haven't drawn with brushes for awhile, so I totally forgot about it.
My current workplace sells Escoda brushes, and they're specifically mentioned in our training video on brushes. The owner, Larry, who travels all over the world to meet his suppliers and see their factories, talked in the video about what makes a brush good and why some good brush companies have lost their way *cough Windsor and newton cough*. Basically, what it comes down to is time spent in a single location. Brush making takes years, even decades to learn, and making the kolinsky sable brushes is the hardest, requiring workers who've been brush makers for 20 years or more. If a brush company moves it's facilities, (W&N), and the brush makers don't or can't follow, their experience is lost, and therefore the quality. You do still see, every so often, a decent W&N brush, but the rarity of them leads me to conjecture it may be as little as one person making those elusive few. I imagine an old man, surrounded by fumbling whipper-snappers, weeping to himself as he places each of his perfect brushes on a conveyor belt alongside their splaying messes of expensive hair.
Larry chose Escoda because their factory has been in the same place since 1949, 18 years longer than Raphael, which seems to make some of the consistently better sable brushes these days. I tested 3 of the brushes in our store to decide what size I wanted to buy to test for Comic Tools, and all of them came to a sharp, single hair point. THAT was encouraging- I wanted this company to be consistent, not just good, if I was to recommend them to my readers. I selected a size 4 to test.




On another topic, it seems Amalgamated Biscuit has started something. Now Comic Tools reader Kat has made this adorable Totoro ink well as a more stable platform to resist upset by cat:


(Remember, never dip your brush more than halfway if you can help it, and rinse it immediately if you do.)
See you next week!
11 comments:
every time you give an art material the thumbs up, i inexplicably go out and buy it right away. looks like escoda will be getting my business next time i need a new brush.
Wow, what an appropriately-timed post! I've only just, as of last night, decided it's high time to get some actually usable brushes, and there just happens to be a Blick near me! I'll add these to the list of 'brushes to give a go.' Also, thanks so much for the repost! I'm crazy flattered, you have no idea.
Kat- Thank you for sharing the cool inkwell!
Hey I have that inkwell, it rocks! I got it full of black star hicarb dr ph martin, which is my favorite thing you've ever featured.
Hey I wanted to throw in my 2 cents on brushes. Now I have a Raphael 8404 #2, Escoda 1214 #4 travel, Da Vinci series 35 in #2 & #4, and finally a Isabey 6227z #5. Now the hands down winner is....the Isabey. Yes the Isabey and Raphael are made in the same factory but here is the difference the Isabey is only made by the master brush makers in that factory. Plus they use the best hairs first before Raphael and is more densely packed. It has a mind blowing snap and reminds me of a W&N of yesteryear. The reason I have it in a #5 is because they tend to run small but even at that size I can still draw lines as thin as my .18 rapidograph all the way up to probably 2mm. My only complaint is that it is a damn exspensive brush and also I wish the handle was more substantial. Other then that my 2nd go to brush is the #4 Da Vinci and then the Raphael. So my point being is that if the Raphael didn't live up to the hype or your expectations go ahead and try a Isabey. Other then that yes I have to agree that Escoda does make a damn fine brush for the money but I just don't have that much inking time to formulate a good opinion about it.
Oh...I thought that image said "Escape brushes".....
I haven't really gotten to try out brush inking all that much myself, but reading about this really makes me want to still!
Where are you buying your W&N #3, because they are under $17 at Blick?
Christopher: True enough, but that's online, and Windsor&Newton brushes can't be trusted to be bought online. And brick and mortar places have to charge more. The Escodas offer an inexpensive, high quality Kolinsky brush that's consistent enough for me to endorse people buying untested.
I had no idea your blog was back up and running. Sorry to hear about all the shitty things you've been going through. Break ups hurt oh so very much.
Hi, I'm a illustrator from Barcelona. Tajmyr is from Kolinsky-Tajmyr. It's the kind of hair. Really, the factory it's located in Sabadell, Barcelona. They make brushes since 1933. I was walking outside the factory a few months ago. I discovered this brushes from this post and was a fantastic discovery.
So you are using the Escoda Watercolour Kolinsky Reserva #4 with Black Pen ink and/or India ink and that doesn't harm the brush????
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