Brushes – The magic wand for weaving colors across a canvas!
If you are an art novice, you may think that all brushes are alike. This outlook may result in the waste of a lot of money on purchasing brushes that are not really what you need.
…And that is quite frustrating, for all sorts of reasons!
Sure, professional art stuff won’t make you an expert artist — not immediately, anyway — but high-quality artist paintbrushes in the right shapes and sizes are definitely worth the frustration they will save you.
So, dive into this basic overview of oil paint brushes, to decide on the best one that can render a great flow to your canvas board.
- Bright Brush
Shaped flat on the end and rounder in the middle, this is best selected for painting landscapes. This can form broad and bold brushstrokes when pressed sideways. Its sharp edges can be used to create thinner lines; you can also drag it across the surface of the canvas panel to create an even sweeping layer.
- Round Brush
This brush, which got its name from its round-shaped ferrule (the metal part holding the hairs of the brush), makes a perfect choice for detailed work, outlining, sketching, and filling in small areas. The brush is versatile in several ways. You can use them to paint lines that are thin at the tip and become wider while pressing down.
- Flat Brush
This is similar to a bright brush, but has long hairs and holds more paint with each brushstroke than a bright brush. You can use it for bold, sweeping strokes, filling wide spaces, and impasto. They are also one of the finest choices for landscapes and still life.
- Filbert Brush
A blend of round and flat brushes. Its curved tip makes it easy for you to control blending and soften the edges of the paintings. Used on its side, you can make a thin line; used flat, it presents a broad-brush stroke; and by flicking it across, you can quickly get a tapering mark.
- Fan Brush
This is nothing but a flat brush with a thin layer of hair spread out in the shape of a fan. The fan brush is commonly used by artists for blending, feathering, and smoothing. You can use it for painting flowing strands of hair, grasses, or leaves, and the soft edges of clouds.
- Liner Brush
A brush with very long bristles which can create fine details. The longer length of the bristles lets it hold a large amount of paint, thereby enabling the creation of long lines with just one brush stroke. You can choose it for painting grasses, tree branches, fences, and ropes.
- Palette Knife
Technically, this can be used to mix oil paints on the palette, and for painting. Being available in a variety of shapes – often like a miniature trowel and an offset handle – you don’t have to scrape your knuckles across your painting!
Natural Bristle Brushes? Or Synthetic?
Reach a decision, according to your personal choice and budget.
The natural brush hair is commonly made with hog’s hair, which is reasonably stiff and gives satisfying textural marks in the paint.
Synthetic filaments that are generally cheaper, will give a smoother finish to your painting strokes. In case if your subject matter is realistic, then it’s most desirable to go for brushes with synthetic bristles. However, if you prefer something that stands up well to prolonged use, then the natural bristle brushes will probably suit you better.
Still confused? No worries, there won’t be a quiz! There is no need for you to memorize the features of all these at once!
Just start by investing in mid-to-large bristle brushes. Wait and see how you feel with them. For each subsequent painting, try each one from the above list and identify which one works best for your style of painting.
Got a solid idea? Purchase a canvas right away from GlowArt – a renowned online art shop in Australia, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra, Darwin, Perth!