To talk about the subject that gathers us today, Innovation, I chose a manual tool that, paradoxically, isn´t new. In fact, this invention was born in the dawn of humanity.

 

That portable object, created in remote prehistoric times, is contemporary of arrows, stick spears, bone harpoons and stone axes. Used in the beginning by the first humans who populated the planet, the utensil has practically the same form and use throughout, literally, thousands of years because no modification was necessary!

 

Then, I suppose you are wondering, my kind reader, why did I select, in order to approach this subject, a simple and primitive rudiment of Paleolithic origin that has not changed practically nothing since the caveman used it for the first time.

 

The reasoning is based on the fact that this small and modest object is precisely a Prehistoric device, intrinsically linked to the beginning of Human History; it is what we know as the milestones Birth of Scripture.

 

In addition, this useful instrument has accompanied Humanity in its evolution, until reaching high levels of perfection; its use is still very widespread in diverse creative activities, giving infinite results.

 

Despite its apparent simplicity, it has been required throughout all The History of Art, Culture and Science.

 

These crucial arguments I have listed here for this singular object lead me to the title I have used because they are the ideal ones to symbolize "The Torch of Prometheus of Innovation".

 

Lost in the times darkness, it was found in a natural state, in a forest. It would have a short stick shape. Gradually, a few tufts on the tip were incorporated. Maybe it would have had fibers of the same wood or coat of animals that the ancestral human would have hunted, and even hairs of the same constructor of the contraption. With this small branch, some bird feathers and with his spear of stick, the caveman was able to put graphics in the hard rock, anointing coal and minerals of the soil. Amazingly, there are still several examples of these early human manifestations.

 

We must recall that in its first steps, a drawing would communicate an idea more effectively than vocal sounds, so we can consider it as a protolanguage.

 

Over the millennia, many anonymous or extensively recognized human beings "invented-discovered" the same "tool-procedure" to express ideas, emotions, fears, and all kinds of concerns. 

 

Throughout The History there have being created valuable masterpieces that exalt the wonderful human sensibility. Infinite ways of feeling and thinking have all enriched our current society. And all this greatness has crystallized using the same small and almost ignored magnificent object!

 

I can imagine that our intelligent reader has already guessed the object we are talking about, so we will continue expressing our amazement to the fact that, after the far-reaching innovation of the product (the creation of a previously non-existent tool) to the incremental innovation (perfection or improvement of the particular invention) there was a long path.

 

The advances developed over many centuries have not been significant to consider them innovative, although there has been progress in manufacturing procedures, variety of models, sizes or materials that are used. The raw material based on natural products has been replaced by synthetic elements designed specifically for these purposes ... But it still has the same perpetual appearance!

 

We will not describe the small changes, so we will see directly the relevant modification, a true incremental innovation: 

 

We present: The New Refillable Brush, for watercolor or acrylic, with an integrated receptacle for liquids:  the water flows immediately so you will not need an external container, as we have been accustomed for so many centuries! The handle is made of soft plastic and with a slight pressure you can manage the water to dissolve the paint when you draw. It allows dissolving colors quickly in such a way that the strokes are not marked unwantedly.

 

With the saving of movements (no soaking, rinsing the brush is required and either no moving your hand towards to the liquid solvent supply) you improve your work experience with this innovation of the painting process.

 

Would you have imagined that it could be possible to improve a tool that has been used in the same way for thousands of years?