The
Fan brush is the most specific of artists brushes used for blending
colors in both landscapes and portrait painting. Fan brushes are
particularly useful for painting soft edges on clouds and are available
in sable, synthetic, and badger hair and hog bristle. Fan brushes can be
made with straight bristles, but the best are made with flagged, curved
bristles. Fan blenders are primarily used to modify oil paint that has
already been applied to the canvas. These are used for water mixable oil
color and acrylic to blend colors and soften edges and textures. These
imparts special effects, while painting, such as foliage, hair, clouds
and other fine, soft details.
When used dry, they can soften edges, eliminate brush strokes for a
smooth modeled look or lend side by side colors. They are also popular
for stippling and graining effects. This style of brush can be used for
patterns like grass, water and makes sweeping strokes for blending oils.
Fan brushes, when used wet, give the appearance of fur especially when
the medium is like aqua color. Unique technique for fantasy make up,
these are also used for shading and texturing. Fan brushes are also
useful for glazing thin coats of transparent color over more opaque,
dried paint.
Brushes
used for acrylics have long handles that allow the artist to work at a
distance from the canvas. Acrylic paints are more caustic than oils, so
acrylic brushes are designed with synthetics and bristle. Acrylic
brushes are usable in other mediums, particularly oils, while brushes
designed specifically for oil painting and watercolors are unsuitable
for acrylics. Artists can very effectively use glazing and layering
techniques when using acrylic brushes.
Both natural and synthetic bristles can be used with acrylics,
depending on the artist's preference. But, acrylics, being alkaline in
nature, can be hard on natural hair brushes. Those made with high
quality synthetics have excellent durability and offers excellent
stiffness, snap and hair shape retention for maximum control. The
brushes must be kept clean. If acrylic paint dries in a brush it is very
hard to get out without using strong solvents that might damage the
brush. Brushes are cleaned promptly by washing them with warm water and
mild soap when finished painting.
