Choosing Paint Brushes

Choosing paint brushes seems like it should be easy. But if you’ve ever walked into an art supply store, you know it’s not! Brushes vary by size, shape and material. If you don’t know what the different types of brush are for, it’s hard to find the right one.

But rest assured that the artist paint brush of your dreams is out there somewhere. Below is our easy-to-follow guide on choosing paint brushes to help you unearth brushes that fit your needs and are in your price range.

Choosing Paint Brushes 101

What makes a good artist paint brush? At the most basic level, it has to allow you to control the stroke so you can paint what you want to paint. It needs to work for your style of painting, so the best way to judge a brush is by using it.

But as you probably know, an artist paint brush can be very expensive. And most of us aren’t making a fortune off our art. Yet. So here’s a rundown of what you’ll find when you start choosing paint brushes.

FREE OFFER!

We'd like to welcome you with $200.00 or more in exclusive monthly savings, a special 10% discount and a ton of tips, tricks and secrets for getting the best deals on First Nations Art. Claim this Free, no obligation gift by entering your first name and primary email here:

Name
Email

(read more...)

Real Hair or Fake?

Once upon a time all paint brushes were made of animal hair. Today, synthetic fibres are also used.

If you’re a fan of watercolors, consider investing in a red sable brush. Made of the hair of red weasels, these brushes hold liquid for a long time and keep a very fine point when wet.

The best quality—and most expensive—red sable brush is made of the hair of a weasel called the Kolinsky found in Russia and China. This soft, fine hair results in what many call the perfect artist paint brush. In fact, all other brushes are compared to Kolinsky brushes.

For oils, you may want to choose a paint brush made of the hair of the fitch or polecat. A relative of the ferret, this animal’s hairs are tan to brown-black in colour. Another great hair for oils and acrylics is the tail hair of the mongoose. Other animals that give their hair up for our artistic uses are the ox, pony, squirrel and goat.

Bristle hair brushes get their hairs from hogs, pigs and boars. The tip of this kind of hair makes a brush with a nice shape that can hold a lot of paint.

A note about the camel hair brush

The camel hair brush is not made of camel hair! The term just refers to brushes made of pony, squirrel, ox and /or goat.

In many ways, a camel hair brush isn’t as good as a sable brush; it doesn’t have a nice tip and controlling your stroke can be difficult. But these brushes are good for things like watercolour washing or blending oil paints.

Go Natural or Synthetic?

Usually, natural hair brushes work best with oils while synthetic brushes are great for painting with acrylics. Actually, acrylics will damage your natural brushes over time, so you should buy synthetic hair brushes when painting a lot with acrylics.

Natural brushes come in one quality—high. That said, you’ll still want to consider your purchase carefully as they are expensive and you don’t want to end up with a brush you can’t use.

Synthetic brushes are usually cheaper but may be of a terrible quality. They are easier to clean than natural brushes and are less likely to break.

A Perfect Combination?

Combination brushes made with a blend of natural and synthetic hairs are becoming more popular.

These brushes appeal because they use the best of both types of hair in an economical way to give you a great brush at a reasonable price. Using a combination brush can certainly make choosing paint brushes easier, especially if you are a beginning artist.

Shape and Size

Shapes available include flat brushes for fills and blocks, fan brushes for blending or creating texture, and spotters and riggers for adding details.

Sizes range from 10/0 to 30, with 30 being the largest. The number refers to the width of the artist paint brush head.

So a size 30 brush has a 30 millimeter head, a size 1 has a 1 mm head and 10/0 has a head 10 units less than 1 mm.

Keep it Clean

An artist paint brush is the tool of your trade, so consider your brushes as an investment.

When choosing paint brushes, go for the highest quality you can afford and always take the time to clean them properly. You’ll be able to create with them for many years to come.