Escoda uses all kinds of animal hairs from the sable or Russian squirrel, the European ox, the badger and Chinese hogs, the North American polecat, the Indian mongoose or the Mongolian pony. Synthetic fibers, such as Toray, Teijin or Tadami, come in a wide range of colors, imitations and durability. In short, the finest raw materials available and the best prepared, without compromise and no blends and no mixes.
The head of the brush
With the aid of small moulds, string and fingernails, Escoda’s expert brush-making hands bring the most important part of the brush to life: the tuft. Different shapes and thicknesses are created according to artists` requirements.
The root
This part is attached to the skin of the animal or end of the fiber. It lies hidden inside the ferrule, but is just as important as the visible part. Glue is deposited in the root to ensure the perfect bonding of the two parts.
Ferrule
Essential for a good brush. It holds the hair, bristle or fiber at one end and the handle at the other. A quality ferrule is made of brass and determines the brush number and shape, either round or flat. It may be plated in nickel or 14-carat gold.
Crimp
A design exclusive to Escoda which sets it apart from other brands. The triple crimping ensures that the ferrule and the handle are perfectly interlocked.
Handle
Handles are made from the light-weight wood of birch or ramin that never warps and covered in up to five layers of nitrocellulose varnish, allowing the natural wood grain to show through. Our brand offers handles in a wide variety of colours and perfectly finished. Choose from mahogany, blue, green, burgundy, mustard, brown, clear, black, red and grey (the last two also combined with a black end stripe). The handle supports the tip of the brush and assists the artist in manipulation. Engraved on the handle are the number, logo, trademark, reference number and manufacturing country. A world of information in an improbable curved space.
The end of a long process
After an average of around ten to twelve mostly manual operations, the brush is ready for the artist to begin work. However, the final stage in this process is exclusive to Escoda. Every brush receives this special curing treatment to ensure that the tuft keeps its shape, increasing its spring and recovery; and this applies to fine hair, bristle or synthetic fibers. This operation is exclusively ours and is unknown to any other manufacturer in the world.
FINE HAIR AND BRISTLE. NATURAL MATERIALS
The most important part of the brush is the tuft. Made from the hair of certain animals, it is thoroughly boiled, to ensure that it is clean and sterile, then it is classified and prepared according to length. These hairs offer certain qualities that cannot be found in any artificial material. And there are also considerable differences between them, so that brushes can be produced for all kinds of painting techniques. The most important types of fiber and hairs are given below.
Kolinsky sable. This is the hair par excellence. It is extracted from the tail for its incredible springiness. Shiny light brown in colour, it stipples perfectly and has an incredible capacity for retaining liquids. Given its characteristics, it can be used for both oil and watercolour. For specific series, Escoda uses the highly valued Tajmyr variety, from north Western Siberia.
Petit Gris. This is taken from the tail of squirrels from the Kazan region, 600 km to the east of Moscow. It is shiny dark blue and the softest of all the fine hairs. Due to its low viscosity, it holds water perfectly. It stipples to perfection and has just the right flexibility, making it ideal for watercolour, ceramics and porcelain, in particular.
Ox. The hair is taken from inside the ear of this animal. It may have been used for cave painting by Paleolithic Man and, in all probability, by Egyptian artists to decorate the interior of the tombs of the Pharaohs. Not particularly good for stippling, it does hold watercolour, synthetic and light oil well. Ox-ear hair can be found all over the world, but the best is undoubtedly the European light brown. The black or dun-coloured ox is not so well appreciated.
Polecat. This prolific animal lives in extremely cold areas. It has a short tail and, like the sable, belongs to the mustelid family. The hair is greyish-black, tough and quite springy. However, a round brush doesn`t stipple well.
Bristle. This raw material is the most frequently used and fortunately the most abundant. It is essentially taken from the hog`s back. It is very springy and has a curiously forked tip. This feature enables it to move smoothly across the canvas, with the advantage that it spreads colour in a uniform fashion. Ideal for painting in oil and acrylics, for decorating walls or for enamelling and varnishing wood.
FIBERS. ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS
Around 30 years ago, Japan created the first synthetic polymers or artificial monofilaments, made especially for fine art brushes". With no hesitation whatsoever, Escoda threw itself into the unknown believing that it might be good for painting. Fully aware of the professional craftsmanship of our brushmakers, production began on brushes made from artificial materials, hitherto unknown. Added to this were two unusual features: the tip of the fiber was tapered and conical. Its name: Toray. Despite the initial reticence of artists towards using a synthetic fibers, it soon became clear that this new "hair" responded well. It was springy, stippled perfectly, absorbed liquid easily and was often more durable than animal hair. Now 30 years later, we use six different types of artificial fibers that combine diameters, conical shapes and colours and enable us to cover the entire range of pictorial techniques. Below is an analysis of the features of the six T’s, from the softest to the stiffest:
White or gold Toray. Both highly suitable for gouache and watercolour. The somewhat higher consistency of gold Toray makes it ideal for working with acrylics or oils with low viscosity.
Gold or black Tame. Sophistication taken to the highest level. A perfect imitation of the marten`s natural colouring. A shiny light brown "belly", which gradually darkens towards the tip. The one in black is also a good imitation of the genet.
Takatsu. This filament comes in three tones. It has a broad yellowish base and a dark "belly", which ends in an extremely fine, white tip. The mixture of diameters, in a difficult balance, make it ideal for oil, acrylics or watercolour. It has a consistency midway between Toray and Teijin fibers.
Tadami. A special fiber that is a true imitation of mongoose hair. Most of the belly is made up of light and dark narrow strips, followed by a yellowish part, ending in a dark tip. A marvelous piece of camouflage and mongoose imitation. It has a similar response to Teijin.
Teijin. This fibre is dark burgundy, with filaments of up to 0.14 mm thick and was conceived for acrylics and thick oils or for painting on cotton and silk. It is highly resistant to thinners. The round shape, whether in large or small sizes, permits the same precise control as brushes of fine hair.
Tekady. 0.20 mm fibre. Yellowy-white. An almost perfect imitation of hog bristle and with a tip that is split. Good consistency and stiffness, it invariably leaves the stroke on the canvas. Certainly only good for oil painting.
