Artist Brushes

Watercolor Brushes: Styles, Composition and Applications

Brush selection for any media is best accomplished by choosing those especially made for that media.   Rather than spend time sifting through the entire brush rack, head for specialty sections.  In the case of watercolor brushes, that presents a large group from which to choose.  Shape, size and composition choices offer a brush for every need.  Buy the best brush you can afford because it will perform better than a less costly brush and will keep its shape much longer.  Though more costly, good quality brushes will last for years with proper care.

Shape is one of the first considerations when purchasing a watercolor brush.  Shapes are created to provide a tool that will apply paint in a specific manner.  Flats, for instance, have bristles that are flat in shape, have sharp corners and create stripes of color with distinct edges.  They are identified by the width of the brush end (e.g., ¼ inch, ½ inch, etc.) and come in both medium and long handle lengths.

Round watercolor brushes have a round ferrule (metal cap that joins bristles to handle) that tightly holds the bristles in a circular shape that culminates in a perfectly pointed brush tip.  Better quality brushes are renowned for holding this point and for delivering sharp detail capabilities.  Rounds are easily charged with paint and allow lengthy manipulation before a recharge is needed.  Sharpness and longevity of line make rounds in all sizes indispensable for all watercolor artists.

Specialty brushes such as riggers (script) come in very handy for depicting linear details.  They are composed of a perfectly matched group of tapered bristles held in place with a tight ferrule.  After charging with paint, they drag a line of exceptional length and uniformity.  Even though the rigger is not used in every work, it is indispensable for long line details and well worth adding to your brush collection.

Fan brushes are made up of bristles, spread into a fan shape, held firmly by a ferrule that is also fan shaped.  This construction makes them useful for painting light, wispy details such as grasses and animal fur.  Because the bristles are selected for crispness and long life and because of the fact that they are not used often, these brushes last for years.  Just clean and store them well and they will last virtually forever.  Fan brushes come in a wide selection of sizes and bristle compositions.

It is best to have a brush collection that contains both natural and synthetic bristles.  They each offer wide application opportunities.  Mixed sable and red sable are considered the pinnacle of quality, although there are some synthetics that give sable a run for its money.  One of the most endearing qualities of sable is its crisp, snappy response when painting.  A high quality sable brush will work all day and still maintain a great shape and firm response.  It charges with paint easily and fully and delivers bold strokes.  Synthetics perform similarly to sable but do not last as long.  They are a bit easier to clean, however.

Experiment with different shapes and sizes of brushes to discover what will help you achieve perfect effects for your style of painting.  Also remember that handling and storage, along with cleaning, preserve the life of your brushes.  Always store your brushes dry, preferably not standing with brush tips up (which lets water run into the ferrule where the handle and bristles are joined with glue).  When transporting brushes, roll them in a towel or cloth, with the tips cushioned against damage.  When purchasing brushes for watercolor, use them only for watercolor.  Other media leave residue that might affect your results.  When selecting paints, tube colors are preferable because pan colors can abrade the bristles of your brushes.  Try handles of different lengths until you find the right one for your style.

It’s interesting to note that your own hands can cause problems with paper quality and brush life.  Any dirt or oil on your hands could form a “resist” on clean watercolor paper and might damage bristles in your brushes.  So wash up before painting and after, too; pigments and oxides are unhealthy to ingest. 

To recap, there are lots of choices for the watercolor artist.  Select the best brushes you can afford; then take care of them and you will experience years of pleasurable painting.  See your retailer and visit www.fmbrush.com to view an extensive selection of artist brushes from FM Brush Co.  Also ask your retailer for General Pencil’s The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver, a total brush care product, and visit www.generalpencil.com.

Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 17 No. 10 — August 2007