10 Of The World’s Priciest Arts And Art Supplies | So Expensive | Insider Business

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  • Опубліковано 15 тра 2024
  • The world’s most expensive fine arts are as varied as the tools used to make them, like oil paints and purple pigment made from snails. We traveled the world to discover what makes art so expensive. Our first stop is Japan’s Nara Prefecture, where for over 450 years the company Kobaien has been making some of the world’s most sought-after calligraphy ink.
    Episodes:
    00:00 Intro
    00:29 Japanese Calligraphy Ink
    12:36 Japanese Calligraphy Brushes
    21:39 Tyrian Purple Dye
    32:29 Sơn Mài Painting
    39:15 Oil Paint
    44:47 Kolinsky Sable Brushes
    51:12 Bonsai
    56:40 Bonsai Scissors
    1:07:15 Paint Made From Pollution
    1:13:30 Modern Art
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    ------------------------------------------------------
    #Art #SoExpensive #InsiderBusiness
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    10 Of The World’s Priciest Arts And Art Supplies | So Expensive | Insider Business

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,2 тис.

  • @ivy2089
    @ivy2089 Рік тому +1740

    you can tell that the guy making the bonsai scissors really loves his work and his art. the fact that he’s also letting his sons choose whether or not they want to pursue in his craft was heartwarming but also bittersweet.. 22 generations thats craxy

    • @F.R.E.D.D2986
      @F.R.E.D.D2986 Рік тому +64

      In all reality, they'll probably be more willing to help because they have that choice

    • @JH-fk8ow
      @JH-fk8ow 10 місяців тому +10

      ''the fact that he’s also letting his sons choose'' lol its 2020's not 1950's

    • @bubblebat
      @bubblebat 10 місяців тому +63

      ​@@JH-fk8owI wish I could agree but there are unfortunately still parents in the world who decides every part their kids life, even in the most modern countries

    • @DaniDecoder
      @DaniDecoder 10 місяців тому +6

      I'd gladly go live with that man not to let that art of making scissors die

    • @eden.nd.
      @eden.nd. 9 місяців тому +6

      ​@@notfiveobecause he makes scissors, not ink???

  • @usayedd4409
    @usayedd4409 Рік тому +638

    bro Ghassan is such an absolute chad. To rediscover a process from ancient historic texts is nothing short of remarkable. We need more of this dude.

    • @machetenikki
      @machetenikki Рік тому +22

      When did being a chad go from a negative to a positive 😮

    • @dontworrybout2664
      @dontworrybout2664 9 місяців тому

      @@machetenikkiit always has been positive. Only Iefties don’t think so because they’re weak men

    • @lore5080
      @lore5080 9 місяців тому

      ​@@machetenikkiLike ages ago, it's been a positive thing for years now

    • @metalninetales
      @metalninetales 9 місяців тому +8

      @@machetenikki don't worry about it.

    • @nutinmyass
      @nutinmyass 7 місяців тому +1

      @@machetenikkiwas never a negative

  • @glass-yuzu
    @glass-yuzu Рік тому +2443

    as much as I love the craftsmanship in the artisan calligraphy brushes, having practiced calligraphy for a decade with a master calligrapher whose family are all masters, they all say the same thing... the quality of the brush is far less important than the hand that uses it. if you are disciplined enough, you can write beautifully with the frayed part of a snapped chopstick

    • @vectorthehop3945
      @vectorthehop3945 Рік тому +308

      After reading your comment, I would actually like to see master calligraphers try their hand at creating things, with the worst quality ink avalible and frayed snapped chopsticks. I know it's unlikely and would also be slightly rude to ask of someone but I'm just really curious

    • @Bxll_Bxll
      @Bxll_Bxll Рік тому +133

      @@vectorthehop3945 I might just practice calligraphy for 10 years and become a master, while having a UA-cam channel, then do what you just said.
      By then i’d probably have forgotten what I did it for though

    • @vectorthehop3945
      @vectorthehop3945 Рік тому +66

      @@Bxll_Bxll alr cya in 10 years then

    • @BrazilianImperialist
      @BrazilianImperialist Рік тому +5

      Doubt

    • @Star_of_eden
      @Star_of_eden Рік тому +8

      this is unironically the most beautiful comment ive read

  • @Galvaxatron
    @Galvaxatron Рік тому +645

    To me craftmanship means I pay once for an item to last me a lifetime versus buying multiple cheaper versions every few years.
    It really means paying upfront. It also means respecting the item and the value that was imbued into it.

    • @sammy4538
      @sammy4538 9 місяців тому +26

      This is very true... I'm a roof blacksmith, I make metal roofs by hand, and the tools have a major role. It's a very niche business, so everything is not even available as new - but those basic ones that are, are usually crap quality and wear out quickly. Some older hand-made tools are seriously hard to find, and usually need to repair and modify them before use - but the difference is huge, they last a lifetime if maintained properly, and the effect on own work quality is totally worth it. The roofs I make last atleast some 50-70 years, some even longer, while the cost is triple compared to a cheap mass-produced one - but thankfully some do realize it's a price that only need to pay once, so the market still exists.

    • @user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb
      @user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb 9 місяців тому

      Well your wrong.

    • @Galvaxatron
      @Galvaxatron 9 місяців тому +20

      @@user-pc8tb7hg1lHandlesRDumb you're*

    • @MusicAccount0102
      @MusicAccount0102 8 місяців тому +5

      Agreed. Also, your buying an item that has history behind it; all the thought and creativity, raw material, and people throughout the years!

    • @koibunny4655
      @koibunny4655 8 місяців тому +1

      True, the series 7 brushes can last years. Compared to month or even few weeks of a synthetic. Big part is the knowledge to protect it, as well as the knowledge level to need it in the first place.

  • @sophroniel
    @sophroniel Рік тому +674

    For those of you who don't know, Daizo Kaneko has a line of calligraphy pens and brushes! He's like the Japanese bob ross tbh

    • @catubigklahrinz9553
      @catubigklahrinz9553 10 місяців тому

      Do you have a site to buy those/

    • @steph8030593
      @steph8030593 9 місяців тому +1

      But he’s not very well known or very famous outside of Japan :(

    • @Dreampedia
      @Dreampedia 7 місяців тому +2

      If that man was Indian or from a third world country you wouldn't hold him in such high regards.

    • @a-train8636
      @a-train8636 7 місяців тому

      Link?

    • @pigeon1923
      @pigeon1923 6 місяців тому +6

      ​@@Dreampedia???

  • @cheriluzvillanueva
    @cheriluzvillanueva Рік тому +575

    People making paint out of pollution made me cry, I literally cried, I am so touched that some people out there still do what they're passionate about and also love to save their planet. That's such a wonderful noble cause. As an artist myself, I think that is one of the ways we can show our love to others, to humanity, that we care about the future. Thanks for that.

    • @ochervelvet9687
      @ochervelvet9687 Рік тому +30

      I’d love to see the line of earth reclaimed paints in acrylic as well as oil. I would definitely support them.

    • @BixbyConsequence
      @BixbyConsequence Рік тому +25

      It's interesting but the small amount of material harvested doesn't make any substantial difference in the pollution. It's more of a fetish than a noble cause.

    • @victoriousvalentine9779
      @victoriousvalentine9779 Рік тому

      Agricultural fertiliser?

    • @abukariba
      @abukariba Рік тому +6

      Fool

    • @ToLa-qe1pg
      @ToLa-qe1pg Рік тому +4

      Environmentalism is a religion.

  • @Blick_Art
    @Blick_Art Рік тому +596

    The development of modern pigments and large-scale paint manufacturing helped make the art and craft of oil painting affordable to almost anyone. It's always interesting to cite the luxurious, lapis-derived Ultramarine, the exotic and macabre Mummy Brown, and the sad (and thankfully obsolete) Indian Yellow, but the current palette is largely made up of highly affordable, synthetic organic pigments developed after the 19th c. These often out-perform historical colors in terms of permanence, tint strength (the potency of a color in mixtures) and covering power. Synthetic pigments also make it possible for a huge variety of artist's colors to be safe enough for anyone to use with no special concern for safety, unlike some historical colors which would not be considered safe today by most standards. We think the Old Masters would marvel at the low cost, high quality and broad availability of paint available to artists today!

    • @GirtheAlienGoldfish
      @GirtheAlienGoldfish Рік тому +9

      Hi, Blick!
      Love your store!

    • @kamaniaray
      @kamaniaray Рік тому +6

      oh wow!!! Dick Blick even commented!? ❤❤

    • @Blick_Art
      @Blick_Art Рік тому +6

      @@kamaniaray Thanks for noticing!

    • @shereenhussain3610
      @shereenhussain3610 Рік тому +1

      indian yellow is a victorian fallacy

    • @Blick_Art
      @Blick_Art Рік тому +17

      @@shereenhussain3610 In 2018 examination of research by Carl Gräbe did authenticate the origin of historical pigment samples so, while for a very long time the only source for this claim was Sir Joseph Hooker' s correspondence with T N Mukharji, it does appear that Indian Yellow was, in fact, produced as believed, from the urine of cows.

  • @ismzaxxon
    @ismzaxxon Рік тому +903

    I felt sad for the lack of health and safety protection for the workers, even if they are self employed. Look at al the soot on the faces and no doubt the carbon in the lungs.

    • @violentmagician1
      @violentmagician1 Рік тому +71

      This! All I could think is lung cancer

    • @patrickshea5955
      @patrickshea5955 Рік тому +158

      Ay bro these guys are grown up educated men. They should have the right to do things in the old traditional way even though there might be health consequences as long as they see fit. Ya know Japan isnt a poor struggling country where you have to take whatever work you can get, they chose this line of work because they want to be connected to their culture.

    • @sebastianpoe3934
      @sebastianpoe3934 Рік тому +35

      ​@@patrickshea5955 was hoping I'd find this comment.

    • @some.generic.username5254
      @some.generic.username5254 Рік тому +60

      ​@@patrickshea5955 poverty exists in every country

    • @violentmagician1
      @violentmagician1 Рік тому +93

      @@patrickshea5955 Come on! There are rich people and poor people everywhere. you cannot just say that Japan is a rich country and wave off these concerns. Inhaling that much soot is not good for anyone.

  • @BooBuKittyPhuk
    @BooBuKittyPhuk 5 місяців тому +56

    A family of blacksmiths spanning 22 generations?!?!? Holly hell! That is so amazing, I hope he's able to preserve his family's business. His tools are definitely works of art themselves, and they create art as well. What a rich cultural background. I wish I had more culture in my upbringing. I don't even know what my Grandfather's names were.

  • @Eiramilah
    @Eiramilah 7 місяців тому +27

    In Mexico they have a similar snail that gives purple dye, but they milk the gland without killing the snail.

    • @Eiramilah
      @Eiramilah 5 місяців тому +1

      @@YTNoodle5 I don't know how they do it

    • @hannahwhitmore919
      @hannahwhitmore919 3 місяці тому

      very, very carefully@@YTNoodle5

    • @coredefect6134
      @coredefect6134 Місяць тому +5

      If your thinking of the Murex snails, they have sadly gone extinct almost everywhere including mexico

    • @Eiramilah
      @Eiramilah Місяць тому +2

      @@coredefect6134 that's sad to hear

    • @omnisexualidiot3750
      @omnisexualidiot3750 8 днів тому

      @@coredefect6134damn. That’s gotta suck for people whose livelihood depended on them.

  • @chnchris
    @chnchris Рік тому +88

    My ancestors used to make calligraphy ink, and I can still remember the wooden molds. But these molds were all thrown away 35 years ago. My family migrated from Southern Anhui, China, where the most famous calligraphy ink originated, and was produced.

  • @skyway7582
    @skyway7582 7 місяців тому +23

    I am a traditional Chinese lacquer artist.Studied 26 years in China.The artist explanation is perfect.Japan makes the most pristine lacquer in the world.I believe Tang Ming Xi has visited this artist. The one problem is the fact natural lacquer is related to poison ivy and artists today are not Will to sacrifice the time to make apiece.Thank you for this video.

  • @hungrypikachu135
    @hungrypikachu135 Рік тому +47

    I was NOT expecting the tyrian purple guy to sound like that omg

  • @michaelwoehl8822
    @michaelwoehl8822 Рік тому +244

    Amazing. The amount of work and time to make sumi ink is inspiring on its own. The ink is art.

    • @MossyMozart
      @MossyMozart Рік тому

      @michael woehl - Yes, I had no idea!

    • @viktoraggerholm5102
      @viktoraggerholm5102 7 місяців тому

      No, it’s stupid

    • @Elwingish
      @Elwingish 4 місяці тому +1

      Making soot seems like an incredibly unhealthy job though. Soot causes cancer and lung disease. Do they get Chimney sweeps' carcinoma?

  • @Iremiah
    @Iremiah 8 місяців тому +20

    Man, Ghassan could spread this technique as an influencer and also give workshops and turn his workshop into a museum- this way more people will get to know about him and the lost ancient tradition and support his amazing art!!

  • @mostlyvoid.partiallystars
    @mostlyvoid.partiallystars Рік тому +80

    The lifelong dedication to their craft is so amazing and admirable. This is a wonderful documentary.

  • @michaeljustinesario1771
    @michaeljustinesario1771 Рік тому +246

    I guess in conclusion:
    • Materials
    • Labor
    • Rarity
    • Length of time in making it
    • Who is or are making it
    • History
    • Demand
    • Quality
    • Brand

    • @DarkModulator
      @DarkModulator Рік тому +28

      and last, tax evasion (for modern art)

    • @michaeljustinesario1771
      @michaeljustinesario1771 Рік тому +9

      @@DarkModulator Forgot about that most important part use by the rich in 20th century 🤣 My bad

    • @walkermott1750
      @walkermott1750 Рік тому +6

      You forgot "campaign donations that exceeds the legal allowed limit so the donor buys a mediocre art piece to make a unofficial donation"

    • @iliketowatch.
      @iliketowatch. Рік тому +2

      You forgot: HYPE and THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT.

  • @lNoWayAroundItl
    @lNoWayAroundItl Рік тому +48

    I am impressed and amazed anytime an artisan shares their process to bring understanding to their work. I appreciate the craftsmanship that takes time and pride in quality. I can only imagine the extinction of some processes that we lost over time.

  • @asagk
    @asagk 11 місяців тому +32

    1:13:45 I can well understand why many people feel reluctant to contemporary art. The abstract portraits in particular lack recognizable craftsmanship. Accordingly, the majority of the value does not arise from the "artwork" and its creation, but from speculation in the art market, because it is not at all about "art", but about investments coupled with the desire for increase in value over time.That actually has nothing to do with what most people understand as art and its inherent search for beauty, and accordingly the general rejection by most people is understandable.

    • @carolallison9685
      @carolallison9685 9 місяців тому +9

      Fun fact, abstract art only has value because in the late 50s, an artist begged his famous art critic friend to give him a good review. So the art critic, who actually hated his friends art, wrote a small review in a tiny publication that he thought no one would see. Well people did see it and abstract art exploded into popularity. So basically everyone is getting ripped off because one guy wanted to be nice to his untalented friend.

    • @katarinatibai8396
      @katarinatibai8396 9 місяців тому +6

      ​@carolallison9685 100% agree. It's also very offensive to the real masters of a craft and artists at the beginning of this documentary 😢

    • @katarinatibai8396
      @katarinatibai8396 9 місяців тому +6

      I taught - are you kidding me ?! Fingerpainting dots ?!!
      That's what the kiddies in the kindergarten do...

    • @jenniferlynnkarr
      @jenniferlynnkarr 8 місяців тому

      @@katarinatibai8396 It really did feel like the end segment came out of nowhere. Like here's a man who scoured 1st century documents to figure out the lost art of making tyrian pigment, here's a guy whose family is made of blacksmiths and they make the most amazing (and honestly beautiful) scissors in the world, here are the women who create extraordinarily high quality paintbrushes with decades of experience behind them, this man and his son use ultra rare goat hair to create exquisite calligraphy brushes, and... here's a guy who finger painted dots onto a canvas. like honestly it truly is offensive to put that in a video showcasing these master craftsmen

    • @RallyTheTally
      @RallyTheTally 2 місяці тому

      Modern art hates beauty, that's why it's so vile.

  • @MusicAccount0102
    @MusicAccount0102 8 місяців тому +13

    I love seeing century-old, or even millenia-old, crafts kept alive, and seeing people appreciate their craft and the items they create. The items made carry so much history behind them; all the knowledge and creativity, the sourcing of the raw materials, the trail and error, and the people behind them. Hundreds or thousands of years of mankind's invention!

  • @brittany9725
    @brittany9725 Рік тому +77

    Most people don't appreciate how expensive art is to produce.

    • @floridafrostbite8002
      @floridafrostbite8002 Рік тому +17

      Nor the time it takes to learn and produce.

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Рік тому +2

      Yeah, the people at the art factory work long hours.

    • @Robalogot
      @Robalogot Рік тому +8

      too many people think the quality of the art supplies is what makes quality art

    • @thecatjall7848
      @thecatjall7848 10 місяців тому

      ​@@Robalogotthat's true

    • @barbaraseville4139
      @barbaraseville4139 10 місяців тому +4

      @@Robalogot The quality of the art supplies absolutely affects the quality of the art. It’s a clue to the artist’s self-respect, respect for the product, and respect for the purchaser. Rothko comes to mind.

  • @SeymaPRCKLI
    @SeymaPRCKLI Рік тому +92

    I admire Japanese how they can still manage to hold on traditional work and put great effort for it.

    • @poppachoppa8956
      @poppachoppa8956 Рік тому +3

      me too!

    • @jtris01
      @jtris01 10 місяців тому +2

      Part of those traditional virtues is what is destroying Japanese society today.

    • @HollowBagel
      @HollowBagel 7 місяців тому +2

      I imagine it has something to do with the rigorous caste system of years past, and also the isolationism. Globalization is the mortal enemy of traditionalism, and Japan's youth today reflects that, with increasingly fewer people still continuing these traditional crafts.
      The caste system was divided between labourers of different skills. So over hundreds of years, you would find that the same families are still doing the exact same thing, since there was basically no way for peasants to move up in the caste system. The highest of the merchants were probably the only people with any upwards mobility in the ranks.
      So there would be families that do the same thing for generations, teaching their increasingly specialized and expert skills to their children. With the end of Japan's isolationism in the 1800's, and with the start of modern globalization, there was lessening focus on the traditional crafts, and more focus put towards modern or even just new traditional crafts from other countries.
      They became isolated again in the late 1800's-early 1900's, but then after WW2, their doors were basically smashed open to welcome the outside world completely. That's when traditional Japanese crafts were basically thrown out to welcome the easier and newer industries.

  • @namehere8099
    @namehere8099 6 місяців тому +5

    Mr. Hata said he started making that brush when he was 50 and he's now 70 years old! Dude looks like he hasn't aged! 🙌🏽💯

  • @fairlyfashionablefella8645
    @fairlyfashionablefella8645 Рік тому +1291

    Money laundering makes art expensive

  • @Vermiliontea
    @Vermiliontea Рік тому +325

    It was really cool to see the actual women who have made a handful of my brushes. 😀 I appreciate that.
    The section on oil paint was a bit BS'itty, considering the mentioned pigments. Tyrian purple has never been used in oil paint. It's way too substandard and fugitive. Tyrian Purple is, as was said previously, a collector's item. It has no practical use, as it's inferior to all other purple colorants in every way. 'Purple Lake' was historically a purple variant made from Cochineal insects, not snails. Today it's usually a Quinacridone. They also never ran out of Mummies. (there were plenty of them, in Egypt they even used mummies as fuel for the steam engines of a railway). They ran out of social acceptance, as society emerged from the gritty medieval ages (people were quite upset, at least one artist held funeral services for Mummy paint). And Mummy was also fugitive and thus unsuitable for permanent work. Cobalt Blue is not expensive because of the process temperature. Synthetic Ultramarine is in the furnace for 18-20 hours and is fairly cheap. Cobalt Blue is expensive because Cobalt is expensive and toxic, and the pigment's properties (extreme permanence) are little sought after outside the art material market. Thus it's not mass produced, which makes it even more expensive. Production volume is a major reason for cost of pigments. Even pigments which were difficult to develop and are extremely difficult to synthetize, eventually come down in price, if there is a sizeable market asking for them, thus driving mass production processes. The car, ceramic tiles and sign industries' demands for durable colors, is what has driven the emergence of fairly affordable modern fast pigments.
    Iron Oxide/Hydroxide pigments are the most important colored pigments in the world. They are also the most important Art pigments. They are in many ways the very best pigments there are. Synthetic Iron Oxide pigments can be a bit disappointing for artist use, but on the other hand we are running out of good natural deposits. Mining sludge from old mines, for pigment, seem like a brilliant idea. I was really happy to see this.
    The last section, on modern art, blah. 🤨

    • @janemiettinen5176
      @janemiettinen5176 Рік тому +16

      I gotta tell this to someone who gets it, I ruined my favorite Kolinsky. I forgot it in a bag, that I left out at our balcony (I spilled booze on it and it stank horrible, promptly forgot I meant to wash it), thought for months that Ive lost it some weird way, found my outdoors painting back again, opened it and.. moths had eaten every single hair! Ill admit, I cried. I was so mad with myself, just looked at the empty ferrule and bawled. And I ruined 3 cheaper, but loved sable brushes by forgetting them in water for three days, when our cat had medical emergency. That only stung a bit, I was mostly happy the cat was ok, but I wasnt that excited about my newly made sable hair soup.. When I told my husband, he just shrugged and told to buy new ones, but these were my babies. Only a fellow artist understands.

    • @redpusey
      @redpusey Рік тому +2

      Thanks for your observations. Most informative.

    • @tylerthegrimm
      @tylerthegrimm Рік тому +5

      Well you seem like you know what you're talking about so I'll agree with you. I don't know anything about art, but like knowing how things are made. I also don't like bs

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Рік тому +12

      I didn't understand the point about 'only women can make the brushes'. The narrator said because of 'dexterity', but that's a non-sequitur. If women have better dexterity then all the best surgeons would be women. I think what he meant to say is that men aren't interested in a brush-making career.

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Рік тому

      @@janemiettinen5176 You sound like a very irresponsible type -- I'm not an artist, but I do use sable brushes in my work, and even a $5 sable brush is always immediately cleaned and pointed, after every use. If you switch to bulk brushes 100/pack or 200/pack, you'll have much less stress about it. Don't fight against your personality... go with the flow. Use the cheapies and throw them away after use. No more crying.

  • @lanettelambert2994
    @lanettelambert2994 3 місяці тому +3

    It’s beautiful to see the value of quality exceed quantity and monetary success. You can tell these people take pride in their work above all else

  • @CrustyUgg
    @CrustyUgg Рік тому +21

    Something that is so crazy and hard to comprehend is just how much time and how many trials and errors went into perfecting every single thing on this planet basically

    • @yellowblanka6058
      @yellowblanka6058 25 днів тому

      Billions of people live more comfortably with better health and technology etc. because a few percent of the total number of human beings devoting themselves to lives of painstaking research, artistry, trial-and-error - even something we consider as "simple" as the incandescent light-bulb took years of research to perfect. This is also why broad access to higher quality education is so important - we need to encourage that intellect, curiosity, creativity in the select few that are capable of creating world-changing technologies. We really should be venerating these researchers, artists etc. over social-media figures, athletes etc.

  • @mndlessdrwer
    @mndlessdrwer 4 місяці тому +10

    Sumi-e ink is one of those heritage crafts that, if the market truly demanded it, could readily be scaled through the use of automation. However, the artists and calligraphers who use the ink value the craftsmanship behind the inks that they use as much as the ink itself. So even if you could use industrial processes to produce an identical product, that isn't really what they want for their pieces. Maybe they would use those ink sticks to practice with, but for the calligraphy or paintings that they intent to pass on or sell, they would want something with more heritage and tradition behind it.
    Having used a few different grades of brushes while painting, I can 100% understand the demand for high quality brushes. Particularly if you work in washes and tints. Working with thicker media like undiluted oil paints and acrylics, you can readily make due with lower quality synthetic brushes that have the right spring force and shape, but if you use thin paints like watercolor and gouache, or thinned out washes of acrylic or oil paint, then the way a higher quality brush loads and dispenses this thinner paint is priceless to you.

  • @wmpowell8
    @wmpowell8 10 місяців тому +14

    Someone once said that the most important factor in the value of an artwork is its noticeability; it doesn't matter the reason for which it is noticed. That person was the creator of the font Comic Sans, and that's why he considers it a success (despite many people absolutely despising it).

    • @spracketskooch
      @spracketskooch День тому

      Despising Comic Sans is a meme. Hardly anyone actually cares either way.

    • @romywhite290
      @romywhite290 13 годин тому

      All press is good press. But also Comic Sans is great for people with Dyslexia.

  • @rooteddwellings
    @rooteddwellings Рік тому +87

    Anyone saying Tax fraud doesn't understand the majority of art... As a artist and a wife with a bachelor of fine arts. almost 90% of all art is not tax write offs and most artists struggle and their mediums are very expensive. support artists!

    • @elixier33
      @elixier33 Рік тому

      Look me I don't care what you have to say no one has to spend 30 grand on the f****** brush. Sorry but while I don't think that people should buy cheap rubbish there is no way that anyone with any brains is going to buy anything like this you can do just as good with synthetic stuff. This is just fraud all the way and they are laughing at you all the way to the bank bank.

    • @hxhdfjifzirstc894
      @hxhdfjifzirstc894 Рік тому

      'Tax write offs' don't have anything to do with it. It's MONEY LAUNDERING. For example, say a foreign country like China wants to pay Joe Biden to do something. So they 'buy' a 'painting' from his son, Hunter, for $500,000. Obviously he's not an artist. It's a doodle he did while he wash high, and not worth any money at all, let alone $500,000. So, Hunter passes the money to Joe, in exchange for a small piece of the action (he's a bag man).
      The crime is Joe Biden selling his elected office to a foreign country, not 'tax fraud'. But of course, he can't report that duffel bag full of cash on his taxes, because it will require him to explain where it came from. So, tax fraud is just a side effect of influence peddling.

    • @MiScusi69
      @MiScusi69 Рік тому +6

      Modern art does not deserve any recognition though

    • @TheMuffinBurgler
      @TheMuffinBurgler Рік тому +6

      @@MiScusi69 Of course it does. Art is art.

    • @iliketowatch.
      @iliketowatch. Рік тому +1

      Most great artists die broke and unappreciated. It's the artists like Thomas Kinkade who achieve fame and fortune within their lifetimes. I'm sorry; I realize it's not fair.

  • @yunnbachi
    @yunnbachi 11 місяців тому +25

    I've always wanted to explore the cultures around the world that are less recognized than what are usually commercialized. Lacquer painting really is an intricate form of art and I got to know about the Tyrian purple dye only now. Thank you for the video!

  • @QuantumKatmusic
    @QuantumKatmusic 8 місяців тому +6

    When it comes to quality, as you go up in quality, price increases intensely for small changes. There is a uniqueness too when something is made via traditional, human spirited technique , not just admirable for the difficulty of it, but because to a highly knowledgeable and experienced artist or collector can both see and appreciate these nuances that a typical person would overlook, or perhaps see but not understand what makes an ink, or an art peice have a powerful spirit and beauty to them.
    I dont think this belittles modern inks or paints or artistic products that have created a fast and cheap "good enough" replacement , these are equally amazing discoveries , and sadly as the world constantly evolves, we lose some of these ancient industries , just as certain species go extinct, so too do our materials needed to recreate a moment in art history. I hope all these master craftsmen can continue their work as long as they are able. Its a lotus among so much murk and darkness that our world struggles through

  • @thebush6077
    @thebush6077 Рік тому +26

    Fully convinced Japan is really good at overcomplicating and over perfecting things

    • @spracketskooch
      @spracketskooch День тому +1

      "And as I licked the flavor off the inside of the popcorn bag, I became one with the salt. My spirit melted like the butter" - Japanese man describing how and why he dedicated 70 years of his life to being the best popcorn bag licker.

    • @AgentOffice
      @AgentOffice 10 годин тому

      They did well with kamikazes

  • @floridafarmingfamily9955
    @floridafarmingfamily9955 Рік тому +24

    😱WOW... I DEFINITELY was NOT expecting that voice @ 23:13 but TBH... it was a nice lil' unexpected surprise!! LOL🤪

  • @arshinin4419
    @arshinin4419 Рік тому +16

    And yet people ask artist to sell artworks for free😑

  • @Metzli
    @Metzli 8 місяців тому +6

    I have some kolinsky sable brushes. They were indeed expensive, but my teachers explained they were essential to get the best watercolouring possible :)

  • @willthomsen7569
    @willthomsen7569 Рік тому +7

    Those poor guys in the soot room covered in black oil soot with no mask and no shoes should receive both and I’m sure a raise too. That’s what we call externalized cost

  • @LoveHandle4890
    @LoveHandle4890 Рік тому +187

    “Art is anything you can get away with.” -Andy Warhol.

    • @MossyMozart
      @MossyMozart Рік тому +6

      @Based - The same with any capitalist commodity or service.

    • @MiScusi69
      @MiScusi69 Рік тому +2

      @@MossyMozart EXACTLY

    • @cionm7077
      @cionm7077 11 місяців тому

      People always get so many likes for commenting the most obvious things. Every single person knows is subjective.

    • @mikaelafox6106
      @mikaelafox6106 3 місяці тому

      Heh, Andy should know! 😂😂

    • @marikothecheetah9342
      @marikothecheetah9342 3 місяці тому

      Oh yes, good ol' Andy got asway with blatant stealing from other, less known artists. :/

  • @HappySlappyFace
    @HappySlappyFace 3 місяці тому +2

    Im Tunisian and this is the first time i heard of Ghassen and his insane dedication 😭

  • @MrPhotodoc
    @MrPhotodoc 7 місяців тому +2

    Nice to see fine hand crafted items carefully made to last in an age where low quality and high quantity items are everywhere.

  • @barbaraseville4139
    @barbaraseville4139 Рік тому +9

    I live in the Piedmont region of the USA……the “foot of the mountain “. Our soils contain high concentrations of iron oxides, eroded and oxidized ancient mountains, of which the Appalachians are the remnants. I harvested everything I could get my hands on to make various colors of paint……the resulting paintings made a show I called, “Dirty Pictures”. Fun! Quite crude compared to the Gamblin suppliers’ pigments. I’m going to order some of those right away!

  • @paranoiarpincess
    @paranoiarpincess 10 місяців тому +60

    As an artist, what bothers me about pieces that look like they were just slopped together is that there are people out there who put months into their work, use multiple skills to make massive pieces of mixed media art and get absolutely zero for them, despite only charging a miniscule portion of the millions the other pieces go for, and have people just telling them their work isn't worth that much. I've personally sold a few pieces maxing out around $50 and I'm genuinely worried about posting a piece I am going to charge $500 for for exactly that reason, despite my over 25 years of experience, multiple different types of classes and courses as well as continued practice with the help of teachers and university taught artists on UA-cam, the use of multiple types of media and it being genuinely aesthetically pleasing on an objective level. I'm not saying I'm amazing at art but it is pretty and there are years of knowledge and experience behind it and still I feel like I would be cheating people out of money even thought in the art world $500 is really not all that much.

    • @gladitsnotme
      @gladitsnotme 9 місяців тому

      You need to target filthy rich people. Your customer base isn't bougie enough. Your customers like pretty things, bazillionaires don't. The uglier the better.

    • @Iremiah
      @Iremiah 8 місяців тому +20

      Hey man, I totally get you.
      However as a fellow artist who also keeps learning I have to tell you:
      Your art is never about technique or how personally you see it. It's about the vallue you produce for others.
      So tell your story and vallue yourself, sell it for 1000 instead of 500, MAKE others vallue your art.
      It's about creating vallue through storytelling. In short: MARKETING!

    • @paranoiarpincess
      @paranoiarpincess 8 місяців тому +4

      @@Iremiah I totally get you. I ended up paying it as an auction. It starts at $500 and as soon as the first person interested says they want it for $500 the war begins. People then have a week to make their bid and the highest bid wins.
      *I haven't received a single one*
      So I really can't expect to ever get $500 for it, let alone $1k. That said, I only showed it to my Instagram followers, and well, a heck of a lot of people scrolling specific related hashtags but that's had the potential of an upwards of tens of thousands of people seeing my art and it's price and not a single bid, but that's not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
      If you have any advice about where to post, that would be a massive help. I do plan to post on Reddit though. I'm just not quite yet sure where. I plan to look up and check out multiple at selling related subs.

    • @Iremiah
      @Iremiah 8 місяців тому +9

      @@paranoiarpincess well. Know your audience. What people are those? Are they poor students/very normal people? If yes, they would never pay more than 100 bucks for art. If that's the case, sell art prints for 5-25$ or downloadable digital content.
      Rich people don't care about the quality of art. If you can make yourself be memorable to them, they will gladly use your art to laundry money.

    • @paranoiarpincess
      @paranoiarpincess 8 місяців тому +3

      @@Iremiah it's insanely depressing how right you are about that. The rich people thing that is. I fully plan to make prints and I know a few people who would buy those. Thing is, my art is 3D so the originals are SO much better, and not just because they're original.

  • @petroshingalana8556
    @petroshingalana8556 9 місяців тому +1

    Amazing peoples that love so much what they do ❤ how bless the artists are to use these oils..be blessed each one ❤️

  • @evelynramos445
    @evelynramos445 9 місяців тому

    Detailed process and patience that goes along with it!

  • @ToudaHell
    @ToudaHell Рік тому +33

    Art has always been expensive. That's why historically artists have noble patrons to pat for it. The higher quality equipment one require, the more expensive it is.

  • @ayeshaclassesgk
    @ayeshaclassesgk Рік тому +3

    Grt❣️Thank you for creating this lovely vdo | So kind of you always, keep it up!

  • @mitch8235
    @mitch8235 9 місяців тому

    Great work! Thank you for this compilation. I enjoyed watching and learning from it.

  • @MakeupMobster
    @MakeupMobster 8 місяців тому +1

    This was a cool video. I love the craftsmanship and love that these people have for their craft.

  • @PamelaLUSAF
    @PamelaLUSAF Рік тому +14

    Fantastic collection of artisan stories!

  • @alyssatheexcellent
    @alyssatheexcellent Рік тому +8

    It just goes to show you- quality is never achieved with mass production- but rather with human skill and passion and patience.

    • @some.generic.username5254
      @some.generic.username5254 Рік тому +1

      Pretty sure machines would do the same job with more precision, less health adversaries and ofcourse faster

    • @alyssatheexcellent
      @alyssatheexcellent Рік тому +3

      @@some.generic.username5254 you’re not disproving my point.

  • @lucky1u
    @lucky1u 9 місяців тому +2

    Fantastic, I love when people work so hard to create something brilliant out of something devastating. Thank you, wishing you all the best of luck in your mission.😊

  • @Crow4o
    @Crow4o Рік тому +12

    I really hope those guys that make the ink are generously payd for this job.

  • @_nihongo_jouzu_
    @_nihongo_jouzu_ Рік тому +14

    Its the artist's effort that makes it special. The blood, sweat, and tears give meaning to art

  • @MsMousepusher
    @MsMousepusher Рік тому +8

    That acid mine water is what the Mayan's used to soften granite rock so their walls would fit together so exactly. There's an interesting video by Ancient Architects about it.

    • @E-Kat
      @E-Kat Місяць тому

      Thank you very much for this information. I never heard about this. How incredibly interesting! 👍

  • @E-Kat
    @E-Kat Місяць тому

    On a miserable, dark and rainy day, this program is very inspiring and it cheers my heart. Thank you ❤

  • @DrBrunoRecipes
    @DrBrunoRecipes 7 місяців тому +1

    Absolutely amazing 🤩

  • @bubbles581
    @bubbles581 11 місяців тому +5

    love the craftspeople in this, especially the snail guy!

  • @wesco123
    @wesco123 Рік тому +13

    Absolutely stunning mastery of their arts. The price of the end result is the cost of the creators life who perfected the excellence. Let us celebrate the masters 🙌👌

  • @elishahankin6465
    @elishahankin6465 14 днів тому

    This is a beautiful, natural craft.❤

  • @tuxedonoir7970
    @tuxedonoir7970 Рік тому +13

    Can we get the British and Japanese brush and ink makers together and just kinda see what happens?

  • @userbythename7015
    @userbythename7015 Рік тому +10

    "we have to be very careful about over harvesting" ... "I used 800lbs of snails to dye this scarf and im not finished yet"

  • @naynay3710
    @naynay3710 8 місяців тому +1

    This was incredibly interesting! I love seeing how other artists create but especially when they do things that are either traditional and old or in a different way than what most people do nowadays. The only thing that concerns me, is the second to the last one about the reclaiming pollution. I know people don't eat paint, but artists get paint on them all the time. Also, they were talking about using it in a lot of ways that people would come in contact with it, including make-up. Maybe I missed something, but I didn't notice them talking about making the product safe.

  • @HelenCamile63
    @HelenCamile63 6 місяців тому +1

    I’ve used inexpensive (low end) sumi and it is a treat to use and see the results. So black and smooth. I can only imagine how delightful high end sumi feels and looks.

  • @nerd26373
    @nerd26373 Рік тому +16

    This is mesmerizing to watch. No wonder they are remarkably expensive.

  • @mikaelaskalberg3640
    @mikaelaskalberg3640 9 місяців тому +4

    it is so soothing to see its skilled people. I'm not a big fan of today's industries and waste! this is so durable in the long run! we need to go back in time and take care of what we have and live more sustainably! ❤️

  • @Vikanuck
    @Vikanuck 2 години тому

    36:15 Dude has the most rocking beard I’ve ever seen in my life.
    I mean, the rest of us shampoo, oil, trim, shape and pamper our freakin face hair and call it ‘effort’… but this dude has managed to grow solid 12 hairs on his chin to a respectable length, and maintain them just as they are without feeling the need to give up and just say - ‘Ahh screw it I can’t grow facial hair’ and then cut those lil’ whiskers off… and I call that sheer dedication… at least more than any of us will ever know or understand in a single lifetime 🙇🏻‍♂️ 👏 👏 👏

  • @GeeEmming
    @GeeEmming 8 місяців тому +3

    The entire modern "art" segment triggered tf out of me

  • @liaml.e.5964
    @liaml.e.5964 Рік тому +13

    With all other examples you can see people loving their craft with passion... with modern art you can see a bunch of pretenders trying to defend the reason for their scam; no soul, no finesse, no function, only pretenses.

    • @RyunoOhi
      @RyunoOhi 4 місяці тому +2

      Same thing now with A.I. "art."

    • @spracketskooch
      @spracketskooch День тому

      @@RyunoOhi At least AI art is sometimes aesthetically pleasing. I can't say I've enjoyed looking at any contemporary art. I do laugh and puke when someone calls themselves and "AI artist" though.

  • @petrovicanita1400
    @petrovicanita1400 Рік тому +1

    51:12 was my favorite one
    The hol time I watched it I was so comforting 🥰

  • @phaeb
    @phaeb 6 місяців тому +1

    I really appreciate how this narrator always makes an effort to pronounce foreign words as authentically as possible.

  • @Sillydilly321
    @Sillydilly321 Рік тому +3

    I did NOT expect the Tyrian guy to sound like that.

  • @peace4myheart
    @peace4myheart Рік тому +9

    I can listen to the narrator's voice all day long. Watching an interesting topic at the same time is just a bonus. JAJAJA

  • @nancytestani1470
    @nancytestani1470 7 місяців тому +1

    Just absolutely fascinating..amazing

  • @user-cp3kt5og1y
    @user-cp3kt5og1y 5 місяців тому

    This was an amazing documentary! Thank you

  • @florincba
    @florincba Рік тому +8

    I feel bad for the animals involved in these processes.

  • @jen7662
    @jen7662 Рік тому +27

    Interesting contrast of the craftsman clips with the abstract painting clip. While abstraction art is interesting it’s arguably easiest to con people with an abstract painting vs. the years of dedication needed to be a blacksmith, inkmaker, etc. I still really enjoy thought provoking abstract art…I just don’t know if it’s worth millions.

  • @hanzflackshnack1158
    @hanzflackshnack1158 Місяць тому

    My series 7 was a gift from my instructor for graduating top of my class. I wouldn't spend that much for the minimal advantages over modern brushes but if you have one already, it's hard to deny they feel beautiful to paint with.

  • @juliesczesny90
    @juliesczesny90 26 днів тому +1

    I'm so happy, that some of my iron oxide paints are recycled from this muck, so it's helping to clean up the environment! I love Iron Violet

  • @Bryan-C
    @Bryan-C Рік тому +7

    @41:15 so we're just going to ignore the fact that the only thing he had to say about the practice of using crushed up human remains as pigment was that it was perfect for some flesh tones?

  • @PurpleOpinionM
    @PurpleOpinionM Рік тому +7

    You guys should do Araish plaster from Rajsthan, its quite stunning and made with am interesting number of food ingredients

  • @donnahague8983
    @donnahague8983 17 годин тому

    I am in awe watching this… They do such an amazing job and it’s so tedious…. Crazy how talented they are. I could never afford anything they make but, WOW…

  • @kenboydart
    @kenboydart 8 місяців тому

    I would like everyone in the world to see this video, it would actually benefit anyone

  • @lucianoromero777
    @lucianoromero777 Рік тому +12

    I love when the paint is rollled like that 🤤

  • @delasahahmed5185
    @delasahahmed5185 Рік тому +4

    Brilliant...appreciate all of works

  • @jackmundo4043
    @jackmundo4043 Рік тому +1

    Absolutely fascinating.

  • @gabsjohnson2652
    @gabsjohnson2652 Місяць тому

    Ordering a pair of bonsai scissors tonight. Thank you for your beautiful craftsmanship.❣️

  • @splcsh8570
    @splcsh8570 Рік тому +6

    The ink sticks were cool

  • @dianarickson2255
    @dianarickson2255 Рік тому +11

    They could have left the modern art out.

    • @KRYTEK-141
      @KRYTEK-141 8 місяців тому +1

      That's your opinion, also I don't exactly see why they could've left it out other than money laundering

  • @AVOWIRENEWS
    @AVOWIRENEWS 3 місяці тому

    Wow, exploring the world of premium arts and art supplies sounds absolutely fascinating! Art, in its many forms, has always been a captivating expression of human creativity, and the materials used can be just as intriguing as the artworks themselves. Whether it's rare pigments, luxurious canvases, or historical art pieces, each item tells a unique story and contributes to the richness of the art world. It's amazing to think about the dedication and passion artists invest in their craft, often using such extraordinary tools and materials to bring their visions to life. Art truly is a window into different cultures and eras, offering us glimpses of beauty and innovation that transcend time and space.

  • @chaudharyfahadali4838
    @chaudharyfahadali4838 5 місяців тому +1

    Superb craftsman ship, loved it

  • @jimbosnice
    @jimbosnice Рік тому +4

    49:29 whenever i use brushes from Sally's workspace #7, they seem to flow on my canvas like only a true English river of saliva can 👍 👌

  • @kingocto
    @kingocto Рік тому +6

    I seriously don't understand how a fragile, timely, and expensive process like this could be sustainable in an economy. If I made a product that needs specialists that require 10 years of training, making a product that can go bad, there's just no way it'd work. But.. here we are!

  • @42069daddysgirl
    @42069daddysgirl 4 місяці тому +1

    We made tattoo ink in a similar way collecting soot from a make shift baby oil and toilet paper candle and put a paper bag over it when I was in Taiwan there was nothing more satisfying than seeing artists use my ink I was working in one of the 5% shops for ink There’s something about being a part of passion influenced by creativity it’s a good feeling even without pay

  • @suew4609
    @suew4609 8 місяців тому

    To me, art needs to move the soul, to inspire, to evoke emotion, to captivate. I need to feel something when I look at a piece of art. It must speak to me to be good.

  • @mannyyoutube3259
    @mannyyoutube3259 Рік тому +5

    If I were the snail and my gland was getting cut right off while Im still alive, I'd turn purple too 😱

  • @babagalacticus
    @babagalacticus Рік тому +5

    by the gods it's SOOO refreshing & calming to get away from the socio-political sewer & be reminded that humans also do wonderful, lovely, ingenious things as well. but it's sad to reflect that japan's continually falling birth rate & the persistent lure of making $$$$, threaten all these sublime ancient arts.
    thank you & bless you for this excellent reportage. 💗👍

  • @debrajohnson8030
    @debrajohnson8030 Рік тому

    Amazing craftsmanship!!!

  • @teptime
    @teptime Рік тому +1

    It's amazing, how many points of departure can exist in the seemingly simplest of things.

  • @willigee7885
    @willigee7885 Рік тому +6

    good show, apart from from the snail murdering

  • @TheRealTrididos
    @TheRealTrididos Рік тому +3

    The cruelty of Tyrian