That Holiday is
coming up. I am often asked for gift ideas. Brushes are expensive, and most
students limp by with rotten ones rather than spend the money on good brushes. A
gift certificate to an art supply store would give the most flexibility, but
some people don’t want that.
The brush department is where most painters stand and drool in an art store
Oil and acrylic plein
air painters should limit themselves—in general—to long-handled hog bristle
brushes. These carry paint most effectively. Shape is a personal preference, but
a decent mixture of sizes and shapes gives the greatest flexibility.
Oils and Acrylics
In general, painters are better off with fewer good brushes
than a lot of mediocre ones. Sizing is not standard across manufacturers, but a
variety between #2 and #12 should suffice for most field work.
Here are the fundamentals:
Brights are stubby
flat brushes, useful for short, aggressive strokes and heavy paint application.
Filberts are oval
brushes. They carry more paint than a round but the pointed end allows for
greater paint-carrying capacity. People who like to blend their edges often
like filberts best.
Flats have been
my go-to brush for many years. They can be used on edge for fine work, but used
on the flat they carry lots of paint and create a bold style.
Rounds are good
for details, lines, and fills. I generally carry a few smaller rounds in my
kit, but many painters swear by them in all sizes.
Here are specialty brushes, for the painter who already has
a basic kit:
Riggers: These
are short-handled, pointed, long round brushes made of sable, and their main
mission in life is painting boat rigging and other fine lines.
Fans: While you could use these to daub happy trees, they
are really intended for blending. I have a couple in my studio kit, but I don’t
carry them in the field.
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The basic shapes |
Egbert or Double
filberts are long, squishy brushes. I have three of these. They are easily
damaged and shouldn’t be left to stand in a can of turpentine. They are especially
good for figure work, and give a dancing, prancing line.
Spalters are big
flat brushes with either long or short handles. I use them to underpaint my
studio canvases and as dry blending brushes.
Watercolors
Watercolor painters have the choice between Taklon, squirrel
and sable. The latter costs the earth but has the finest paint-carrying
capacity.
The three basic shapes are:
Round: this is
more pointed than an oil-color round and is suitable for most detail work. Sable
takes a point better than synthetics, and this is a place where spending the
money would be appropriate. A #10 for regular painters, and a #16 for big
painters is a good place to start.
Flat wash: Most
painters carry a few of these. I have a .5” and 1”, both of Taklon. These often
have an angled end for scraping and burnishing.
Mop/oval wash:
This is a big floppy brush useful for laying in large areas. It is usually made
of squirrel hair, and is very absorbent.
Hake: Also a wash
brush, but of Asian extraction. I find a mop more versatile, but it wouldn’t
hurt to have one to play with.
Riggers: These
are short-handled, pointed, long round brushes made of sable, and their main
mission in life is painting boat rigging and other fine lines.
Script/Liner: A
detail brush for outlining and long continuous strokes.
I will be teaching in Acadia National Park next August. Message me if you want
information about the coming year’s classes or this workshop.