Paint brushes are sold by number, as this makes it easier to determine their size. Each number corresponds to the width of the hair bundle (capsule), which is measured in millimeters. For example, if the brush has the designation No. 1, then this means that the thickness of the hair bundle is 1 mm. and so on. The brush can also have different handle lengths. Products with a short handle are recommended for painting on a table or for a hobby (for example, for painting by numbers, which is popular today), as well as for working with watercolors. For easel painting You will need brushes with a long handle.
Hair characteristics
When choosing a brush, you also need to pay attention to what kind of wool the hair bundle was made from, since for working with different types paints you will need different tools. They can be made from:
- squirrel fur: a great option for watercolor painting. They are thin and soft, convenient when you need to paint over small details of a drawing;
- goat hair: budget, used for working with watercolors;
- sable wool: expensive products used mainly by professionals. They are suitable for painting with watercolors and gouache. They are convenient for drawing thin lines, performing both large works and miniatures;
- pony hair: a good option for drawing with ink and gouache. The brushes are soft, elastic, making it easy to apply strokes;
- badger hair: flat in shape;
- hair polar bear: used for painting with gouache, watercolor, acrylic, oil, tempera;
- hair columns: elastic and resilient, suitable for use in all styles of painting, but are expensive;
- bristle (from pig bristles): hard, large. Suitable for working with oil.
There are nylon brushes with artificial wool on sale. They are elastic, elastic, and come in different lengths. They are more wear-resistant and easy to clean. They are recommended to be used for painting with acrylics, since the synthetic fiber is not afraid of the corrosive effects of such paints. To ensure that the hair does not lose its shape, it is additionally covered with a protective layer.
Shape of brushes
According to the shape of the brush, it is customary to divide it into six main groups:
- round: the capsule has a cylindrical shape. Suitable for painting with gouache and painting small details;
- flat: the capsule is pressed on both sides, the shape of the brush resembles a spatula. Elastic, suitable for painting landscapes and painting large areas of paintings;
- Flutes: have a wide shape, so they are easy to apply strokes with. Used for working with oil and watercolor paints;
- pin: round, characterized by a long brush shape. Used in graphics, they are convenient for drawing thin lines;
- linear: similar to pin ones, only they have short hairs;
- fan: a type of flat product. used to soften the contrasts of the contour and color stretching.
The result of an artist’s work depends largely on the correctly selected tool. Although it can be done with a low-quality brush beautiful drawing, but it’s more efficient and pleasant to work with a good tool.
How to choose brushes for painting with acrylic paints? Today, the choice of brushes for painting can baffle anyone. If you don’t constantly monitor this and collect a mega-collection of brushes from different types, sizes, materials and shapes, and most of us belong to this group, then the purchase becomes far from a trivial procedure.
So, let's try to formulate a problem, for example - I need good brushes for painting pictures by numbers. Note that the painting usually comes with three brushes. They cope quite well with the task of drawing the entire this picture and can be used further. But here appearance they, and the quality itself, are unlikely to inspire you to conquer the next creative peaks! Therefore, let's try to satisfy the needs of perfectionists, but let's approach the selection process systematically and highlight the criteria that are truly significant for us.
A little theory to understand “what we draw with.” Acrylic paints are water-dispersed paints based on polyacrylates. Translated into Russian or for those especially gifted creative personalities this means that they can be diluted with water, tinted with aqueous pigment pastes, mixed with each other, and after drying they become quite resistant to water. Paintings created using acrylic paints, depending on dilution with water, special diluents or solvents, pastes, gels, etc., can be similar to watercolor works and oil images, and even have their own unique color rendition. However, according to professional artists and painting experts, painting with acrylic paints (brushstroke technique, applying paint to the base, filling large areas, etc.) is closest to painting oil paints. Let's start with our selection based on this.
As a rule, artistic brushes for painting are divided by purpose, type of hair used and shape. Let's look at where to look for the brushes we need.
By purpose
This includes brushes for watercolor and nail design, for gilding and stenciling, for makeup and body painting, for acrylic and oil, for calligraphy and graphics, and many others. It is important for us to find our group - for acrylic and oil, or just a group of brushes for oil paints. There is no task to embrace the immensity and talk about all the differences, the main thing is that there is a clearly defined segment and, believe me, a very large selection even within this group. Again, by choosing from this group, you will get maximum durability of the brush and will not be frustrated by rapid abrasion or hair loss.
By type of hair used
This includes brushes made from natural hair from squirrel, kolinsky, marten, sable, pony, goat and other very exotic options. In addition, this includes brushes made of pig bristles and synthetic fibers. The main group of choice for us is speakers, synthetics or bristles. As an optional recommendation, you should pay attention to synthetic brushes, usually made of nylon. At a relatively low price, they have significantly best characteristics wear resistance and retention of the shape of the brush during repeated use.
By shape
Here the flight of imagination is also unlimited - fan, round, lampemselle, inclined, oval, flat and many others. The main idea is that a specific brush shape allows you to make a specific stroke most comfortably. To begin with, we recommend paying attention to three types of brushes – round, flat and oval. For paintings of small sizes (30*40, 40*50, 50*60 cm), brushes with numbers 1 to 3 are suitable. As you increase your painting experience, pay attention to fan brushes for blending paint.
Choosing a brush is always a very subjective process, because even brushes of the same shape, material and number give a different feeling depending on the length of the handle of this brush, and if you add different manufacturers to this, then the choice of this brush even in a good art salon becomes ambiguous. By the way, the high price of a brush is not at all an indicator of its suitability specifically for your tasks. It’s worth looking at cheaper analogues, trying them out and only then buying really expensive models.
Summary
For comfortable painting by numbers with acrylic paints, it is advisable to have several brushes that differ in shape and type of hair used. Our recommendation is synthetic brushes with a short handle from 1st to 3rd number in three shapes (round, flat and oval).
Before we begin to describe the different types art materials and their features, I want to pay attention to the artist’s main tool: the brush.
I will tell you what shapes and types of brushes there are, why and in what cases they are used, how to choose the right brush when purchasing and how to properly care for brushes. The artist's main tool when working with most art materials is a brush. If you decide to get creative for more than one day, then it is better to purchase brushes good quality(this applies to brushes when using any art material).
The brush consists of three parts: a wooden handle (sometimes a plastic one, but it’s better to take a wooden one), a metal clip (capsule, base) and a hair bun. Hair bundle - the working part of the brush can consist of various types hair - synthetic or natural, collected in various shapes and sizes. The clip serves to give shape and safety to the beam and connect it to the handle of the brush. Most often made of metal. Seamless clips (no seam, most convenient).
What you need to pay attention to in order to choose the right brush:
The base on a wooden or plastic handle should not wobble, much less fly off it, the seam should be tight and not twist; high-quality brushes have a very tight crimp. - the hair on the brush must be securely fastened so that it does not fall out of it later, try stroking the tip of the brush, if at least one hair remains in your hand, then it is better not to take such a brush. In a good store you should be allowed to wet the tip of the brush with water; when wet, it should be perfect, the hair should lie to the hair, the tip of the brush should not bristle. A good brush will always have a wooden handle. The handle should be made of hard deciduous wood - beech, birch. So, the types of brushes differ in shape and material from which they are made.
How to properly care for your brushes?
A good artist always keeps his tools in perfect order. - If you use natural hair brushes, be sure to use special moth repellents for prevention. - Try not to put too much pressure on the working part of the brush when drawing, washing and applying paint, as soft hairs may break off on the edge of the iron clip. - If you do not use the brush for a long time, then in order to protect the brush hair from all sorts of bacteria, you can store the brush wrapped with camphor balls. - Never place a wet brush, tip up, directly into a glass. Wait for the brush to dry. - Never place a brush in water with the tip facing down. The brushes are stored in a jar standing with the hair part up. If you simply fold them, they will lose their shape. - The hair of new brushes is glued so that the tip of the brush does not lose its shape. The hardness will disappear as soon as it gets wet. Many round brushes are sold with a plastic cap, which helps maintain the shape of the brush. Try to continue using this cap, but be sure to dry the brush completely before capping the tip of the brush, otherwise rust may form on the ferrule. - If you work with acrylic paints, always try to keep the working part of the brush in water, because acrylic paint dries very quickly, clogging the base of the brush beam at the holder and practically cannot be cleaned. - Always clean your brush thoroughly after working with paints. If you use water-soluble paints (watercolor, gouache, tempera, acrylic paints), then it is recommended to rinse the brushes several times in a clean, clear water. Professional artists usually add a drop of dish soap to the water. - If you use oil paints, then after working with them you must immediately clean them. Under no circumstances should the brush be allowed to dry out. First, remove excess paint with a dry cloth. Some people recommend washing brushes quickly in a solvent such as pinene, turpentine or white spirit, but this risks the fact that the solvent gets under the tin clip at the base of the brush bristles and dissolves the binder holding the hair bundle together. Therefore, it is recommended that after using oil paints, wash your brushes in warm water using regular laundry soap, until the water and foam no longer stain the color of the paint.
Let's talk about brush shapes.
ROUND
These are brushes with a bunch enclosed in a round clip. The beam can be short in length, such brushes are used for miniatures, or the beam can be long. This is the most versatile brush shape. With this brush, lines with a constant thickness or lines varying in thickness are applied. This is an excellent brush suitable for working out details, covering large surfaces (based on size), creating an entire design, creating texture.
FLAT
These are brushes with a beam enclosed in a flat clip. The beam of such brushes can be short or long. Such brushes hold a lot of paint, they are very good for evenly covering surfaces and are suitable for working on large areas of the surface of a sheet or canvas, and the strokes with such brushes will be wide and even.
CAT'S TONGUE
This brush has an oval or dome shape. This brush is used very universally - it can be used as a regular flat brush and, at the same time, as a round one if you turn it to a perpendicular position.
CONTOUR
This is a subtype of flat brushes: they have a similar shape, but the tuft of these brushes is shorter, which gives the brush more elasticity and improves control over the quality of flat strokes. In addition, more short hair makes it easier to create a smooth transition from one color to another and highlights the outline well. Contour brushes can be used for technique oil painting“alla prima”, which involves completing a painting (or a fragment of it) in one session.
FONT
This is a subtype of round brushes with a long beam; such brushes are used for applying and securing contours. Used with liquid paints.
RETOUCHED
This is a flat brush with an angled tip. Designed for very precise strokes. Because the brush tip allows you to quickly and confidently change the volume of hair or bristles carrying paint, this part- an excellent tool for creating a transition from one color to another in relatively small areas of the picture.
SCENIC
These brushes are used to apply an even layer through a stencil. These brushes are also great for glazing or free-form painting.
LINEAR
Such brushes are shorter than font brushes but longer than round ones, they leave precise lines, long strokes and are also suitable for applying inscriptions.
FLEITZ
These brushes are designed for free-form painting with fills. They are mainly used when working with watercolors and are almost always made from soft squirrel hair. They apply thin straight lines. Visible part The hair serves as a reservoir for dye. Therefore, it is possible to draw a long line without refilling the brush, which is very important when working in watercolor painting. The flute shape is also often used when applying makeup. for powder and blush.
FAN
Flat brushes having a sparse fan-shaped bunch. With their help, it is possible to create a sophisticated color stretch. You can also soften the contrast of contours and texture.
TYPES OF BRUSHES
Now we are gradually approaching the types of brushes. An artist always has several types of brushes in his arsenal. Each brush has its own special qualities, thanks to which it is possible to solve a particular problem when creating a painting. Whether it's drawing a thin line or covering a large area with paint, carefully applying a second clear coat or confident strong strokes. Here we will look at each type of brush and their purpose.
Squirrel brushes
They are made from processed squirrel tail hair, since the best hair is in the tail, where the hairs are the longest. Therefore, professional brush makers buy unprocessed squirrel tails and choose the best hairs themselves. Such brushes are only round, very soft and elastic, and they can also be used to make flute-shaped brushes. They are mainly used for working with watercolors and water-based paints. But for oil paints, these brushes are very delicate and immediately begin to come out from the solvent. Squirrel brushes need to be carefully looked after. The squirrel hair is very thin, blue, black or Brown. The tip of the squirrel hair brush resembles the tip of a rapier and has the same fluidity control as a column, but is not as elastic in nature.
Core brushes
These brushes are made from processed Kolinsky tail hair. These brushes come in both round and flat. They are distinguished by such quality as a combination of elasticity and elasticity, while at the same time remaining soft. This type of brush is used when working with any material. They are well suited for working with gouache and watercolor in cases where greater elasticity is required from the brush. In oil painting they are used when making small details; core brushes are also convenient for glazing techniques on wet surfaces.
Bristle brushes
They are made from pork bristles. The best bristle brushes are made from the hair of the Chinese Angking hog. The elastic, strong bristles of this animal (hair up to 20 cm long) are processed - the bristles are boiled and bleached and only white hair goes to make brushes professional quality. These brushes, in addition to elasticity, have another important characteristic: this is a split pig hair tip - it contributes to good fullness of the brush and even application of paint to the surface. There are both flat and round, used mainly for working with paints such as oil, acrylic, and also used when working with gouache using dry techniques. These brushes tend to wear out quickly, but replacing them is not difficult, since they are relatively inexpensive.
Brush badger
A badger hair brush is softer than a bristle brush and is ideal for working with moderately diluted paints. It has no equal when mixing oil or acrylic. The hair of this brush has a conical shape, and the “belly” of the hair is located closer to the tip. That's why the brush is very fluffy. The best badger hair brushes have a tip white and a dark stripe in the middle part. Badger hair can be used to make brushes such as fans and flutes. Manufacturers sometimes imitate them by dyeing pig bristles or goat hair brushes. However, the latter cannot compare with a badger hair brush in their working properties. If you are not sure about the authenticity of the brush, pay attention to the following: if the hair does not have a “belly” or tip, and there are twisted and curled hairs along its length, then it is a goat hair brush; if there are split hairs, it is hog bristles. Sandstone brushes These brushes are made from processed marmot tail hair - sandstone. They are only flat in shape with short or long hair. The hair is very soft and low-elastic. It is used when working with most types of artistic materials: tempera, gouache and watercolors, when working with oil paints, for glazing, varnish coatings, for applying a thin layer of painting, etc.
Bear brushes
These brushes are made from processed brown or polar bear hair. Brushes made from polar bear hair are produced only flat with a long or short hair tuft. These brushes are less rigid, but more elastic compared to bristle brushes; they have high elasticity and softness. Used for “heavy” types of paints: oil paints. gouache, etc. Brushes made from brown bear hair are round in shape and are more soft and elastic. Used for working with tempera, watercolor, ink, etc.
Pony brushes
Brushes made from pony hair absorb paint well, but they don’t give off paint as readily as they absorb it. Brushes made from pony hair are collected into a cone shape; they hold their shape well, but are not sufficiently elastic. This type hair, like that of a pony, is classified as a design group, since it does not have a top. These brushes can be brown or white. Designed for working with water-soluble paint: watercolor, gouache or tempera.
Weasel brushes
These brushes are an alternative to kolinsky hair. The hairs are red-brown in color, with a good sharp tip, good fullness, but not as long as that of the Kolinka.
ox hair brushes
These are brushes made from lightweight ox hair. Oxhair brushes are suitable for working with liquid paints due to their softness and elasticity, although they do not have such a sharp conical shape as kolinsky or squirrel.
Brush marten
Such brushes are made from the hair of the marten or mustelidae family. Brushes made from marten hair differ in their properties depending on what kind of marten it is: lowland or mountain. Brushes made from plains marten hair are as soft as those of a squirrel, but brushes made from mountain marten hair are a little more elastic. On sale, such brushes are less common than squirrel brushes.
Goat brushes
These brushes are made from goat fur. The hair on these brushes is quite long, soft and elastic, holds paint well and does not leave hard marks on the surface. Used when working with watercolors. Also, such brushes are used in sumi-e techniques (Far Eastern ink painting), calligraphy (an ancient branch of applied graphics, aesthetic design of handwritten fonts), and in working with ceramics. In addition, goat hair brushes can withstand the temperature of hot wax, so lovers of hot batik use them with pleasure. Often these brushes are made with a lightweight bamboo handle that is non-swelling and durable.
Wolf
These brushes are made from wolf hair. They are distinguished by their special elasticity and elasticity; thanks to these qualities, such brushes are mainly used for calligraphy and Guohua painting (the style of traditional Chinese painting which uses ink and water paints on silk or paper), also the type of “wolf” brushes includes brushes made from Chinese yellow wolf, which is essentially a kolinsky brush.
Mongoose
These brushes are made from mongoose hair.
These brushes have such qualities as elasticity and the ability to hold a lot of paint; mongoose bristles are stiffer than sable, but softer than bristles.
These brushes are used in oil and acrylic painting. These brushes can be identified by their color: the tip of the bristles is dark brown.
And the length is black and white.
Ear brushes
Such brushes are made from hair that is taken from the inside of the ears of oxen and cows, the quality of which is determined by the breed of the animal.
Such brushes are inexpensive, but durable, elastic and sensitive in use, give good results and retain their shape well. The hair has a silky texture.
Brushes are made flat and round, brushes for coating are also made large surfaces. Oxhair brushes are used to work with oil paints, acrylic, tempera, and gouache.
Cow hair brushes are used to work with almost all types of paints: watercolor, gouache, tempera, acrylic, oil paints.
Sable brushes
These brushes are made from sable tails. These brushes are distinguished from others by their excellent wear resistance; they practically do not wear out or peel, even when working with rough surfaces; sable tools last a very long time.
The special properties of such a brush are sufficient elasticity with simultaneous softness and maneuverability. That is, sable is not as resilient as kolinsky: it will not cut paint and remove the lower layers, and is not as soft as squirrel: sable can easily draw a thin line, unlike the unpredictable squirrel.
The brush is very flexible, picks up a large volume of paint and releases it in doses. Because of these balanced qualities, such brushes allow you to work in various techniques, from the “dry” brush to the “float” technique. Everything can be done with one brush, which is very convenient.
The best choice for working with watercolors, egg tempera, gouache. Sable brushes are quite rare and quite expensive, but they are worth it.
Synthetic brushes
Synthetic brushes are made from nylon, polyester and other fibers.
Synthetic hair based on nylon is hard and does not release water, so it is not suitable for watercolor painting, but for oil paints and acrylic this quality is just appropriate.
Synthetic hair based on polyesters provides varying degrees of elasticity. Hairs of different lengths and diameters are collected into a bundle, which gives a capillary effect, which allows you to use such brushes even in watercolors.
Such brushes are less prone to destruction under the influence of thinners, insects, paints, and direct sunlight. But due to mechanical stress, these brushes are inferior in wear resistance to natural ones; the bristles quickly wear out and become soft. Such brushes are not expensive, so artists prefer to buy synthetics in large quantities.
Shapers
Let's pay attention to such brushes as rubber brushes.
They officially appeared relatively recently.
These brushes are made of rubber, silicone, and are modeling brushes.
Excellent for shading both pastels and pencils, charcoal
Foam brushes
These brushes are made of foam rubber.
They come in both round and flat shapes, as well as in the form of a roller.
Not expensive.
Well suited when working in decoupage technique for applying glue, for covering large surfaces, for decorative painting and of course widely used for painting work.
In conclusion, I want to say that not all types of brushes are listed here; I told you about the most common and available in our stores.
There are brushes made from fox hair, hare hair, raccoon hair, rat fur (these brushes are made from a special subspecies of wild hare), wild horse mane, plant fibers, chicken fluff, etc.
Such brushes are original and rare; they are used mainly for working in the style of oriental techniques.
There are many variations of mixed types of brushes made from different bristles. They mix both natural piles and combine synthetic and natural ones.
I hope you were interested in learning about art brushes.
To choose the right type of brush, you should take into account a number of factors: what materials you choose it for, what devices you use, and, of course, your budget. You also need to pay attention to the following aspects.
The shape of the beam and the purpose of the brush have a direct connection. Here is a list of the most popular forms for painting.
ROUND
It is considered a universal brush. Great for drawing and creating an image. Using a round brush, you can get to the most inconvenient places.
LINEAR
Typically longer than round ones, it creates clear lines, long strokes and is also suitable for lettering.
SCENIC
The tip of this brush is blunt and flat, and the paint material is applied with vertical strokes. This tool is used for painting using a stencil.
CAT'S TONGUE
A variant of a flat brush with a domed or oval cross-section. It is quite versatile - it can be used as a flat brush, as well as perpendicular to the surface, as is the case with a round one. A thin stroke is ideal. By choosing brushes to paint in the shape of a cat's tongue, you will be able to create perfectly fine lines.
The choice of bristles, which may seem strange to a novice artist, is also very important. The bristles may be hard and resistant to wear.
Pig bristles
An excellent choice for oils and acrylics. This brush is also great for working with thick paint. It is more expensive. A hand-painted oil icon as a gift will be an ideal present in every sense. Not only because High Quality performance achieved thanks to good brushes and paints, but also due to a positive emotional attitude.
Badger
A badger fur brush is ideal for working with moderately thick paints. Usually has a conical shape.
Synthetic brushes
Nylon brushes are not suitable for working with watercolors, but they are excellent for moderately diluted acrylic. The handle for the brush should be ergonomic so that the artist’s hand gets tired as little as possible. Brushes with long handles are used for painting with oil paints. This handle allows a person to position himself at a comfortable distance from the object.
You can check the quality of a tool by the following indicators: sharp tip, rigidity and fluidity control. Dip the brush into water. The new one absorbs it for a long time. After this, lightly tap the brush on your finger: if it is of high quality, it will take on a pointed appearance. The hair from low-quality brushes takes on an untidy appearance. Once the tip and stiffness tests are complete, run the brush over the surface to determine flow.
The product must be made with your own hands inside and out, so the tags must also be original. I offer you an easy, non-energy-consuming and economical method. Below is a small master class so that you can make hand-made labels yourself.
Painting with watercolors is back in fashion. Why is it impossible to make a copy of a watercolor drawing and what are the secrets of watercolor paints? Every year in different countries watercolor painting festivals are held around the world. The works that won prizes amaze first of all with their realism. Competition entries They are not at all like painting with watercolors - rather, you see photographs with bright and at the same time natural colors, clear contours, and an interesting plot.
It's no secret that the brush is one of the main tools of the artist. Of course, there are other ways to apply paint to canvas, such as a palette knife, a sponge, or even your fingers, but these materials are used by professionals primarily to depict graphic effects, while most paintings are still created using brushes for drawing and painting.
When approaching the issue of choosing an artistic brush, you should understand for what purposes and colors it will be used. This will determine not only what shape of brush you prefer, but also the bristles from which it is made. For convenience, you can mentally make a small plan for yourself, based on which, the process of selecting the right brush for painting will become much easier. Point 1. Length Let's start with something simple - by determining the length of the handle of an artistic brush. If you plan to paint on an easel, then it is most convenient to take a brush with a long handle so that you do not have to reach for the canvas.
One of the most famous are squirrel bristle brushes. These are soft elastic brushes of a dark, almost black color. They hold the tip perfectly and lead smoothly. beautiful line. Due to their ability to hold water well, these brushes are great for painting with watercolors.
The least professional, but nevertheless actively used, are pony hair brushes. Brown or blond hairs are very soft, do not hold their shape as well and do not have a sharp tip.
The stiffest bristles can be used to create texture or be used for “dry” drawing techniques. Brushes made from synthetic materials have gained enormous popularity among artists. Elastic, durable synthetics allow the brush to hold the tip well and be resistant to solvents, insects and factors environment. Artificial brushes are ideal for painting with oil, acrylic or tempera paints, but depending on the composition they can also be suitable for watercolors.
Flat brushes are ideal for covering large areas of work with color or painting with geometric strokes. These brushes are widely used for filling background colors, arts and crafts, priming surfaces or varnishing.
Taper brushes are flat brushes with a bevel. These brushes are also called retouched. Allows you to draw beautiful strokes or draw clearly defined lines.
Font, they are linear brushes (liners) are similar to round brushes, but have longer hairs. The pile absorbs a large volume of paint and allows you to draw really long lines without additional paint.
A special case for brushes will be a convenient accessory, suitable for taking tools with you on the road or in the open air. Very often you can find brushes in beautiful wooden boxes, which will delight anyone and can serve as an excellent gift for an artist.
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