Which is the best type of brush?
Well, it depends on what you are going to do with it. Most of us who do decorative art use acrylic
paints - Americana, Jo Sonja’s, Plaid (other makes are available), occasionally we use water
colours, inks, Brusho, and sometimes oil paint.
In the end it will be your own personal choice - use whatever type of brush pleases you, or gives
you the result you are looking for. But as a general rule for acrylic paints and products/mediums
(media?) I would use a man-made fibre - Taklon is a popular material.
Acrylic paints are quite viscous, they need a fibre with more ‘spring’ to be able to control and
move them about the surface.
Watercolours, inks, Brusho are, well, watery. They have very little resistance and natural hair, like
sable, is ideal. The sable brush will hold a greater quantity of paint, or water, and allows it to flow.
A Peggy Harris tip, sent in by Ann Patmore, goes even further. If you are using a natural hair
brush, make sure the bristles are from an animal with shorter hair - like sable - that hasn’t had the
ends trimmed - because the natural taper of the hair allows the paint to flow on to the surface
better than cut hair, which will have bristles with square cut ends. This will be like hair from a
horse’s tail that has been cut into lengths for economical use.
So, the lighter the medium, the softer and more pliable the bristles can be - also the price will play
a large part in what you buy. A Kolinski sable will cost many pounds, but in Poundland you can
pick up a pack of 10 coarse ‘childrens’ brushes that will be fine for use on rough surfaces, or for
applying textured media. While they are new they will probably do a reasonable base coat.
Most mid-range brushes will do
what you need. As acrylic paint
is tough on brushes, I’m inclined
to by the cheaper end of known
brands (or what ever looks OK
that I’m not afraid to throw away
when it stops doing what I want)
The only time I would pay extra
would be for ‘brush stroke’
brushes, because you really do
need the shape and control of a
better quality brush to get
consistent and well formed
shapes.
Look after your brushes,
whatever their cost, and they will give good service. Don’t get paint up to the ferrule (the metal
part that grips the bristles), don’t let the brush stand in water with the bristles bent on the bottom
of the jar, don’t let paint dry on the bristles, do wash them thoroughly before you finish your
session, do rinse out the soap or cleaning agent, do re-shape the brush before you leave it to dry.
Ideally dry the brushes suspended with the bristles downward, if not, laying flat. If you dry them
‘upsidedown’ water will run in to the handle and, wet wood will expand, cracking and flaking the
paint and loosening the ferrule. My favourite brush, a 10/0 Ultimate liner by Gare, is still going
strong after 22 years.
I wash all my brushes with dish wash liquid soap (cheaper the better) - a tiny dot on the brush is
all you need. There are special solutions available - and stuff that will rescue your neglected
brush - all at a price. For specific advice on individual products, check with the manufacturer -
Lynn told us about Jo Sonja’s range last month.
And then there are special bushes for special jobs …