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The internet has been an incredible resource for wargaming in general, but particularly for painters and modelers. Secret tricks that were once hidden, not necessarily guarded but inaccessible to the average painter, are now readily available with even a cursory use of Google. Dakka, CMON, Wamp, TMP, on and on, not to mention the growing YouTube painting presence, with tutorials from painters like Lester Bursley of awesomepaintjob, or the countless thousands of blogs out there, filled with useful information. These resources and more have allowed these formerly hidden techniques to become widely known and accepted procedures. Once anyone has spent an amount of time around these sites, certain techniques and equipment become obviously necessary for one reason or another. Thinning paints, alternative paint brands, and wet palettes. But one of the biggest and quickest improvements someone can make to their painting is upgrading to real Kolinsky sable brushes like Winsor & Newton Series 7 or Raphaël Kolinsky lines of fine arts brushes. They allow an unparalleled level of belly control while maintaining a precise point, and with proper care an extended lifespan lasting years. No other sable, and especially no synthetic has ever been found which can compare to Kolinsky brushes.

..ahem...



"Kolinsky" is an industry term for the winter tail fur of the male Siberian weasel, also known as the kolonok, which is found across Siberia and most of eastern Asia. The tail fur of females are often used to blend a brush, but the male hairs are longer and more desirable. The brushmakers, artistic and cosmetic alike, generally will receive a tail or pelt, and with higher quality brushes the hairs are individually selected to combine into the brush. Before they receive it, however, the animal must be harvested. The Siberian weasel is a wild animal, and is hunted or, more commonly, snare trapped. They are not farm raised or domesticated in any sense. The weasels are commonly thought to be pests locally, even supernaturally bad in China, and are known to eat farmers chickens and kill past their fill. The meat from the weasel is also commonly sold for dog food, little of the animal goes to waste.

Nevertheless, our art demands a creature die. Maybe just an Asian weasel which is in no danger of extinction and is a common pest, but nevertheless it is a fact. For the past few years, I have been a student of anthropology and have learned a great deal about how information like this is often perceived by a group, and I am curious as to the opinions of the DakkaDakka community regarding this. This is not a study or an officiated survey, just my own curiosity. I should note my own stance, that I use W&N Series 7 brushes and feel the improvement is unparalleled and that no other material comes close to the weasel's fur. Also, while I do feel restraint in all things should be practiced, I am not morally opposed to using animal resources or their hunting, so long as its as humanely done as possible. If there were an alternative to Kolinsky hair brushes, I would try them and be hopeful, but I would feel reluctance giving up on actual Kolinsky. I'm just looking to drum up a little dialogue on this topic to see how people feel.

Linkage:
http://www.animalethics.org.uk/i-ch8-4-forgottenfur.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_weasel
http://www.winsornewton.com/main.aspx?pageID=363

There was a thread like this a few weeks ago, it got heated and subsequently locked.

Animal welfare is right up there with religion and politics on the list of things that aren't a good idea to discuss with strangers on the internet.

This thread already happened with pointless disastrous consequences.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/489536.page

It was a troll-thread then. While this seems more genuine, it still seems like a pointless thread.

Also, biased poll is biased. You totally lack an option for 'weasel hair is simply superior, and I am fine with animal byproducts.' All your options are basically 'hurting animals are bad' or 'I don't care about brushes.'

I would hardly call it pointless, but perhaps an open forum like this could be open to flaming. Close it if you feel it's an unwarranted risk, my feelings won't be hurt.

edit: I should note, I did a search and found nothing, so please don't think I didn't check.

I also felt the "I prefer Kolinsky brushes, and the animals are pests that would be hunted regardless." would suffice, although it is a bit harshly worded, for comic effect.

What is the point of this thread besides pointing out that animals die?

Of the options provided, I believe that all weasels are the devil and need to be exterminated and the fur from their tails made into cheap yet effective brushes.

Die Weasels DIE

Spread of information, understanding of the sources for our hobbies, spark discussion about where our supplies come from and how sustainable they are, maybe even an analysis of the value of art over the value of fur. If its perceived as entirely pointless, that is still certainly an answer.

So a pest animal is hunted and killed, and all of its useful parts are actually used, right down to its asshair. Where is the badness I keep hearing about?

Yes, animals die. Yes, humans kill them. Pest animals are killed often. At least in this case, the animal is being used for a lot of things, from pet food to brush bristles.

Want to complain about senseless pest cullings? How about the Australian Airforce using pest Camel herds as target practice for bombing runs. Yeah, using a pests asshair for brush bristles and meat for petfood kind of seems less 'omg horrible'.

Not sure who said it was "omg horrible", in fact I feel it likely provides a great income resource for local trappers. This is not a complaint, merely a connection to a shared hobby. The Australian Airforce's actions sound reprehensible, but are totally unrelated to this forum.

Anyway, yes it's sad that an animal dies but heck, I prefer my dead weasel brushes far more than my synthetic ones. For me it’s no different than eating meat or using glue to stick my models together and if an animal dies…well it died making my man dollies look good

Most of the animal is used?

So, sounds like this is even better than chickens.

Most rural locations shoot pest animals, and leave them to scavengers - sounds like the fact we get brush hairs out of them as a win-win.

davethepak wrote:


Most rural locations shoot pest animals, and leave them to scavengers - sounds like the fact we get brush hairs out of them as a win-win.

I double that. Since weasels are classified as pest most people in their native area will bring them down with the same ease I step on a cockroach. The fact that we found some use for a pest

organism seems like a win situation for me.

I feel the value of art is not as high as the value of life, I'll find an alternative.

That... is the most loaded answer... o.O