I really needed to see this! I have been wanting to get a set of craftamo brushes for a while now because sooooo many people rave about them and some of my favorite artists have sets with them. The prices were hard to swallow so I never bit the bullet and now I am super happy I didn’t. ❤
I haven't seen a Craftamo brush that didn't also look like a super cheap brush I'd already seen from the crapton of Chinese listings in the online shops in SE Asia, just with different color combos. Thanks for another interesting and excellent review.
Ok last comment in this video! I have looked very hard at Sarah Burns brush/gouache subscription! I believe she had a LOT to do with the package and everything else that goes into the whole experience, from the brushes included to the gouache tubes of color and her projects she has included! I hope I find more people getting the 6 or 12 month subscription offers! Now that she has completed the series we can start anytime and progress at our own pace! I will be looking for videos featuring her collaboration with Craftamo! I have watched Lindsay’s brush unboxing and she was happy with her collection, but said that she was not going to push them and she asked her viewers to only buy them if they were truly needed or were looking for a way to support her and her channel. I seldom buy sets unless I want all the sizes in the set and the brushes cost less per brush in the set! I say buy a brush or two work with it then decide if you want more from that line of brushes. I select the #12 brush as I was taught this is the most versatile round brush made. So I have more #12’s in different brands and lines of brushes! I wonder if you have a turn to brush that you simply don’t have enough of this brush?
Watercolour landscape paintings put me off using watercolour for so many years because all the ones I'd seen were mushy muddy looking green and blue vague things (I like detail). It wasn't until I took my kids to their art class and an illustrator was doing a one-off lesson there that I saw how vibrant and detailed watercolours could be and realised how versatile they were. Needless to say I now love watercolour but I'm still wary of landscapes, lol. Having said that, my comfort drawing when I'm ill hasn't changed from when I was a kid and that's to make a scene that does have mountains, trees, rivers in it but it's as a background for drawing a odd little house for someone to live in, then giving them a vegetable plot, some fruit trees, bushes with berries, mushrooms, fishing gear, maybe a cart for market...there's something about it that really soothes me. Maybe one day I'll get as far as an actual landscape.
Hullo Becca, I am just 34:00 minutes in and I have been disappointed in most online quizzes too! I learned all my watercolor and painting techniques from my Grandmother from 10 to 13 years old when at 13 my Mom let me get a library card! My Gran was not interested in portraits so any kind of people painting thatI wanted to do I had to do it myself. After I got a library card the Loomis book of drawing heads and hands was my first checkout! I honestly do not remember books that I have checked out so many years ago. I am not going to recommend any book created in this internet age, maybe not even after 1981 ! I have changed my attitude on synthetic brushes, when I started watercolor using a synthetic brush was foolish in the extreme! They were truly horrible, now the technology of brush making is so advanced as to make the difference in use undetectable by most users. I will say that there is a difference in the cheaper versions of synthetic brushes than the better made ones! I am going to watch more of your video, thanks!
Ok Becca, I just wanted to say that all brushes no matter how they are made are NOT EQUAL! I have use of a true Kolinsky brushes, my Gran used natural hair brushes and I got one of her #12 long belly brush, the kind that are no longer available in many countries. I have used the Princeton brushes from the heritage and soft touch, as well as the Aqua Elite lines of brushes and I believe that they are worth the cost of these brushes. I can recommend Rosemary & Co brushes for all types of brushes. If you are looking for a good basic synthetic watercolor “squirrel hair” brush I like the Mimik brushes I get at Jerry’s Artarama! I have commented on a separate comment about brushes, but I have purchased some costly brushes that are not worth the money I spent! Your expertise and knowledge is appreciated in just how overpriced these sets truly are. Thank you. Please keep going and creating quality content for us.
Thank you for this video. There are so much better and not even that prizy brushes on the market then the craftamo ones. Thank you for being clear about what you think about them! Sometimes I think there are to many people calling themselves artists, while the real artist would never yell that loud😊
I really like how aesthetic those boxes are but I would get stressed about them taking up so much space and me not being able to get rid of them because they are so pretty I would feel bad chucking them (hoarding tendencies)
Kolbie is one of several artists that I follow on UA-cam. I am a beginner and have learned several things from her videos. I have also learned several things from other artists on UA-cam. I have painted about half of Kolbie's lessons in her free Painting the Wilderness course. She may not be my favorite artist, but she has contributed to my learning process. Kolbie explains much of her process and background in her videos. If anyone doesn't like her style and way of doing things, then just don't watch her. Also, formal education in teaching does not necessarily make a good teacher. What makes a good teacher is how one is able to present and explain a subject. So, pick and choose your "teacher" on UA-cam based on how well you can understand and follow that teacher, especially for those of us who are self-taught painters. Finally, I'm sorry...I don't agree with some of the reasons for not liking the book or Kolbie's teaching. I did listen with an open mind and open heart. Everyone has their own opinion, and it's ok to agree to disagree. Thank you for sharing your review and critique.
the fact that everyone seems to fancy themselves a coach (or feel they have to style themselves that way due to perceived market demand) these days kind of kind of grates on my nerves too, Becca (not really thinking of this specific example and i have nothing against this specific artist and wish them well, it’s more the trend I am spotting). Some of that stuff is so patronising. like, I am an artist by training. I may not be a trained watercolour artist but I do not need to be talked down to. I think you are also right in that yes there are people with strong inner critics and even highly trained peeps with strong inner critics… but there may be something of a reinforcing in all the repetition of the critic’s voice and assumptions around it. Like… what if you are ok about something? Would you, say if you were a teen reading this, not start to wonder if there was something wrong with you for not feeling negative about it?
While it’s true not everyone may have a formal art education, please don’t knock the route someone takes to educate themselves. My opinion of your review is that you’re extremely critical of the fact that she’s self taught and then you almost brag about your education while mocking another person’s lack of. I have this book and I found it very helpful in overcoming struggles with certain, not all, techniques in the book.
Oh my god. i survived till 1h20min, when you mentioned that if they cared they would make bamboo brushes. THEY LITERALLY HAVE BAMBOO SET IN THEIR OFFER. It's just handles, not bristles, but still. I am not going to finish this video because the amount of unfair criticism is just beyond words. I can agree we should talk about when something is being greenwashed, but it really feels like its not your main beef with the brand. youre mocking them followin 101 of marketing tactics that EVERYONE uses nowadays, and they use it for genuine products. Were they manufactured off-seas for cheaper for bigger margin? Probably, but if youre going to criticise this i want to know the device you recorded this video on, because i can guarantee that the parts for it were manufactured im Taiwan or China. I came to this video because i wanted a solid review of the brushes itself, as i just ordered a set, because i wanted synthetic brushes for acrylic and goauche - natural hair would not survive these for long, and since buying similar set of Cotmans would cost similar amount of money (seriously, maybe check the prcies in 2024 for 1" brush) i deciced to try Craftamo. What you presented is just a hateful rant about the brand itself ad just a couple of minutes (form TWO HOURS of the video) was a genuine review. I dont remember last time i experienced second hand embarrasement through a review video. well done.
I love this lilipusion style but if they existed why wouldn't they make their habitats around that which exists around them? Their clothing, seems to me, would be made from leaves, mushroom cap hats, candy wrapped dresses, etc. They would have smaller versions of human clothing. Also, would 7 inches be huge in that little world?
Maybe remind ppl animals absolutely must die in order for synthetics to exist. There is absolutely no way around it. Not only that, synthetics are micro plastics. So, people might think a bit about their hypocrisy and wilful ignorance before jumping on a bandwagon.
I believe most crafters would admit that it's easy to fall down a rabbit hole when it comes to purchasing supplies. One only has to view the various art supply hauls on UA-cam to risk getting caught up in the moment and FOMO. I do appreciate getting an inside view of art books when available; I've been disappointed by so many. That said-I have Lindsay Weirich's Craftamo brush set and have been enjoying them. The combination of brushes in that particular set worked out for me, but they enhanced what I already had. And Lindsay is the first to advise followers to check their own inventory to see if something they already have will do the same job. @mjpete27 - I recently purchased the 12 month Sarah Burns subscription box-after considering it for some time-and have been satisfied with the contents so far. I have been following Sarah's channel for some time and watched her video as the boxes were being developed, so I felt comfortable about ordering them. I like the idea of learning at my own pace and knowing that I have the supplies to complete a project.
I really needed to see this! I have been wanting to get a set of craftamo brushes for a while now because sooooo many people rave about them and some of my favorite artists have sets with them. The prices were hard to swallow so I never bit the bullet and now I am super happy I didn’t. ❤
I haven't seen a Craftamo brush that didn't also look like a super cheap brush I'd already seen from the crapton of Chinese listings in the online shops in SE Asia, just with different color combos.
Thanks for another interesting and excellent review.
I so love your honesty in the easily influenced segments.
Ok last comment in this video! I have looked very hard at Sarah Burns brush/gouache subscription! I believe she had a LOT to do with the package and everything else that goes into the whole experience, from the brushes included to the gouache tubes of color and her projects she has included! I hope I find more people getting the 6 or 12 month subscription offers! Now that she has completed the series we can start anytime and progress at our own pace! I will be looking for videos featuring her collaboration with Craftamo! I have watched Lindsay’s brush unboxing and she was happy with her collection, but said that she was not going to push them and she asked her viewers to only buy them if they were truly needed or were looking for a way to support her and her channel. I seldom buy sets unless I want all the sizes in the set and the brushes cost less per brush in the set! I say buy a brush or two work with it then decide if you want more from that line of brushes. I select the #12 brush as I was taught this is the most versatile round brush made. So I have more #12’s in different brands and lines of brushes! I wonder if you have a turn to brush that you simply don’t have enough of this brush?
Watercolour landscape paintings put me off using watercolour for so many years because all the ones I'd seen were mushy muddy looking green and blue vague things (I like detail). It wasn't until I took my kids to their art class and an illustrator was doing a one-off lesson there that I saw how vibrant and detailed watercolours could be and realised how versatile they were. Needless to say I now love watercolour but I'm still wary of landscapes, lol.
Having said that, my comfort drawing when I'm ill hasn't changed from when I was a kid and that's to make a scene that does have mountains, trees, rivers in it but it's as a background for drawing a odd little house for someone to live in, then giving them a vegetable plot, some fruit trees, bushes with berries, mushrooms, fishing gear, maybe a cart for market...there's something about it that really soothes me. Maybe one day I'll get as far as an actual landscape.
one last comment - I love how you used Bowie at the end as your blackout screen hahahaha
Hullo Becca, I am just 34:00 minutes in and I have been disappointed in most online quizzes too! I learned all my watercolor and painting techniques from my Grandmother from 10 to 13 years old when at 13 my Mom let me get a library card! My Gran was not interested in portraits so any kind of people painting thatI wanted to do I had to do it myself. After I got a library card the Loomis book of drawing heads and hands was my first checkout! I honestly do not remember books that I have checked out so many years ago. I am not going to recommend any book created in this internet age, maybe not even after 1981 ! I have changed my attitude on synthetic brushes, when I started watercolor using a synthetic brush was foolish in the extreme! They were truly horrible, now the technology of brush making is so advanced as to make the difference in use undetectable by most users. I will say that there is a difference in the cheaper versions of synthetic brushes than the better made ones! I am going to watch more of your video, thanks!
Ok Becca, I just wanted to say that all brushes no matter how they are made are NOT EQUAL! I have use of a true Kolinsky brushes, my Gran used natural hair brushes and I got one of her #12 long belly brush, the kind that are no longer available in many countries. I have used the Princeton brushes from the heritage and soft touch, as well as the Aqua Elite lines of brushes and I believe that they are worth the cost of these brushes. I can recommend Rosemary & Co brushes for all types of brushes. If you are looking for a good basic synthetic watercolor “squirrel hair” brush I like the Mimik brushes I get at Jerry’s Artarama! I have commented on a separate comment about brushes, but I have purchased some costly brushes that are not worth the money I spent! Your expertise and knowledge is appreciated in just how overpriced these sets truly are. Thank you. Please keep going and creating quality content for us.
Thank you for this video.
There are so much better and not even that prizy brushes on the market then the craftamo ones.
Thank you for being clear about what you think about them!
Sometimes I think there are to many people calling themselves artists, while the real artist would never yell that loud😊
Craftamo gives off Arteza vibes, with a hint of Gucci snobbery😂.
I really like how aesthetic those boxes are but I would get stressed about them taking up so much space and me not being able to get rid of them because they are so pretty I would feel bad chucking them (hoarding tendencies)
Kolbie is one of several artists that I follow on UA-cam. I am a beginner and have learned several things from her videos. I have also learned several things from other artists on UA-cam. I have painted about half of Kolbie's lessons in her free Painting the Wilderness course. She may not be my favorite artist, but she has contributed to my learning process. Kolbie explains much of her process and background in her videos. If anyone doesn't like her style and way of doing things, then just don't watch her.
Also, formal education in teaching does not necessarily make a good teacher. What makes a good teacher is how one is able to present and explain a subject. So, pick and choose your "teacher" on UA-cam based on how well you can understand and follow that teacher, especially for those of us who are self-taught painters.
Finally, I'm sorry...I don't agree with some of the reasons for not liking the book or Kolbie's teaching. I did listen with an open mind and open heart. Everyone has their own opinion, and it's ok to agree to disagree.
Thank you for sharing your review and critique.
Oh no... she's terrible. She's no artist. Anyone picking up a brush last night for the first time can do the "artwork" she "teaches".
the fact that everyone seems to fancy themselves a coach (or feel they have to style themselves that way due to perceived market demand) these days kind of kind of grates on my nerves too, Becca (not really thinking of this specific example and i have nothing against this specific artist and wish them well, it’s more the trend I am spotting). Some of that stuff is so patronising. like, I am an artist by training. I may not be a trained watercolour artist but I do not need to be talked down to. I think you are also right in that yes there are people with strong inner critics and even highly trained peeps with strong inner critics… but there may be something of a reinforcing in all the repetition of the critic’s voice and assumptions around it. Like… what if you are ok about something? Would you, say if you were a teen reading this, not start to wonder if there was something wrong with you for not feeling negative about it?
but also, totally get this is all well-meaning. I just find it a bit grating sometimes
While it’s true not everyone may have a formal art education, please don’t knock the route someone takes to educate themselves. My opinion of your review is that you’re extremely critical of the fact that she’s self taught and then you almost brag about your education while mocking another person’s lack of. I have this book and I found it very helpful in overcoming struggles with certain, not all, techniques in the book.
Craftamo is so overpriced.
Oh my god. i survived till 1h20min, when you mentioned that if they cared they would make bamboo brushes. THEY LITERALLY HAVE BAMBOO SET IN THEIR OFFER. It's just handles, not bristles, but still. I am not going to finish this video because the amount of unfair criticism is just beyond words. I can agree we should talk about when something is being greenwashed, but it really feels like its not your main beef with the brand. youre mocking them followin 101 of marketing tactics that EVERYONE uses nowadays, and they use it for genuine products. Were they manufactured off-seas for cheaper for bigger margin? Probably, but if youre going to criticise this i want to know the device you recorded this video on, because i can guarantee that the parts for it were manufactured im Taiwan or China. I came to this video because i wanted a solid review of the brushes itself, as i just ordered a set, because i wanted synthetic brushes for acrylic and goauche - natural hair would not survive these for long, and since buying similar set of Cotmans would cost similar amount of money (seriously, maybe check the prcies in 2024 for 1" brush) i deciced to try Craftamo. What you presented is just a hateful rant about the brand itself ad just a couple of minutes (form TWO HOURS of the video) was a genuine review. I dont remember last time i experienced second hand embarrasement through a review video. well done.
I love this lilipusion style but if they existed why wouldn't they make their habitats around that which exists around them? Their clothing, seems to me, would be made from leaves, mushroom cap hats, candy wrapped dresses, etc. They would have smaller versions of human clothing. Also, would 7 inches be huge in that little world?
jesus, lady, why are you yelling through this whole video. You didnt like the book, but no need to be so heated about this.
Maybe remind ppl animals absolutely must die in order for synthetics to exist. There is absolutely no way around it. Not only that, synthetics are micro plastics. So, people might think a bit about their hypocrisy and wilful ignorance before jumping on a bandwagon.
I believe most crafters would admit that it's easy to fall down a rabbit hole when it comes to purchasing supplies. One only has to view the various art supply hauls on UA-cam to risk getting caught up in the moment and FOMO. I do appreciate getting an inside view of art books when available; I've been disappointed by so many. That said-I have Lindsay Weirich's Craftamo brush set and have been enjoying them. The combination of brushes in that particular set worked out for me, but they enhanced what I already had. And Lindsay is the first to advise followers to check their own inventory to see if something they already have will do the same job. @mjpete27 - I recently purchased the 12 month Sarah Burns subscription box-after considering it for some time-and have been satisfied with the contents so far. I have been following Sarah's channel for some time and watched her video as the boxes were being developed, so I felt comfortable about ordering them. I like the idea of learning at my own pace and knowing that I have the supplies to complete a project.