The artist’s skill definitely is the key component to an artist’s work good, quality tools and supplies make for a more pleasant experience.

I come from a miniature painting background and I've been coming back to drawing and inking as a hobby and ran across this video. The W&N Series 7 are the gold standard for miniature painters as well. They're made with Kolinsky Sable which retains the paint and the tips stay sharper than any other brush material known so far. Synthetic brushes you will be going back to the paint far too often and might lose your focus if you're on a really detailed part. If you take care of them, they will last for years and years. Other brushes that are regarded almost as good are Raphael Series 8404 and Divinci Maestro Series 35.

@thomaspitilli

2 жыл бұрын

Very cool! Glad to hear that the brush has a versatility across several disciplines 👍

Great video! I can't tell you how many times I've come close to buying one and then thought, 'I can get by on my old bushes.' You just convinced me to pull the trigger on one.

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

That's awesome to hear. Glad this video was a decision maker for you :) I hope you enjoy using one of them!

Fancy tools arent to make art better theyre to make artists work faster and easier

@joelstatosky1817

3 жыл бұрын

Which makes better art. Fancy tools make drastic improvements to art depending what tools you are upgrading from.

@slurp3194

3 жыл бұрын

@@joelstatosky1817 nope they do not make drastic improvements to art

@kevinrice6245

3 жыл бұрын

Fancy tools are helpful when one knows what they are doing. In the hands of a beginner they don’t necessarily have the most spectacular results. On the other hand really bad tools and materials can hold a beginner back in making progress. For the beginner the best choice is good quality but not exotic tools/materials.

@andtipidee

Ай бұрын

The right tools help the ARTIST, not the art. The artist will thrive when they’re given the right tools, which will lead to better art. I was really uncomfortable with drawing with a regular HB pencil, especially with line thickness. But with a “fancy” brush pen, I was able to control my line art and created better art. It’s all how the tools affect the artist.

When I drew a comic for the contest, I used a rapidograph, liners and a pen. And I liked the pen the most. It allowed me to apply a clear outline, and light strokes. And now I'm thinking of trying a brush...

@thomaspitilli

Жыл бұрын

Give it a shot!

@aldiolma

9 ай бұрын

I think a brush will give you more vivid strokes bro

Tools don't make the artist, however I will say this. A new artist with expensive tools will have an easier experience learning. I learned this when using fountain pens for art, when you write with a mont blanc, compared to a disposable fountain pen. it is much easier and actually makes you want to draw. The larger brushes are a lot more expensive.

@kevinrice6245

3 жыл бұрын

True. They don’t have to be absolute top notch though. Just of reasonably good quality which most tools/supplies marketed to the beginner are not.

@joelstatosky1817

3 жыл бұрын

@@kevinrice6245 100% I learned this when I was playing guitar. However that was when I quickly learned that I had extremely expensive taste's lol.

@Akihiko-senpai

2 жыл бұрын

@@kevinrice6245 this. i'd be very a frustrated beginner if i had a cheap pencil that won't sharpen.

These last forever if you use brush soap to clean them after you use them. Buy a tub of B&J "The Masters" Brush cleaner and preserver. Wash your brush with water, then load it up with water and lay it on its side on the tub of brush soap. Gently agitate and build up the foam and gently twist it while you do. Then take it up and work it gently with your fingers, starting from the metal and working to the tip. You will see all kinds of ink picked up. Then rinse, work it with your fingers gently again, rinse. Then your brush will be clean and conditioned. The final touch is to put it in your mouth and use your saliva as the best binder in the world to make a point. Then put it away. Your inking brush will last for years. Really. I destroyed a few of these amazing tools before I learned this. The brush soap also cleans dip pens really well. Use an old tooth brush.

Thomas,what type of ink do you use?

5:08 I agree in theory, but tbh using the "wrong" tools for so long meant that it was harder to use a good tool than it should have been. It's only NOW - many years into my career - that I'm finally getting to grips with this brush after working with rubbish for so long. You're right though, as long as you get the results it doesn't matter.

Nice video. I wonder if you have any tips on preparing the brush prior to dipping it into the ink. Do you dip it dry or moist? I have a W&N Sceptre Gold synthetic #2 and #6. Wonder how they compare...

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the question! I usually dip mine in moist, after getting the brush to a nice point :)

Heya, love the video. I fully agree that the tool doesn't make the artist. But tools sure do help with things. I was taught with the size 4 of these brushes but definitely do like the 2 more. What ink are you using by the way? I also have the same problem of never cleaning them properly but sumi ink seems a little more forgiving in that regard

@thomaspitilli

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for that feedback! And that's great that you have experience using these brushes. A #4 gives you quite a bit of range from small lines, to much more broad lines, that's awesome. As far as ink, I'm keeping it consistent and using the Winsor Newton black India ink. That's actually my favorite ink to use.

Hate to argue... but at least as far back as 25 years ago, these brushes took a tremendous DIVE in quality. They are no longer the same brushes you've read about as the 'industry standard'. Raphaels did much better when I inked for Wildstorm... but even these have gone to shit over the last decade. It's gotten so bad that even veteran brush inkers are abandoning sable brushes in favor of synthetic hair or jumping to markers. The best brushes these days are DIGITAL. You can custom 'tweak' it so it works best for YOUR hand. Wacom or similar and Clip Studio Paint is the way to go now IMO... and that's after inking with analog tools for 35+ years.

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

Good to get your perspective! Especially after inking traditionally for so long. Thanks for that.

@kevinrice6245

3 жыл бұрын

I heard about that. I remember reading something years ago that W&N lost a lot of their old senior brush makers and therefore the quality of the product took a dive. Can’t remember if they were laid off or what but yeah kind of sucks for anyone wanting to do this in the old traditional way.

@yeeessimusprime3422

6 ай бұрын

Yeah I know this is a two year old comment and that I have no where near the experience you do but I don’t think digital brushes can be compared to actual physical brushes. I do agree that digital is the one most go to now but I prefer the look and feel of traditional art, most digital art in my opinion is too perfect, where they keep flipping the image and messing with the proportions to get just the right image, like are those things helpful absolutely but I think that they are overused and aren’t as important as alot of pros make them out to be imo.

@chuckgibson3973

6 ай бұрын

@@yeeessimusprime3422 -- I've used analog tools extensively and have used Clip Studio Paint for about a decade now. I understand why you favor the feel of physical work --- but you're absolutely wrong about the brushes. The quality of analog tools has done nothing but decline over the last 3 decades. On the other hand, digitally, I'm CUSTOM designing my OWN brushes digitally that do PRECISELY what I want when I draw a stroke with it -- custom adjusted to MY HAND. You can form whatever opinion you like. You have opinions -- I have *experience.* There's a substancial and important difference between the two.

Я не нашёл нормальной кисти, но нашёл брашпен. И да, кистью рисовать - милое дело)

☺️👍 Agreed, tools don't make the artist, but if I could have saved myself all the time & frustration I spent learning how to get by with using subpar materials... Well, it's worth every penny of the price difference! Lol 😂

Nice vid! What brand of ink did you use?

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! And I used Winsor & Newton ink :)

Hey Thomas! I just got myself Winsor and Newton brush basically the same one you have and I've used the generic ones and I just want to know how would i wash this brush? i wash my generic ones with soap and water should i do the same for this one or buy brush cleaner? Thanks for the help!

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

Great question! Just water usually does the trick for me. Sometimes I'll use a little but of hand soap, but nothing too strong and definitely nothing with any kinds of bleach or harsh chemicals.

@panteragirl31

3 жыл бұрын

@@thomaspitilli Ok that sounds easy! Thanks!

Tools may not make the artist, but life is too short to struggle with shitty tools.

@Captain_MonsterFart

3 жыл бұрын

I own the less expensive 'Professional" and "Artist Water colour" versions from Winsor Newton and they are great. I'm not sure what the difference is from the Series 7.

You ever try the Winston Newton #1 ,or is that to small?

@thomaspitilli

Жыл бұрын

I don't think I've ever gone that small. I've found that a #2 or higher an get the same kind of precision after you get comfortable using it.

Are brushes worth learning insted of using fineliners or dip pens?

@thomaspitilli

11 ай бұрын

Yes. All are great, but brushes add a unique varied line to your work.

@justsomeguywhodoesart

11 ай бұрын

@@thomaspitilli thank you!!

Hi! What paper do you use for inking? :)

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

Generally, a Vellum finish bristol board.

what size are you using Thomas?

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

I believe that one was 9X12in.

@canobenitez

3 жыл бұрын

@@thomaspitilli Thanks! I just bought that size, works like a charm. You should put a an amazon link in the description so you can get a percentage of the sale, I think Jim Lee does that as well.

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

@@canobenitez Glad it worked out for you! And yeah, I usually add Amazon links, I thought I did to this video haha. Thanks for letting me know :)

I need one cus im tired of my cheap brushes fraying

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

Give it a try! But make sure you clean it after every time.

@michayahjwalker3349

3 жыл бұрын

@@thomaspitilli i will. I do the same even with my cheap brushes they last longer than if i didn't clean them but still not long enough to keep them from messing up my neat line art.

@thomaspitilli

3 жыл бұрын

@@michayahjwalker3349 Awesome. That's definitely a good habit to be in :)

@michayahjwalker3349

3 жыл бұрын

@@thomaspitilli yessir

Is anyone still buying Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes? Anyone encountering inconsistent quality or quality control issues with this brush series? I bought one ages ago and it worked like a dream. I'm thinking of buying a new one and fear buying a dud.

@mlunaID

2 жыл бұрын

Just an update. I purchased one via my local art store (as opposed to Amazon where I heard the mixed reviews). The one I got from the art store is amazing.

@thomaspitilli

2 жыл бұрын

@@mlunaID Glad to hear! Thanks for the update :)

Why would you order it by mail-order? I've heard many artists say they have to check the integrity of the brush's point before buying it, which they can only do in a store. The artists I've heard talk about doing this describe coming across a fair number of brushes that were not good so they didn't buy them.

@thomaspitilli

Жыл бұрын

I'm a risk taker, I guess.

Hi..I liked your comment, about using the tools,say.. you can afford, someone gives to you,you find on side of road, your x-wife throws at you as she kicks you out the house, ha..

I'm a fan of you. I hope you can make better and better content.