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Paintbrushes
Art Mrs. Carbaugh
5 ways to ruin a paintbrushDon't Bother to Clean All the Paint Out of a Brush
A filbert is a narrow, flat brush with hairs that come to a rounded point. Used on its side, a filbert gives a thin line; used flat it produces a broad brush stroke; and by
varying the pressure as you apply the brush to canvas, or flicking it across, you can get a tapering mark.
If the filbert has hog or bristle hairs, these will wear down with use. The photo shows (from left to right) a brand-new, never-used filbert, one that's done several miles of
painting, and a very old one.
A round paint brush is the most traditional brush shape, and what most people imagine when they think "art paint brush". A decent round brush will come to a lovely sharp point, enabling
you to paint fine lines and detail with it. (This is especially true if it's a brush made with top-quality Kolinsky sable hair.) Look for
one that's got a good spring in the bristles, where they snap straight when you take the pressure off the brush.
Not only will a flat brush create a broad brushstroke, but if you turn it so you're leading with the narrow edge, it'll produce thin
brushstrokes. A short flat brush is ideal for small, precise brushmarks
A rigger or liner brush is a thin brush extremely long bristles. These may come to a sharp point, have a flat or square tip, or be angled (as in this photo). Rigger brushes are great for producing fine lines with a consistent width,
making them ideal for painting thin branches on trees, boat masts, or cat's whiskers. They're also good for signing your name on a painting.
As the name "mop" suggests, a mop brush is one that'll hold a large quantity of fluid paint. It's a soft and floppy brush, ideal for large watercolor washes.
Be sure to spend the time to clean it thoroughly when you're done painting; it's not a job to be rushed on a brush with this much hair
A fan brush is a brush with a thin layer of bristles spread out by the ferrule. A fan brush is commonly used to blend colors, but is also perfect for painting hair, grasses, or thin branches. (Though you need to be careful not to make identical or repetitive
marks that look unnatural.)
Possible uses a fan brush include:• Stippling (spread out small dots or short dashes).
• Highlights in hair as it helps produce the illusion of individual hairs.• Smoothing and blending out brush strokes.
No, you're not seeing things, this is a toothbrush and it does belong in the visual index of art paint brushes. A toothbrush is the perfect brush for splattering paint to create small drops, such as spray on a wave or in a waterfall, or texture on a rock. It also has
potential for creating weathered rooftiles or shingles. Just be sure to use an old toothbrush for painting, not the one you're currently using for brushing your teeth
