Have you ever been concerned about the tools you use for painting?

Sometimes the creation of a work of art can be a race against time. In order to get the work done in a tense situation, comfortable tools are just as important as good quality paints and brushes to support the art making process.

In this article, we focus on a couple of these unsung hero tools.

Hope you discover your favorite among them!

Brush Washing

One of the biggest advantages of ceramic tools will be their ease of maintenance.

Plastic brushes can be difficult to wash or sometimes might even get damaged by the hard scrub of a sponge, especially after using adhesive paints such as acrylic. However, by using a ceramic wash bowl, you will be able to clean the brushes without damaging the bristles.

Another advantage is that it’s easier to judge the difference between the subtle tones when it comes to water-based color, such as calligraphy ink or transparent watercolor.

With its moderate weight, the brush can be cleaned thoroughly to the root, making it a perfect choice for those who use paints that do not dissolve in water after drying, such as acrylic and oil paint.

In PIGMENT TOKYO, we have two types of wash bowls, Brush Cleaning Round Pot and Brush Cleaning Rectangular Pot. Both of them are available in a variety of sizes.

Brush Cleaning Round Pot is divided into three compartments, so you can use one for clean water and other two for brush washing.

Brush Cleaning Rectangular Pot is ideal for washing brushes because of its wide design.

Palette Plate

As often mentioned in PIGMENT TOKYO’s features, Palette Plate is a must-have tool for those who use Iwaenogu (mineral pigments), as it is necessary to knead the pigments together by hand when making Nihonga (Japanese painting).

Apart from animal glue, it can also be used as a palette for low-viscosity paints.

For paints that dry quickly, you can work even more efficiently if you cover the plate with cling wrap.

In particular, this Palette Plate (deep type) is ideal for kneading pigments because of its comfortable-in-hand design. It is also available in a large width of 15cm, which is useful for brushing varnish.

Although Palette Plate (deep type) can be used as a color palette, it can turn out a little inconvenient when you work in a small space.

In that case, this Round Ceramic Plates (dish type) might come in handy. They can be stacked on top of each other to save up some space.

Plum motif Palette is a flower-shaped plate that is useful for dissolving small amounts of Suihi (tinted pigments) or Iwaenogu (mineral pigments). It is also a perfect tool for mixing Gansai and watercolors.

Moreover, it is greatly useful for making different shades of sumi ink for calligraphy painting.

Check out the article below for more information on how to create shades of ink!

「Rubbing Sumi Ink 〜 The Beauty of “Five Colors” 〜 」

https://pigment.tokyo/en/blogs/article/13

Pestle and Mortar

At first glance, Pestle and Mortar may look like laboratory equipment, but it's another important tool for making art.

Pestle and Mortar are commonly used for grinding Suihi (tinted pigments) and Gofun (white chalk). By carefully grinding the pigments, it smooths out the paint and enhances the color.

In addition, it can be used for making watercolors too.

Two sizes are available: 12cm size fits in one hand and is easy to use, while the 6cm size is suitable for mixing small amounts of paint.

Pestle and Mortar come in a range of sizes from small to large, allowing you to choose the size that best suits your needs.