Kolinsky - definition of kolinsky by The Free Dictionary Kolinsky - definition of kolinsky by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . ko·lin·sky n. pl. ko·lin·skies 1. A northern Eurasian mink (Mustela sibirica) having a dark brown coat with tawny markings. 2. The fur of this animal. [Russian kolinskiĭ, of Kola, from Kola, Kola Peninsula.] kolinsky 1. (Animals) any of various Asian minks, esp Mustela sibirica of Siberia 2. (Tanning) the rich tawny fur of this animal [C19: from Russian kolinski of Kola: see Kola Peninsula] ko•lin•sky 1. an Asian mink, Mustela sibirica. 2. the fur of this animal. [1850–55; orig. uncertain] Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: carnivore References in periodicals archive ?

Schon, Boyer, Moreno, Besson, Peretz and Kolinsky (2007) agree that songs contribute to language acquisition by increasing attention. Orff-Schulwerk as a pedagogical tool for the effective teaching of Italian to upper primary students in Western Australia Board Members continuing their term include; Thomas Kolinsky, CRNA of Escanaba, MI, Secretary/ Treasurer; Greg Bozimowski, CRNA, DNP of Commerce Township, MI, Director District II, Mike Worden, CRNA of Marquette, MI, Director District IV; Andrew Beigner, CRNA, MSNA, FAAPM of Hillsdale, MI, Director District at Large. Kolinsky Brushes - ARTOZZI Kolinsky Brushes Products ‎ > ‎ Brushes ‎ > ‎ Kolinsky Brushes ‎ > ‎ Kolinsky Brushes 'Kolinsky' is a market name of the hair used for brush making. It's the best raw material to produce second to none art brushes for watercolour painting and for finest details and line work with oils and acrylics. The hair comes from an animal belonging to the subfamily Mustelinae (weasels, sables, ferrets, minks,etc.).

Genetically, a Mustela sibirica is close to a European mink. A scientific name of the animal is Mustela sibirica or Siberian weasel or Siberian Kolinsky or 'kolonok'. This means, that the so-called 'Kolinsky Sable', 'Pure Red Sable' or 'Red Sable' brushes are made from weasel hair, not sable hair! The animal used to populate the Kola Peninsula ('Kol-insky') but does not inhabit this area anymore. Its hair has hues from light yellow to dark brown with darker tips. In summer kolonok's fur is darker than in winter. The most expensive quality brushes are produced from winter tails of male Siberian weasels. One gram of top quality Kolinsky hair is worth more than its weight in gold. Brushes jump up in value dramatically if of top quality. It's also true that the round brushes that are bigger than size 14 ( 14 mm in diameter) are rare. From Because of its unique characteristics the Siberian weasel tail fur makes the finest watercolour and oil paint brushes that are especially sought after by artists.

The brush keeps a superfine point, has smooth handling and good memory as it springs back to its original state. The tips are very fine and the resilience is better than of squirrel hair. The maximum thickness of a spindle-like hair is 0.15mm in the middle what can be compared with the thickness of a hog bristle and a tip is very fine like squirrel's one. The closest to Siberian Kolinsky hair by quality is so-called 'Red Sable' or 'Pure Red Sable' hair from Korea and China but it is softer and more brittle. The severe winters the better the fur of animals. The Korean and Chinese 'Red Sable' hair has a longer rachis but the difference in the thickness along the hair up to the tip is not so strongly pronounced. If it's treated well this kind of hair becomes hard to distinguish from Siberian Kolinsky. You have an opportunity to buy real Siberian Kolinsky brushes which guarantees the highest quality required and expected! Live on the bright side Whatercolorists of Whatcom: Supplies: Brushes Introduction Selecting the right watercolor brush can be both challenging and confusing. Natural hair, synthetics and combinations of the two offer seemingly endless choices.

For example, sable hair is often recommended for watercolor painting. However, there are many different grades of sable. Even within the finest grade of sable, Kolinsky, there are variations in hair quality. Hopefully the information that follows will help you choose the best brushes for you. Western-style brushes are generally assembled from three parts: handle, tuft of hair, and a ferrule which attaches the hair to the handle. Handles are generally made of hardwoods sealed with lacquer. Plastic handles are also used in some craft and student-grade brushes. Handle lengths and shapes vary. Some have ends chiseled flat to provide a surface for burnishing, and with an edge for scratching or scraping through damp paint. Some handle shapes are designed with indentations to allow a comfortable grasp, and some are shaped to prevent rolling. The tuft of hair in watercolor brushes is made from three categories of fiber: natural, synthetic, or a blend of natural and synthetic fibers. Each type of fiber produces a brush with a unique feel and handling characteristics, such as its ability to snap or spring back to its original shape and its ability to absorb and release liquid.

The factors setting natural brushes apart from synthetic brushes are their overall durability, their ability to hold a lot of liquid, and their ability to release that liquid slowly and evenly. The outer casing (cuticle) of natural hair is covered in scales which help the hair hold moisture. Natural animal hair also has a hollow tube (medulla) within each filament that allows the hair to absorb a great deal of moisture. These scales and hollows within the center structure hold and trap the liquid, releasing it gradually as pressure is applied to the brush. Non-absorbent synthetic filaments, on the other hand, accumulate liquids at the tip and tend to release the paint quickly and uncontrollably as soon as the brush touches the paper. While great progress in moisture retention has been made in the world of synthetics, natural hair will always hold the most color. The ferrule is a tube designed for the basic shape and size of the brush. It connects the brush hair with the handle. Ferrules can be metal, plastic, or natural quills from the feathers of ducks, geese and other fowl. Metal ferrules are either copper, brass or aluminum, with brass being the strongest. In most cases, they are nickel-plated for corrosion resistance.

Good brushes have seamless ferrules. Traditional Oriental brushes are most often made without a ferrule. Instead, the tuft is secured into a prepared hollow in the handle. Watercolor brushes come in two basic shapes: flat and round. Beyond these two general categories there are a variety of special purpose brushes. Sizes of flat brushes are usually measured in inches along the width of the flat ferrule. The size of round brushes is indicated by a number on the handle. The smaller the number, the smaller the brush. Unfortunately numerical sizes are not uniform among the various manufacturers. A number 10 brush from one manufacturer will not necessarily be the same size as a number 10 from another. Classic Flat Traditional flats have a rectangular shape. They are generally considered those brushes with longer hairs than the Brights and shorter hairs than the one–strokes. Flats are ideal for laying down large areas of even color or clean water, for shaping precise color edges, building graded washes, and creating a variety of straight–edged shapes less convenient to render with a round.

Sizes are usually measured in inches along the width of the flat ferrule, and typically include 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" and 1", 1 1/2", and 2". A variation of the classic flat is the aquarelle brush. The distinguishing characteristic of this flat brush is the clear acrylic handle that is bevelled on the end for scratching or scraping through damp paint. The end can also be used for burnishing. One—Stroke The one–stroke has a distinctly long rectangular tuft shape with flexible, soft hairs. The tuft can smoothly release a longer stroke of paint and produces a more calligraphic range of brushmarks. It is useful for painting block letters in a single stroke. Wash The wash brush is the largest of the flat brushes. They come in a variety of hair types and sizes. Many look like a house painters' brush, while others have round handles. Wash brushes are great for applying large amounts of color, for wetting a surface or for absorbing excess paint or water.

Angle Flat (Angular Shader) The slant-shader is a flat brush with a slanted end instead of a straight–across end like the bright, classic flat or one-stroke. The angle flat is used for cutting into those tight spaces or blending smooth swaths of color together seamlessly. It provides a better view of the stroke in-process, and can be used creatively to make variable-width strokes. It is very popular with flower painters and decorative painters. Dagger (Dagger Shader) The Dagger Striper is a flat in the shape of a knife or dagger. It was originally used by sign painters and auto detailers because of the amount of control they got when making delicate lines. Its large carrying capacity makes it ideal for long lines with varying thicknesses. If you vary the pressure, you can paint thick–to–thin ribbon effects. It is useful for creating foliage, grasses, and single stroke petals and leaves. Other creative effects can be made by pulling the brush around in different directions. A longer version of the dagger is the sword liner. Filbert Shaped like a flat or a bright but with corners rounded to a slightly pointed oval shape. Useful for creating thick to thin strokes without hard edges.

The soft edges allow for subtle blending and the creation of great organic flowing shapes. The filbert is considered the brush for advanced artists. It can be used in place of flats for broad coverage and in place of rounds for detail work by turning the filbert on its side. This reduces the requirement for the artist having to stop and switch brushes to achieve different effects. The extra long filberts allow for the greatest variation in stroke width, while carrying a large volume of color. These brushes are the most flexible of the artists brushes, but are the most difficult to master. A Cat's Tongue is similar to a filbert but comes to a finer, flat point. It is great for creating a variety of shapes within one brush stroke. Rounds Detail A detailer is a stubby, pointed round with very short hair. It is used for painting the artist's signature, short lines, stippling, hatching, and similar small detail areas. Classic Round Standard watercolor rounds are the workhorses for traditional watercolor techniques. The traditional watercolor brush has a tuft that comes to a round point when wet. Useful for detail, wash, fills, and thin to thick lines. A pointed round has an even finer point and is used for detail.

Round brushes are labeled with a number on the handle. The smaller the number, the smaller the brush. Unfortunately numerical sizes are not uniform among the various manufacturers. A number 10 brush from one manufacturer will not necessarily be the same size as a number 10 from another. Rigger (Liner) The rigger brush has long, slender hairs, making it the tallest member of the round family. Its precise point and its ability to hold a fair amount of paint makes it ideal to paint long continuous strokes. It was originally used to paint the long, fine lines of the rigging of sailing ships. It is great for cat's whiskers, branches of trees, blades of grass, telephone wires, or for signing your signature. Script (Long Liner) A script liner is basically a short–handled rigger wrapped in a round. The generous belly holds a larger amount of paint than a rigger, which allows you paint long, continuous lines without recharging the brush. Its name is derived from its use in painting scripts and calligraphy. Its elongated shape offers optimal control for lettering or geometric line work. When using the script brush, load color all the way to the ferrule with paint of ink–like consistency.

When painting, stay up on the tip. Keep the handle of the brush as close to 90 degrees to your surface as posssible. Applying too much pressure will cause hairs to flare out incorrectly. Go slow enough to allow the paint to flow down to the tip. One primary use for this type of brush is for the artist's signature, as the long length allows a large flow of paint to run in a continuous stream for the entire name to be painted. This type of brush is sometimes called a Reservoir Liner. The oversized belly or reservoir is sometimes made from squirrel, while the protruding point is made from Kolinsky sable. This combination takes advantage of the main attributes of both types of hair: sable comes to a sharp point and snaps back into shape, while squirrel has tremendous water carrying capacity. Quill Mop A full–bodied round made of soft, absorbent natural hair, usually squirrel. The tuft is secured to the wood handle by a goose quill (or plastic) ferrule wrapped in four places with brass wire. It can hold a large quantity of water when wet or can wick up a large quantity of water when thirsty.

Because they take long to dry and take more effort to rinse completely, mops are not the best brush for paint application, but they are exceptionally good for wetting large areas of paper or for blotting or blending paint that is already applied. The soft hairs severely limit the range of brush marks in comparison to a round, but this coarser, "out of focus" effect makes them ideal for softening edges, for lifting vague lights in backgrounds, and applying large color masses. Oval Ovals look like squashed, round brushes. In appearance and performance, Ovals are halfway between round and flat brushes. They are made primarily of squirrel hair. The best ones are made of kazan squirrel hair. This style of brush was designed for creating washes with soft edges. When you apply color with a traditional flat brush, the straight edge of the brush begins the application of color abruptly, leaving a hard edge. With an oval brush, the application of color starts more gradually with the narrow point and then expands for wider coverage. Miscellaneous Fan The fan brush uses a special flat ferrule that spreads the hairs into a thin layer to form a fan shape.

Soft, natural hair fan brushes are best for softening edges and blending colors in a graded or variegated wash. Stiff hog bristle or synthetic fans leave separate parallel strokes on the paper. This works well for textural effects and for simulating grass, fur, wood grain. Different parts of the arcing fan edge should be used from one stroke to the next, to produce the greatest variation in the irregular line spacings. Branches and twigs can be created by holding the brush horizontally to the painting surface and gently patting the edge of the brush to the paper only once. Additional effects can be achieved by applying liquid frisket with a synthetic fan brush. A more irregular pattern can be achieved by cutting the bristles to different lengths. Hake ("hockey") A hake brush is a wide and flat oriental-style wash brush. It is usually made of sheep or goat hair and has a long, flat handle. It is useful for laying in large areas of water or color, for wetting the surface, and for absorbing excess media. Deerfoot Stippler This is a very stiff brush usually made from ox ear hair.

It is used to dab thick paint on the paper to simulate flowers, pods, grass, hair and various other textures. Stencil The hair for this brush is usually short hog bristle with the ends cut flat eliminating the flags. This gives it a very stiff blunt tip. It is used, as the name suggests, for dry brush stenciling. "Scary" Brush A brush whose bristles are permanently splayed by gluing their base in that position with epoxy. Oriental Brushes Oriental brushes utilize many types of animal hair. Even a single brush can contain several different kinds of hair. Mixed-hair brushes often have a core made of stiff horse or deer hairs which define the brush length and give the brush resiliency. The core is wrapped with softer sheep or goat hairs which hold large amounts of water or paint. Most Oriental brushes do not have ferrules. The hairs are cemented directly into their wooden handles, which makes them more fragile than Western brushes. Kolinsky Red Sable The very finest hair available for watercolor brushes is Kolinsky Red Sable.

The quality of the hair is determined by the species and sex of the animal, the location of the hair on the pelt, the season in which the hair is collected, and harshness of the climate in which the animal lives. The highest quality Kolinsky Red Sable comes from the winter tails of the male Kolinsky—a weasel-like animal that lives in the cold river valleys of Siberia. Genuine Kolinsky hair is characterized by its yellowish–red color and by its strength, spring, ability to retain its shape ("snap"), and its ability to hold a very fine point or edge. Like other natural hairs, Kolinsky has the ability to hold a lot of liquid and to release it slowly and evenly. High quality Kolinsky hair is finely pointed, has a long taper to its thicker midsection, then tapers slightly back to its base. When many of these hairs are set together in a bundle to make a brush, the thicker midsections combine to form a distinctive "belly." An artist's extremely fine control of color is attributed to this belly. The following table shows that the Kolinsky is a specific species in a family of a wide variety of weasel–like animals.

The family Mustelidae includes the genus Martes and the genus Mustela. The genus Martes includes martens, and sables. The genus Mustela includes several distinct species: minks, ermines, weasels, ferrets, and the Kolinsky. FAMILY: Mustelidae (Latin for weasel) SUBFAMILY: Mustelinae SPECIES: furo (ferrets) SPECIES: sibirica (Siberian weasels, Kolinskys) The scientific name for the Kolinsky is a combination of its genus and species: Mustela sibirica. Although scientists place the Kolinsky in a specific place in the formal hierarchy of the Animal Kingdom, brush manufacturers and marketers use the terms "kolinsky" and "sable" quite loosely. This leads to considerable confusion for the artist trying to buy the best watercolor brushes. The Kolinsky is often confused with its cousins by incorrectly referring to it as a "Siberian Mink," or a "Siberian Weasel." Even the most commonly accepted term "Kolinksy Red Sable" is not accurate since the Kolinsky is not a sable.

Some manufacturers confuse the issue even further with marketing phrases like "the highest quality European Kolinsky" and "the finest red marten Kolinsky." The particular species (Mustela sibirica) that produces these fine hairs is now considered an endangered species. Because of Russian export restrictions, very few brush manufacturers are currently using the Siberian Kolinsky. Winsor & Newton Series 7 uses Kolinsky. DaVinci claims that its finest watercolor brushes are made with 100 percent Siberian male, winter coat, Kolinsky. Grumbacher claims that it is using old reserves of Siberian Kolinsky that it had stockpiled before the restrictions. However, other manufacturers attach the term "kolinsky" to a wide variety of inferior quality hair obtained from related species, females, other parts of the pelt, summer pelts, or from animals cultivated commercially in warmer climates. These less desirable grades of hair are generally marketed by reputable firms as red sable without the label "Kolinsky" attached. To make matters even more confusing, White Sable and Golden Sable brushes are not even made of hair; they are merely trade names for synthetic filaments used as substitutes for animal hair.

In addition, Sabeline brushes may be ox hair, a mixture of inexpensive sable and ox, or they may be 100% synthetic, dyed red to make it appear like a red sable. Consequently, the labels "Kolinsky" and "sable" do not guarantee you are buying the highest quality brush. Read the fine print. Ask specific questions. Listen carefully to the answers. Deal with reputable manufacturers and distributors. Be skeptical of low-priced, bargain "Kolinsky sables." Red Sable or Pure Sable A good-quality pure Red Sable is a good medium– to low–priced alternative to the more expensive Kolinsky, while maintaining similar performance and durability. Red sable brushes of lesser quality may be made of hair taken from other body areas of the male Kolinsky, from female Kolinskys and from other members of the family Mustelidae, such as European or Chinese weasels. Like Kolinsky sables, red sable hair has a natural thickness at the belly which provides superior spring, snap, and the ability to release liquid in a controlled manner. The hair can be distinguished by its reddish brown color where as Kolinsky is golden brown.

The hair is shorter, thinner, stiffer, darker and duller brown than Kolinsky sables. They are not as springy as Kolinskys, but they have comparable color carrying capacity and resilience. Because red sable brushes come from so many different animals, they vary greatly in quality and characteristics. High-quality red sable brushes are considered to be second only to Kolinskys. At the lower end, weasel hair is blended with ox hair. Although this mixture results in a more economical brush, the fine point is sacrificed. Squirrel Squirrel hair is exceptionally soft and highly absorbent. It is a thin hair with a pointed tip and fairly uniform body. Squirrel hair brushes are similar to Kolinsky brushes in that they point well and have thick bodies that absorb large amounts of water and release it gradually. However, squirrel brushes lack the snap or springiness of brushes made with Kolinsky hair. These characteristics make squirrel brushes ideal for mops, flats and wash brushes. Like the Kolinsky, the best varieties of squirrel hair are from the coldest climes. Most squirrel hair for brushes come from Canada and Russia. Kazan squirrel, named for its home province in Russia, is considered the best of the squirrel hairs.

Canadian or Golden Squirrel hair is shorter and thicker than Kazan. Canadian squirrel is the only squirrel hair that possesses a "belly." This belly resembles sable hair not only in appearance but also in handling. Although it is too short for round brushes and possesses little spring, it does make a fine-quality watercolor flat. Soft hair brushes like these need to be thoroughly wet before painting. Soak them in water for at least five minutes to remove trapped air and reduce the natural surface tension of the hairs. Using a squirrel brush in the upright position, or perpendicular to the painting surface, will give a better result than holding it like a pencil at forty-five degrees to the surface. Ox Long, stiff, brown or reddish hair, taken from the ears of cattle or oxen. Ox hair is very coarse, strong and springy, making it ideal for rougher brush techniques. The hair lacks the fine tapered tip of sable, so ox hair brushes will not come to a fine point. Because it is inexpensive, it is often used in moderately–priced brushes. Deerfoot Stipplers are often made of Ox hair in short lengths.

Sabeline A very fine ox hair, or a blend of ox hair and either inexpensive sable or synthetic fibers. Sabeline is generally dyed red to make it appear like a red sable. Camel Camel hair is an all-encompassing trade name that refers to a whole range of hairs that vary greatly in softness and performance. It could be squirrel, goat, pony, bear, sheep, monkey or a blend of these. The only hair which is not included is camel hair. Actual camel hair is too woolly for brushes. These brushes should be avoided. Badger Badger hair is makes an excellent blending brush. It is not commonly used to make other types of artists' brushes. The hair is longer and has a thicker belly than sable. It is most often used in combination with other hairs to lend resiliency and to act as a filler. Goat Goat hair is common in oriental wash brushes called hakes. They are very soft and hold a lot of liquid but lack the snap and control of a China (Hog) bristle. Because the cylindrical shaft does not taper, a goat hair brush will not come to a fine point.

China (Hog or Boar) Bristle A very stiff, pale or white bristle, taken from the back and shoulders of hogs and wild boars. The best quality bristles come from a strip running across the backs of wild hogs in Chungking Province, China. Hairs and bristles are similar in their structure. They consist of a central medulla around which scales are grouped like a shell. Bristle is stiffer, coarser, less flexible but more durable than natural hair. The stiff bristles make them useful in a variety of techniques such as scumbling, lifting, or creating textures for grass, bark, wood, and foliage. The hog bristle is different from other natural fibers in that it does not come to a single point but frays or splits near the tip into "flags" or small branches. Wild hogs have more split ends than the domesticated animal. These miniature branches allow the relatively stiff bristle to carry a considerable amount of liquid. Bristles have a relatively uniform body with a natural curve. The curve is either removed or reduced during the boiling and preparation of the bristles. Interlocked brushes are made from hairs that have been boiled for only two hours so that some curve remains.

An interlocked brush takes advantage of this natural curve. In making an interlocked brush, the bristles are assembled so that the curved bristles oppose one another. Interlocked brushes offer the most spring, shape retention and control. Lower quality hog bristles are yellow and mottled. These are bleached to give a uniform white bristle, but this makes the bristle brittle and susceptible to breakage. Top quality Chunking bristles from Chongqing, China are naturally whiter and require little bleaching. As a result, they retain their natural oils and do not become brittle. By using the side of the brush, you can produce wonderfully loose, irregular marks that other brushes cannot imitate. There is a tremendous range in the quality and price of hog hair brushes. Good hog bristle brushes are often difficult to find. Art stores do not usually put them with watercolor brushes. They may be found with gesso, mural, tempera, or acrylic brushes. They can also be found in craft, hardware, building supply and cookware stores as disposable paint and varnish brushes or basting brushes.

(Beware of the cheap disposable types with inferior construction and poorly assembled bristles that look like a witch's broom when wet.) The one-inch "cutter" brush used by Susie Short is a hog bristle brush. It was originally designed for the sign painting industry to "cut in" sharp edges when lettering. They can be purchased from Daniel Smith or directly from Susie at Synthetic Fibers Synthetic brushes are made of either nylon (polyamide) or polyester filaments. They are available in three general categories: Artist, Student, and Scholastic. When compared to natural hair, synthetic brushes have two major drawbacks. They are unable to hold a large charge of paint, and they release their load all at once. Synthetics tend to dump too much moisture at first, leave about the right amount halfway, and run out before getting to the end of a large area. Manufacturers have tried a variety of methods to overcome these deficiencies. The individual filaments may come tipped, tapered, flagged, abraded, ridged, or etched to increase the brush's ability to carry color and then release it gradually as the brush moves across the paper.

In addition, synthetic filaments may be dyed and baked to make them soft and more absorbent. Some brushes contain only one length of filament, while others mix two, three, or five different lengths to enhance their performance. Some brushes are made of only one diameter of filament, while others wrap narrower filaments inside others with larger diameters. Nylon fibers come in many varieties with well-differentiated characteristics. Nylon fibers range in thickness, taper, length and color. The nylon fibers used for watercolor brushes include Tame, Teijin, and Toray. Unfortunately, it is impossible to delineate the specific characteristics of each type of fiber, because the Japanese manufacturers will not reveal any technical details to preserve their professional secrets. Synthetic Brushes Breaking in a New Brush Brand new watercolor brushes often come with their hair sized with a coating of starch or gum arabic on the tuft to protect individual hairs and to display the pointing of the tuft. To remove the manufacturer's starch coating, often all that is necessary is to dip it in a water container and swirl it around until the siing softens up and washes away. After thoroughly rinsing, daub off excess water on a paper towel and reshape the hairs.

Store on a flat towel until dry. If this method does not remove the starch, try a more aggressive approach. First wash your hands, then wet the brush for a minute or two under a stream of lukewarm water. Then apply gentle pressure to the tuft by pinching with your thumb and index finger, working around all sides of the tuft. When all the starch is gone, continue rinsing for another minute or so. (Often dissolved starch will remain in large rounds even after they seem thoroughly cleaned, so you have to let them dry and then rinse a second time.) Some Sumi brushes, such as those of horse tail and other stiff hairs, are often left partially starched to make them more controllable. Usually, 1/2 to 2/3 of the brush length is softened, leaving the half near the handle stiff. Only the loosened half of the brush is dipped into the ink or watercolor paint. The stiff portion near the handle must remain dry to be effective. To remove the starch from half of the Sumi brush, hold the tip under cool tap water. As the brush softens, continue to hold it under cool water and massage the hair between two fingers, beginning with the tip and moving toward the handle.

Continue the process until most of the starch is washed out of the first half of the brush. Then swish the tip half of the brush in a large container of cool water, keeping the upper half dry. Use Each Brush for One Medium Only Use watercolor brushes only for watercolor. Do not use them to apply ink, masking fluid, bleach, alcohol, oil paints, acrylics, gesso or even gouache. Select one brush for use with whites, especially chinese White, as this color is difficult to remove from brush hairs. Avoid Conditions that will result in Misshapen Bristles When working, set brushes in a brush holder or lay them flat on the table. Do not set them on their heads in a jar of water. Don't soak your brushes overnight resting on their ends. This bends the hairs or bristles permanently out of shape and can cause wooden handles to swell and loosen the ferrule. Avoid Unnecessary Abrasion When you need a brush to scrub out an area of a painting , use an old brush, an inexpensive brush, a stiff synthetic, or a bristle brush that can withstand the scrubbing. Do not use a Kolinsky sable to rejuvenate dry watercolors on your palette.

A stiff natural or synthetic bristle brush is better suited for this task and can withstand the scrubbing. If you use pan watercolors, do not "drill into" the cake with the tip of the brush, splay the hairs by pushing directly into the cake, or drag the brush across dry paints. Wet the cake and pick up fresh pigment with the same movement you use to brush the paint onto the paper. Avoid forcing the brush into the paper so that the hairs are bent back against the ferrule. When spattering, don't strike the brush against a hard object; it may loosen the ferrule. Avoid water under the ferrule. Water under the ferrule will warp the wood, loosen the adhesive, rust the ferrule, loosen the hairs and cause the handle to swell and crack. Water can seep under the ferrule from either end. Do not dry brushes with the hairs up; dry them horizontally instead. Avoid submerging the brush in water beyond the top of the ferrule, whenever possible. To prevent water from seeping in behind the ferrule, some artists wrap tape around the junction between the ferrule and the handle. Avoid paint under the ferrule.

To prevent pigment from becoming trapped between the hairs in the ferrule, some painters recommend wrapping the tuft end of the ferrule with one or two layers of masking tape, so that the edge of the tape extends about 1/8" over the tuft. This inhibits the capillary action that carries paint into the ferrule. the tape can be peeled away when the brush is washed. Once a brush is charged with paint, begin painting with it immediately; this helps to pull the paint away from the ferrule. Do not hold a charged brush with the tip point upwards. Avoid submerging the tuft in paint for long periods. This encourages the capillary action that causes paint to migrate up the hairs into the ferrule, where it is difficult to get out. Clean Brushes after Each Use Cleaning Natural Hair Brushes (Rinse, shake, shape.) Do not let the paint dry in your brushes. Gently rinse your brush after use by swishing it around in a jar of cool water. If the brush is rinsed under cool running water from a faucet, keep the bristles pointing down so that water does not run up under the ferrule. Do not use warm or hot water.

Minimize your use of soaps or cleansers with brushes, especially natural hair brushes. Never use detergent. Use a mild bar soap or baby shampoo instead. All soaps are fundamentally damaging to a natural hair brush, as they remove the oils in the hairs. Use soap only as needed to remove staining pigments such as phthalo blue or pyrrole red, or clinging pigments such as yellow ochre. (A brush soap like Masters Brush Cleaner can be used once or twice a year to recondition brush hairs and replenish their natural oils.) If you use soap when the brush is thoroughly rinsed, stroke the brush against the cake of soap until lather appears, or place a drop of shampoo on the tuft. Work the lather into the hairs by rubbing them against the wet palm of your hand, or by kneading the tuft with your fingertips. Use your thumbnail to press gently on the bristles all the way around the edge of the ferrule. This will work the lather closer to the ferrule and dislodge paint that has migrated up the tuft. Do this until all discoloration or staining is removed from the visible hairs.

Once you have rinsed a brush, shake out the excess water rather than rubbing or squeezing it out with a cloth or paper towel. Never pinch and pull on the tuft with a towel, as this will break off or pull out the hairs. If necessary, shape ("dress") the brush by wiping it gently against a paper towel or against the side of your finger so that it regains its original shape. For longer life, natural hair should be periodically treated with lanolin or similar hair conditioner before storage to keep the hair from becoming brittle. Cleaning Natural Bristle Brushes More will be added here later. Cleaning Synthetic Brushes Dry Brushes Properly Avoid leaving your brushes wet for long periods of time. Never store a damp brush in an airtight container. The dampness will cause mildew, and this destroys the brush hairs. Air dry most brushes by laying them flat. Non-resilient or especially long tufted brushes, such as squirrel mops or Japanese hakes, will dry more quickly if hung from the handle, tuft down, to encourage moisture to flow away from the handle toward the ends of the hairs. Oriental brushes often have built-in loops at the end of the handle to facilitate drying.

If brushes are left to dry in an upright position with the hair ends up, excess moisture can run down into the ferrule causing swelling of the wooden handle and chipping of its enamel finish. To keep moisture away from the ferrule during a painting session, keep the head lower than the handle. This drains moisture away from the ferrule and keeps the tips moist for as long as possible. One way to accomplish this is to rest the ferrule on the cutout of an old ashtray. Tip: Use a plastic mesh scouring pad to hang your brushes upside down. Attach a mesh scouring pad to your easel. After cleaning your brushes, push the handles up through the bottom of the pad. The mesh holds the brushes securely upside down, allowing the water to drain naturally from the bristles. (Thanks to Constance Kuhn of Simpsonville, KY for this tip.) Protect Your Brushes When Traveling A cloth liner should be used inside a fudemaki (slatted bamboo mat) when transporting brushes, as brush hairs can be caught between the bamboo slats and easily damaged. If possible, let the brushes dry thoroughly before packing them.

Store Your Brushes Safely The wooly quality of many hairs used in Oriental brushes are very appealing to moths and other insects. As a result, brushes which are not used regularly should be stored in moth balls or cedar chips. Store upright in jars only when dry. Restore Damaged Brushes Paint residue in the ferrule. If the ferrule is seriously impacted with residue paint, use a sewing needle to probe and dislodge the paint from the core of the wetted and cleaned tuft. Do this carefully, without pushing up into the ferrule (this will just wedge paint further up the tuft). A small brush called "The Amazing Brush Comb" is available from most art retailers. This has a small plastic comb at one end and a conical nylon fiber brush at the other. It is designed for cleaning paint residue from the ferrule of a brush. Hairs that look frizzled or dried out due to the loss of natural oils. The brush will not point as promptly when wet, and stray hairs begin to appear.

Wet and wash the brush in warm water, apply a small amount of hair conditioner to the wet clean hairs, work it in thoroughly with your fingertips, shape the brush to a point or flat edge, and let it sit for an hour or so. Thoroughly rinse out the conditioner and shape the brush to dry. Repeat if necessary. If the bristles are still unruly, dip the brush in gum arabic (or common laundry starch without conditioners and fragrances), shape with fingers, and set it down where it can rest undisturbed for as long as practical. (A week is better than a few days, a month is better than a week). Rinse off the coating when you're ready to work. Stray hairs. Leave them alone as long as the brush shapes to a good point and the strays do not interfere with your brushwork. If you need to remove a nuisance hair, grip the hair carefully with tweezers near the visible base (not the tip) of the hair shaft, pull it down and to the side against the edge of the ferrule, and snap it off at the edge, using the ferrule edge to cut it. Do not cut stray hairs with scissors or a blade.

You will not be able to trim it close to the ferrule without damaging the tuft. Misshapen synthetic brushes. Hold them in hot water from the faucet (not boiling) for one or two minutes. Shape with gum arabic or starch, and let sit for a day or two. Rinse and repeat if necessary. Misshapen natural hair brushes. Make sure the brush is clean. There should be no paint impacted in the ferrule. Dipping the brush head half way up to the ferrule into boiling hot water will help dissolve impacted paint in the ferrule. Dip natural hair in boiling water and reshape. Then dip the brush hair in a solution of sugar water for a quick sizing of the brush head. Once a brush is useless for one purpose, find something else for it to do. If it no longer points, use it for washes. If it won't work for washes, use it to apply masking fluid.

Brush References Books Brushes: A Handbook for Artists and Artisans by Jacques Turner, Design Books 1992 (available to read at Dakota Art) The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques by Ralph Mayer The Artists Handbook by Ray Smith The Definitive Guide to Artists' Materials by Stephen Saitzyk Online Resources Where Have All the Kolinsky Sable Brushes Gone? | BAGSC News Subscribe to feed Where Have All the Kolinsky Sable Brushes Gone? October 4, 2014 in Feature Articles , News Updates , Product Reviews | Tags: 1026 Interlon brush , ASBA , BAGSC , botanical art , CITES , Connoisseur 007 , Dick Blick , Escoda Versatil , GNSI , Jerry's Artarama , Ken Bromley Art Supplies , Kolinsky sable brushes , L. Cornelissen & Son , Mustela siberica , NAMTA , Princetons , Pro Arte brushes , Raphael Kaerell Synthetic , Rosemary and Company , Siberian Weasel , US Fish and Wildlife Service , watercolor brush , Winsor & Newton Series 7 by Deb Shaw with A LOT of contributing authors.

Please see the contributors’ list at the end of this article. I’ll begin with two apologies: the first is for the length of this article. There is a lot of information and misinformation about the disappearance of Kolinsky brushes from art suppliers in the US. It’s a complicated subject, and I’m attempting to gather everything together in one place. The second apology is for the delay in posting this article. Each month I’ve heard rumors that the stockpiles of brushes being held in US Customs were about to be released, and so I’ve erroneously concluded it was a moot point to publish. We’re still waiting, so I’ll dive in. Background, History, Rumors and Facts Kolinsky brushes are made with the hair of the Siberian weasel, Mustela sibirica. Some internet information about Kolinsky brushes states that the best brushes are made only with the hairs from the tip of the tales of male weasels, gathered in winter. Some sources claim the hair is gathered from wild populations where the weasels are a pest; some say the hair is a by-product of the fur trade; others state the hair is collected only from humanely and sustainably farmed animals.

There is also information that says the animals do not do well in captivity, so it’s impossible to “farm” them. All sources agree that Siberian weasels are not endangered: the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) classifies these animals as “least concern for extinction.” Siberian Weasel (Mustela sibirica), Zoo Dresden, Winter 2002/2003, By Altaipanther (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. Barry MacKay described them on the GNSI ListServ: “These weasels weigh about 360 to 820 grams, with males, on average, larger than the ladies. That puts them bigger than most animals tagged with the name “weasel”, but smaller than our mink. They are a lovely soft brown in colour, with a blackish face mask and a touch of white near the tip of the muzzle.” In addition to his bird art, Barry works on animal trade issues, and has attended several Conferences of the Parties to CITES. His understanding is that Mustelids do not do well in captivity, due to their high metabolism, activity and home range sizes.

Apparently, they have a lot of stress-related illnesses in captivity. Weasel hair for brush manufacture typically comes from Russia, China, India and Japan. Mustela sibirica populations also are found in Bhutan, Korea, Nepal, Laos, Burma, Taiwan and Thailand. Once gathered, the hair is then made into brushes either in China or the country of origin, or is sent to Europe or the UK to be made into brushes there. For us to be able to buy Kolinsky sable brushes in the United States, the appropriate paperwork is required for exporting the hair from the country of origin, and then “re-exporting” the brushes from the country of manufacture. The problems with our supplies of Kolinsky brushes started in 2012, when a US Fish and Wildlife Service inspector was requested to research paperwork and permits from Europe for “re-exporting” Kolinsky hair. Research and interviews about the disappearance of Kolinsky brushes turned up a multitude of reasons, rumors and innuendos. I emailed the US Fish and Wildlife Service directly, and, much to my surprise, on February 14, 2014, received a reply from Craig Hoover, Chief, Wildlife Trade and Conservation Branch, Division of Management Authority.

I’ll confess, I’m still impressed to have even received a response. I’ve edited Mr. Hoover’s reply slightly (for example, taking out my complaints about their website not working), but am posting his answers verbatim below: Dear Ms. Shaw, …We appreciate your inquiry and the concerns raised by the industry. We’ve had numerous consultations on this issue and are happy to share additional information with you. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Kolinsky hair brushes use hairs derived from the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica). This species was added to Appendix III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1989 by India. CITES, as you may know, is a treaty to prevent species from becoming endangered or extinct because of international trade. Under this treaty, countries work together to regulate the international trade of animal and plant species and ensure that this trade is not detrimental to the survival of wild populations. Appendix III includes species for which a particular country has sought help to regulate international trade.

Under the terms of the Treaty, and US regulations implementing CITES, any export of an Appendix-III species from a listing country (in this case, India) requires the issuance of a CITES Export Permit after a determination is made that the specimens in question were legally acquired. Exports from a non-listing country (such as China) require the issuance of a CITES Certificate of Origin essentially indicating that the specimens did not come from the listing country. Under CITES, member countries have an opportunity to take a reservation to a listing, essentially meaning that the country chooses not to implement the listing. With regard to Mustela sibirica, 22 European countries have taken a reservation to the listing. Neither the United States nor China has taken such a reservation. Much of the Kolinsky brush hairs are produced in and exported from China to Europe where they are then made into brushes. Because the importing countries in Europe have a reservation to the listing, they do not require a CITES document from China. However, because we require a CITES document for import into the United States, European exporters have obtained CITES re-export documents to send shipments to the United States.

However, it came to our attention that the shipments going from China to Europe were not accompanied by CITES documents. We have confirmed with Chinese CITES officials that they require a CITES export document and were not approached to issue one. Therefore, because the shipments were exported from China to Europe in violation of CITES requirements, the subsequent re-export to the United States was also in violation of CITES requirements here. We have explained this to our European CITES counterparts and advised the industry that specimens that are not lawfully exported from China will not be accepted in the United States. It is incumbent upon Chinese exporters to obtain the necessary CITES Certificate of Origin for export to Europe or directly to the United States. [In answer to my question as to when or if we can expect the brushes to once again be imported into the United States]: There is no prohibition on imports to the United States either from Europe or directly from China. However, if the brushes are made with Mustela sibirica hair, then the specimens must comply with all CITES requirements.

[In answer to my question as to whether or not it is legal for an individual artist to receive a gift of Kolinsky sable brushes from a fellow artist in Europe]: If your question relates to whether someone can receive a gift of such brushes in Europe and then import them to the United States, I would refer you to our CITES regulations for personal and household effects, which are found at 50 CFR 23.15 and are found at: (d) Personal effects. You do not need a CITES document to import, export, or re-export any legally acquired specimen of a CITES species to or from the United States if all of the following conditions are met: (1) No live wildlife or plant (including eggs or non-exempt seeds) is included. (2) No specimen from an Appendix-I species is included, except for certain worked African elephant ivory as provided in paragraph (f) of this section. (3) The specimen and quantity of specimens are reasonably necessary or appropriate for the nature of your trip or stay and, if the type of specimen is one listed in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, the quantity does not exceed the quantity given in the table.

(4) You own and possess the specimen for personal use, including any specimen intended as a personal gift. (5) You are either wearing the specimen as clothing or an accessory or taking it as part of your personal baggage, which is being carried by you or checked as baggage on the same plane, boat, vehicle, or train as you. (6) The specimen was not mailed or shipped separately. [In answer to my request for information about whether these animals are farmed, are caught from the wild, and/or are in danger of extinction]: The requirements described above apply regardless of the method of production or the status of the animal in the wild. The CITES Parties are obligated to implement the provisions of the Convention unless they have taken a reservation. Just as we would expect India to enforce CITES provisions for a U.S. native species for which we have sought assistance, we will do so. And the CITES document would in fact make clear whether the specimens were produced in captivity or collected from the wild as well as the country of origin. Thus, it would give the industry some level of assurance about the impacts of the trade on the species.

Other Explanations and Updates Most of our art store suppliers belong to The International Art Materials Association ( NAMTA ). NAMTA has been working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, CITES, Global Arts, and European brush companies to resolve the problem. They have been posting updates on their website page “ What’s Going On With Kolinsky Brushes? ” (although their last post was in February, 2014). Their update postings include links to a copy of NAMTA’s letter to CITES Secretariat-General John Scanlon, and email addresses for people on the NAMTA team who will respond to questions. Some of our art supply retailers have posted articles and sporadic updates as well, although many have simply labeled their Kolinsky brush stock “indefinite back order.” Dick Blick has a posting on their facebook page from July 26, 2013, titled “ Tip of the Week – Why can’t I get my favorite Kolinsky brush? ” Current Status as of Today For the last few months, art store buyers I have been checking with have been clinging to a rumor that NAMTA had finalized negotiations with US Customs to release the back inventories currently being held.

They thought the negotiations, however, only applied to the “back orders” and that there are ongoing negotiations for FUTURE deliveries of Kolinsky sable brushes. The days and months have dribbled by, and as of now there still are no brushes on the shelves. Perhaps we will find our store shelves filled to capacity soon. So, Where Can I Buy Kolinsky Sable Brushes? (US and Canada) Unverified rumor has it that Canadian art stores were cut off from Kolinsky brushes that came to Canada through the US, but that Canadian art suppliers could order directly from the UK and Europe and receive those brushes without problems. I don’t know whether or not they can then ship orders to the US. If you reside in the US and have a favorite Canadian art store, check with them before ordering. There are art stores in England who have informed me and other contributors to this article that they can ship directly to customers in the US, either because they use a single-source hair supplier, and/or they have all the necessary documentation. Three wonderful UK resources are Rosemary and Company , L. Cornelissen & Son , and Ken Bromley Art Supplies .

Each of these companies are great to work with, and have said they can export brushes from the UK to the US, no problem. Given how quickly the situation (and inventory) keeps changing, I highly recommend double checking before ordering. See the review of Rosemary and Company brushes below. If you’re ever in London, be sure to stop off at the L. Cornelissen & Son store, for a jaw-dropping treat of an art shop. It’s a wonderful step back in time, with an incredible array of supplies. A Quick Review of Brush Options From top to bottom: Rosemary and Company, Series 33 Kolinsky Sable brush, #4; Escoda Reserva Kolinsky Sable Brush, #2; Winsor & Newton, Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Brush, #1. Photo by Deb Shaw. As artists, we are not alone in our desperate search for Kolinsky brushes or substitutes. Art suppliers have been amazed at the wide variety of industries using sable brushes—industries they never knew they served. These include archeologists, the dental industry, various sciences, curators—the list is long. Some of the brush options described below have been well-loved in other industries.

It may be time to look in new areas for supplies. In the course of online discussions and correspondence, many of the participants discussed their favorite brushes, or new brushes they were trying out as substitutes for favorites that are no longer available. Please double check availability in the US and that the brushes meet international regulations. There are numerous brick-and-mortar art supply shops and online stores. The following is a brief, and by no means comprehensive, synopsis. There are other favorite online suppliers we did not have time to research. Rosemary and Company : There are many wonderful hand-made brushes from Rosemary and Company, all top-notch quality. Kathleen Garness and Patricia Savage had enthusiastic endorsement of Rosemary brushes on the SciArt ListServ, comparing them to Winsor Newton Series 7. Holly Butlett liked the sable points, water holding capability and the feel. Bruce Bartrug endorsed their brights. (Added advantage for Bruce, “The brushes were also carefully packed in crumpled newspaper, and it was fun reading through the Yorkshire Post.”) Everyone commented on how quickly they shipped. Personally, I find the 33 series is a little long for botanical art (I tend to prefer shorter brushes anyway, especially for working on vellum).

Margaret Best extensively tested the Rosemary 33 and 22 series. She thought the 22 series was too long; the 33 series seemed a touch long at first, but by the end of her painting it had become her favorite “go to” brush for botanical watercolors. Margaret also received a Series 323 Spotter she has yet to test. Rosemary and Company makes these for botanical artists, and Margaret reports that it looks like what she would call a miniature. Pro Arte : I know a lot of folks who adore the Series 1 Pro Arte brushes. These are from the UK. Pro Arte also has a combination synthetic/sable brush called The Connoisseur, a blend of Prolene and Sable. Some artists are testing these out, but I haven’t heard any definitive feedback yet. The Pro Arte Connoisseur brushes are available in the US at Jerry’s Artarama , and other venues. The Pro Arte brush above is not to be confused with the Connoisseur 007 brush. These are Kolinsky sable brushes, and, from their website, appear to be available in the US.

Again, I know some artists who are testing these out, but I haven’t heard any results as of this writing. I also don’t know if they are readily available. Margaret Best will be testing this brush and reporting back. She says, “It is not a normal round brush length and also not a miniature. Somewhat in-between. May be better suited to vellum.” One of the product buyers at Dick Blick , Nate, (who is also a watercolor artist), has been testing out synthetic brushes for his own work, using synthetics whenever he can to prolong the life of his Kolinsky brushes. He has the following recommendations for us to try: The first is the Escoda Versatil brush, a synthetic brush which is supposed to perform very much like the Escoda Kolinsky Sable brush. Nate also liked the Raphael Kaerell Synthetic —he said he even preferred the point on this brush to those on a real sable. He said that it would not be a great choice for those artists who need a fuller body for large color washes, but it has a good snap and keeps its point for a long time. 1026 Interlon synthetic brushes from Japan, in sizes #2 and 3/0.

Photo by Deb Shaw. At the ASBA conference in Chicago, 2012, Asuka Hishiki introduced her masking fluid workshop to a lovely synthetic brush, especially in the small sizes: the 1026 Interlon Brush Japan. It turns out that this is the go-to brush for the dental industry in Japan, used for whitening teeth. The brush keeps a sharp point, is great for dry brush work and is inexpensive (approximately $3.50)! Here in the States we were under the impression that the brush was only available in Japan, and we’ve been imposing on our Japanese colleagues to send us brushes. I just found them available at Best from Japan , who ships worldwide. Several artists have reported decent results using Princetons for dry brushing, but I’m not sure which ones they used. Cat Hair Brushes: In the September 2014 issue of “The Botanical Artist” (the Journal of the ASBA), Akiko Enokido wrote a techniques article in which she mentioned using a hand-made cat hair brush. She also mentions that these beautiful brushes, used in fine Japanese lacquer painting are not available for import into the US.

Customs regulations for the United States bans importation of anything from any part of any cat. I haven’t investigated the reasons behind that ban… Last, but not least, the beloved Winsor & Newton Series 7 : I have heard many reports that the Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes has been discontinued, and am embarrassed to confess that I had just accepted the news as fact. This too appears to be misinformation; we will have to ask Winsor & Newton directly. It looks like the Series 7 is still available in the rest of the world, and will continue to be manufactured, but Winsor & Newton pulled shipments to the US due to the Kolinsky Sable ban. Just goes to show we need to check everything from the source these days. What We Can Do Make your voice heard. It’s time for us to start voicing our concerns to manufacturers, governments and international agencies. Speak up about safety, quality, availability and sustainability. Organize a “BRUSH OFF.” (My name—feel free to use it.) I spoke with our local art supply store about bringing our BAGSC botanical art chapter in to test various paint brushes for a nominal fee. They were enthusiastic, and it is something we will organize in the future.

They don’t want to lose us as customers, and it’s expensive for each of us to test new brushes for the qualities we need as individual artists. Scour the internet and art supply stores for leftover brushes. Brick-and-mortar art stores have been allowed to sell the Kolinsky brushes they already had in inventory throughout the ban. I’ve found one or two of the last, lonely Kolinsky sable brushes in some out-of-the-way places. Let other artists know your finds. Have you discovered some new favorite brushes? Some suppliers for old favorites? Post comments to this article and let us know, or post to other online resources or publications. The Big Picture: Green Art Supplies, Vegan Art Supplies, and Sustainability An interesting side discussion has developed while talking about Kolinsky Sable brushes and the Siberian Weasel. Many of us didn’t realize where our brushes came from, or how they were made. Artists who wouldn’t think of wearing a fur coat are taking a second look at their supplies. There are efforts to recognize the impact of our art supplies, and artists are discussing balancing environmental and philosophical concerns against the use of synthetic materials (largely made with products derived from oil and plastic).

It is worthwhile to have an ongoing debate about the responsibility, safety and sustainability of our materials. There are lots of resources on these topics—food for thought, and for another article. Contributors: There are a LOT of contributors to this article—more than I can possibly thank for sharing resources, opinions and information. It’s been a long process, and my apologies if I’ve forgotten to include your name here: Businesses and Agencies: Dick Blick, Ken Bromely Art Supplies, Mr.

Craig Hoover, US Fish and Wildlife Service, NAMTA, Rosemary & Company ASBA and BAGSC members: Margaret Best, Akiko Enokido, Asuka Hishiki, Clara Josephs Facebook, Botanical Artists Group: Laura Dicus, Marilyn Garber, Kathleen Marie Garness, Vicki Lee Johnston, Jessica Rosemary Shepherd, Leslie Schramm GNSI SciArt ListServ: Karen Ackoff, Bruce Bartrug, Holly Butlett, Kathleen Marie Garness, Gail Guth, Mary Beth Hinrichs, Barry Kent MacKay, Kathleen McKeehen, Mali Moir, Lore Ruttan, Ph.D., Patricia Savage Kolinsky Fur | Rae Summers Kolinsky Fur Leave a Comment I stumbled across a reference to a Kolinsky coat in a short story by Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. The image stuck with me and made its way into Let’s Misbehave, where the heroine possesses a fur coat made of Kolinsky hair. While the idea of real fur coats appals me, I can’t deny that fur in all its forms was a popular fashion accessory for centuries, and never more so than in the early part of the twentieth century when owning such an item just screamed wealth.

Kolinsky is another name for the russet-coloured Siberian weasel, a member of the Mink family, whose winter fur still provides the hairs for the finest artists’ brushes available (often incorrectly known as Kolinsky sable brushes). While the Kolinsky does not necessarily need to give its life in order to provide fur, these animals are seldom farmed for their pelts, as they require the cold climate of Siberia and northern China to grow the lush, thick coats they’re renowned for. So they are caught by trappers and sadly either the traps themselves, or the cold they are exposed to while stuck in the traps, usually kills them. My heroine, Gabrielle, is soft-hearted. I’m sure if she’d known, the coat wouldn’t even have lasted as long as the admirer who gave it to her. Share this: All About Watercolor Brushes Should be made of solid hardwood, such as beech. Plastic is a bad sign. It should feel good in your hand. You're going to be holding it for hours! Not all brushes are comfortable for all artists. Ferrule Metal part of the brush. It should be smooth, with no gaps for water to leech in and rot the handle.

Seamless is best. It should be double or triple clamped evenly. This makes for a solid seal. Most Asian brushes are attached directly to their handle with no ferrule. Heel Where the brush hairs are clamped. Hair or Tuft It should lie sleek, with no stray hairs flying out. The type of hair changes the brush completely. The shape, stiffness and water retention of the hair type makes the brush. Types of hair and properties are below. You only see about half the hair. The other half is in the ferrule for a firm hold. The hair on a good brush is shaped into place, not trimmed. Belly Example Kolinsky Sable The only consensus on the title of Kolinsky is that, besides being the most expensive and best brushes, they are sourced from cold climate (Kola in Siberia) rodents. The very best Kolinsky is from male Kolonok weasels or Mustela sibirica's winter tail hair. It's not a sable, but a weasel. There is no such animal as a Kolinsky sable. The hairs are brown orange with a darker tip.

The hair is in a conical shape, so it's naturally wider at the base with a pronounced fine tip, perfect for pointed brushes. Many brushmakers make "Kolinsky" sable using other parts of the animal's pelt, the summer coat, a female Mustela sibirica, or another Mustela (weasel) family. For example, it's pretty standard practice to mix male / female hair about 60% / 40% in a brush. Perhaps because of all the confusion about what Kolinsky sable actually is, the US Fish and Wildlife stops most shipments of Kolinsky brushes coming to the United States, so Kolinskys of any description are expensive and hard to find here. The US Fish and Wildlife and CITES are concerned about the possibility of endangered species being used. Mustela siberica is wild caught and labelled least concern under endangered species, but similar to a lot of endangered rodents. Most brush manufacturers have decades worth of tufts that doesn't have the new required paperwork. So while it's unlikely endangered species are being used, manufacturers have no proof and most brush shipments are confiscated or returned currently. Good Kolinsky sables are worth the expense and trouble in return for years of consistent brushstrokes.

Poor quality Kolinskys are still expensive and much worse than synthetics. Good Kolinsky brushes hold a point beautifully (minature artists need them!) and have a lovely water retention that allows for smooth strokes. Multipurpose Red Sable Red Sable can mean either the less desirable parts of the Mustela's coat, other Mustela, mink, the Martes (marten or sable). The dark brown hair is blunter than the Kolinsky sable. Some of the Martes family are endangered. Red sable and Kolinsky sable are interchangeable terms to many manufacturers. However, there is a definite quality difference. Red sable is nice to paint with, but not as durable, long or as fine a point as Kolinsky. Multipurpose Squirrel The best is Kazan squirrel, again from Siberia. Some squirrel comes from northern Canada. Squirrel is a soft fine absorbant hair that comes to a fine point. It holds an amazing amount of water - more than sables. It's usually dark brown or speckled brown. Squirrel has practically no spring, very limp to use. But it glides over cold and rough press paper hitting and missing patches for a beautiful effect. Gorgeous washes.

Traditionally used for sign painting because of its precision. Mops and Wash brushes Much stiffer brush. Really more used for acrylics and oils. Not good for washes since it doesn't hold much water. Mostly just used for texturing. Scumbling, Texture Ox or Sabeline A light brown, sometimes dyed red to resemble sable. It doesn't hold a lot of water. It's strong, but doesn't point well since the ends fray and the hairs are about the same width along their length. Not springy. Scumbling, Texture Goat Soft, not springy. The hairs are cylinders so a fine tip isn't possible. Think calligraphy brushes or big washes. Washes Synthetic Sythetics such as golden taklon, toray nylon, etc. are pretty amazing. The "hairs" can be made tapered like the finest sables and come to a good point. Many synthetics are mixed with natural hairs to improve their points. Synthetic watercolor brushes don't hold water quite the same as sables or squirrel. They don't hold quite as much water and they don't release it as smoothly. Water and paint tend to come in bursts rather than in a smooth flow.

They do hold water now, with little flags or frays being added to the hairs to grab water droplets like natural hair. Synthetics are constantly improving. And if you want to use a huge brush, most sables only go up to #14 rounds, but synthetics go all the way. And cost a lot less! You can be rougher with synthetics - you can attack the paper and really pull out paint. No animal cruelty is good, though all natural brush hairs are industry byproducts. And synthetics are petroleum byproducts. I've painted with synthetic hair brushes as part of my tool kit for years. They're useful workhorses. Nylon only decreases in strength about 15% when wet, so it's the optimal choice. Toray nylon is a propietory type of nylon from a Japanese company. Taklon nylon Sable/Kolinsky Brushes - Art Supplies at BLICK art materials - Art Supply Store Scholastic Sable Sable/Kolinsky Brushes are not really made from sable hair at all. The hair comes from the tail of a species of mink that is a member of the weasel family, and is found in Siberia and northeastern China.

Because of its strength, spring, and ability to retain shape ("snap"), it is considered the finest fiber for watercolor and oil brushes. It holds a very fine point or edge. Kolinsky is considered to be a professional grade of hair, and if properly cared for, it will last for many years. Red Sable is obtained from any weasel with "red" hair, not from the animal known as the sable. It is found in a variety of brush styles for many varied mediums, with quality and characteristics that vary greatly. A quality pure red sable brush is a good alternative to the more expensive Kolinsky, with similar performance and durability. The Geek Within: Origins of Kolinsky sable hair brushes Part 1 - The Animal Wednesday, August 6, 2014 Origins of Kolinsky sable hair brushes Part 1 - The Animal Kolinsky sable brushes are a misnomer. The animal it is made from is not sable at all, but Siberian weasel. Kolinsky refers to a type of Asian weasel / mink. Historically probably from the Kola Pinninsula of northwest Russia, near Finland. Sable is a type of marten (small, sleek long animal).

They are in the same Family and are closely related animals. Sable Picture by Elena Lapshina It's fur is coveted because it's smooth and glossy from every direction that it is stroked. When stroked opposite the grain, fur from other animals feels rough. But enough of the sable. Let's talk about paintbrushes. Kolinsky aka kolonok aka red sable The Siberian weasel is an amazingly animal that lives in forests from Siberia to Eastern Asia. It lives near rivers and lakes. It's a hunter. In some places, it's considered a pest because it kills chickens and muskrats in farms, more than it can eat. The best hair comes from northern Siberia, where harsher winters means the winter coat is long and thick. The Siberian weasel is NOT an endangered species. I looked at WWF, IUCN and CITES to confirm this. However, it is placed in the endangered animals category and is subject to CITEs. Winsor & Newton says that its natural hair brushes are obtained from sustainable sources and animals are not sourced for the sole use of manufacturing its products. Posted by g at

Question: What type of animal is a Kolinsky?
Answer: Weasel