Buying Guide - Basics on Brushes

Choosing the right brush is crucial to achieving the results you want. This introduction is provided to help you determine the best brush for your application.

There are 3 main parts to a brush: the handle, the ferrule and the tuft. The tuft comes in a wide variety of shapes (as seen on the chart on the next page) for specific applications, as well as in a number of different natural hairs and synthetic filaments. The tuft is the most important part of the brush and is also the most expensive part.

A standard length brush is a short handle brush varying in length from 6-1/2" to 8-1/2". An easel length brush is a long handle brush varying in length from 10-1/2" to 13-1/2".

A good brush will have the following characteristics: The handle will be lacquered or enameled hardwood. The ferrule will be double crimped where the handle enters it and should be made of seamless nickel-plated metal. The tuft will be glued into the ferrule and shaped appropriately. These are general guidelines to help you select the brush you need.

Helpful Hints
There are no universal standards on brush sizes. Each brush size relates strictly to its own series.

Many brushes will arrive very stiff. This is due to a water-soluble sizing applied to the brush to protect it. Simply remove the sizing with soap and tepid water before using. When caring for your brushes, clean with the appropriate solution and leave to dry. Always return them to their original shape. Never allow a brush to soak in water or wash with hot water! Proper care of your brushes will give you years of satisfying results.

Hairs
Brushes of any hair or style can be used for virtually any application. However, some work better than others for a particular technique. Natural hairs work best for oil paint and watercolor while synthetics generally work best for acrylic and watercolor.

Kolinsky Sable, actually from the tail of a species of mink, is considered the best hair for manufacturing brushes. Characterized by very long fine points and thick bellies, a kolinsky brush will feel very soft and supple yet maintain a resilient snap. Sable, from any member of the weasel family, also makes superior artists brushes but doesn't have quite the strength or point that a pure kolinsky brush will have.

Squirrel Hair, used primarily with watercolor and inks, has the painting ability of kolinsky but very little snap.

Sabeline, dyed light ox hair, is usually used with watercolors and is an inexpensive substitute for sable.

Camel Hair, not actually from camels, received its name from its inventor, a French man named Camel. It has simply become a term used to describe a soft brush. These are made from natural hairs such as squirrel, pony, goat or ox. They are best suited for watercolors and inks and generally come in scholastic grades.

Hog Bristles come in white, brown, black and gray. They are naturally split (flagged) at the ends and curved. Use these for oil painting and heavy-bodied paints. Brushes made with "interlocked" bristles or bristles curved toward the center of the tuft are of the best variety.

Synthetics have vastly improved in the last 15 years. Their range of resiliency and point relies on the blending of various types and thicknesses. More durable than bristles for acrylic and watercolor applications, they deliver the paint more quickly than natural hair due to the slipperiness of the fiber and the lack of a belly. Synthetics are frequently mixed with natural hair to improve snap, maintain a good point and a lower cost.