In PIGMENT TOKYO, we carry a wide variety of brushes, of which a large number have been from the same manufacturer since the opening of our store: the brushes of Nakasato Corporation from Kyoto.
At its head office facing Fuyacho Street, which is close to the Kyoto Imperial Palace and leads to Nishiki Market with a good old-fashioned neighborhood, Nakasato’s paintbrushes are manufactured in the tradition of Yūzen dyeing. The company is renowned as a brush manufacturer that is tailored to its users and produces products loved by many artists.
In the summer of 2024, Mr. Fumihiko Nakasato, the third-generation president of Nakasato Corporation, will be invited to give a special lecture where participants can join and learn about brush making from a manufacturer’s perspective.
WORKSHOPS - PIGMENT TOKYO
Date and Time: August 25 (Sun) 2024, 13:00 - 16:00
Instructor: Fumihiko Nakasato (President and Representative Director of Nakasato Co.)
Fee: ￥9,900 (including tax and materials)
Age Recommendations: 5-year-old and above (People of all ages are welcome to attend)
Reservations:
August 25 (Sun) Special Workshop by Kyoto-Nakasato – Understanding and Making Brushes –24/08/25
◾️ Guardian plus-one (1 person): free of charge
* Please select the plus-one option (free of charge) if the participant wishes to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
* Single plus-one is limited to per participant.
* Availability of seats is limited and will be closed once it reaches the maximum capacity.
* Materials are not included for the plus-ones (assistance during the workshop is possible).
* Assistance from a parent or guardian is required for children under primary school age due to the detailed work involved.
In this workshop, you will learn about the raw materials and characteristics of animal hair, which is the main factor of the brush, while having hands-on practice by making two coloring brushes.
The lecture and the traditional brush-making process will help you understand the structure of the brush and the secrets of each component, which people often overlook by only using the brush.
Moreover, participants will have the opportunity to take a closer look at Nakasato's unique brushes, which have been developed successively by artists and craftsmen, all in one place and compare the textures and strokes of how they are painted with paints. Participants will also be invited to create their own original brush sheet by drawing on Nakasato's special “trial paint sheet” and take it home along with the brushes they have made.
This special workshop is welcome to not only artists but also people involved in art-related research, art beginners, students and anyone else who is interested, regardless of how often they use brushes or not.
Therefore, come and explore the insights of a brush through knowing, making and using.
◾️ Lecture
Fumihiko Nakasato, the President and Representative Director of Nakasato Co.
First, the participants will learn about the history of Yūzen and Nakasato brushes in Kyoto culture, as well as the raw materials and characteristics of the tip/bristle (hair) used for the products, as only Mr. Nakasato, who has been engaged in brush-making for many years, can tell you.
The brushes are made from different types of animal hair, such as weasel, raccoon dog, horse, deer, goat and pig, depending on the purpose and type of brush, and sometimes a mixture of several different types of hair. The quality of the hair varies greatly depending on the part of the animal body and when the unusable parts are removed from the selected hair, very few are good enough for the brush bristles.
In this workshop, these specialized materials and details of the brush-making process will be explained in an easy-to-understand manner. Furthermore, feel free to take this as an opportunity to ask our instructor if you have any questions related to brushes.
◾️ Trying out the brushes
During the workshop, we will showcase a wide range of brushes, both Japanese and Western. Such as Hake brushes, Saishiki brushes, Menso and Renpitsu brushes, along with oil painting brushes.
There will also be some brushes for our participants to try out that are usually not available at PIGMENT TOKYO. Therefore, this is another exciting thing to be expected for the special workshop!
Some of you might notice that the “PIGMENT TOKYO” logo is often seen on our brushes and they are specially engraved by Nakasato.
Trying out brushes on Nakasato's special “trial paint sheet”.
Even brushes made of the same material can vary in touch and stroke depending on the part of the hair used, the length and the shape of the bristle.
Try out the brushes on Nakasato's special “trial painting sheet” and write down your opinion and new discoveries!
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Kolinsky Oil-color Brush WX (Round)
view product -
Horse Hair Brush
view product -
Summer Hair Brush
view product
When choosing a Menso brush, it is important to know how effective the brush tip is but it is also essential to know how well it fits in your hand because of its thin handle.
The Tokusei Tomoe Menso Brush has a unique yet uncommon design, a spiral groove on the handle. You will get to experience the effect when drawing with your finger on the spiral grooves during the brush testing.
You can also compare the Renpitsu and Hake brushes, or the difference between Horse Hair Brush and Summer Hair Brush, which are both used for Yūzen dyeing. Feel free to complete the paint sheet to use as your own brush data for your future reference.
◾️ Brush Making
A brush is largely made up of a combination of the tip (bristle) and the shaft (handle). From the procurement of raw materials to tailoring, these parts are made possible through the careful handiwork of skilled craftsmen with definite precision.
In this workshop, each component for making a coloring brush has been prepared to a certain extent, so that the participants can enjoy the brush-making process even without any experience.
Winding the thread around the bristle.
The brush is made using special tools, fingers and mouths, and the bristle is hardened with glue and then bound with thread.
By experiencing the whole brush-making process and slowly observing how the bristle gradually turns into a brush-like shape, participants will hopefully gain a deeper understanding of the brush, which can be hardly achieved by only binding the hair together.
After inserting the bristle into the handle and you are done!
Go ahead and experience both brushes you have made once you get home, so you can compare the differences in finish and drawing feel between them.
Once you know the structure from the inside out, you may find a technique for expression that makes the most of a brush's characteristics.
Other than this special summer workshop, there are also workshops for kids, parents and children that are held throughout the year. If you are interested, feel free to check the links below for more information.
[Articles] Summer at PIGMENT TOKYO — Kids and Family Workshop
WORKSHOPS - PIGMENT TOKYO
Nakasato Co., Ltd.
https://www.kyoto-nakasato.com/
Translated by Atsumi Okano, Nelson Hor Ee Herng
Profile
Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO
NATSUKO SHIRAISHI
Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO Graduated from the Textile Design at Tama Art University. While she works as an art material expert at PIGMENT, she also continues her career as an artist of original paper, Japanese paper and calligraphy.
Art Materials Expert at PIGMENT TOKYO Graduated from the Textile Design at Tama Art University. While she works as an art material expert at PIGMENT, she also continues her career as an artist of original paper, Japanese paper and calligraphy.