Hello everybody and welcome to the first ever Studio Newsletter Extra! Moving forward this type of post is where content that doesn't really fit the regular newsletter format will be shared. Extras will be available to all viewers regardless of membership.
I recently had the pleasure of trying out these Japanese watercolors generously provided through the Chartpak affiliate program. Taking a quick look at the information on the back of the box, the well design is an important highlight because it helps keep your colors clean. As someone who always ended up with a dirty yellow in their watercolor sets as a kid, I like this very much.
I couldn't think of a better way to try these out than to take my Grandad's Japanese watercolor brushes for a spin for the first time as well. Because these hold a lot of sentimental value, I didn't want to go in completely blind though. Luckily, I was able to get some information from a Technical Consultant via an email exchange and for that I am incredibly grateful.
"The brushes in question are the 287 Sumi Bamboo Brushes. It was used for Japanese style of painting called Sumi which is very stylized and meditative. They are made of Camel Hair. No not hair from camels but a name used for a mix of ox, goat and horsehair. Usually, goat hair surrounded by horse or ox hair. This brush was discontinued in the late 1990’s. From the label, I would estimate that they were from the 1980’s, that label was not used in the 1990’s since everything was barcoded. As for cleaning, water works, but it is good to use soap and water to condition the brush."
I am happy to report that they were very easy to clean and I'm looking forward to using them with the watercolors and sumi ink again soon!
Pictured above is my swatch sheet where I tried these out for the first time. My colors ran a little bit but I would be willing to bet that's just because I'm not used to working with this brush type. Due to the rectangular shapes on the swatch sheets, I typically use a flat Goldenedge to fill these in, one of my favorite brushes. But look at how smooth the transition is between the yellow and green. I didn't blend that. It was completely by mistake. I'm absolutely in love with that violet, too.
To be perfectly honest, I was apprehensive about dunking nearly 50 year old brushes directly into a bottle of black Kuretake sumi ink. I cheated just a little bit and used an inexpensive Crayola brush to make that first very dark rectangle. Once I confirmed I was able to rinse it out completely I returned to my grandad's brushes for the other two swatches.
While it is perfectly clear that I need to practice my ink gradients a bit more, this ink is extremely smooth and easy to use with a brush. The Crayola brush I used, despite being marketed towards kids, is not always the easiest to control (you know the one). Even so, I managed to stay completely within the marked rectangle.
To conclude my experiment here I made a watercolor painting inspired by pictures we took at a park my grandad really liked. I am incredibly grateful for this experience I have been able to share with you all.
If you would like to try these Japanese watercolor brushes for yourself, you can save 15% on your order when you spend $20 or more at checkout with coupon code KATHLEEN or by clicking this link here https://bit.ly/4dNoGoA
If you would like to learn more about my adventures in exploring my grandfather's vintage paint brushes please consider a Studio Insider membership here at Buy Me a Coffee and check out the post titled, Studio Newsletter July 1st Edition posted on July 6th, 2024. https://buymeacoffee.com/katsglitterbox/studio-newsletter-july-1st-edition