Nail
brushes are used where personal cleanliness is of the utmost importance.
These are specifically designed for use at home, restaurants, food
processing facilities and for other cosmetic purposes. Selecting a nail
brush requires an understanding of brush construction. Bristles must be
made of materials which are non-absorbent and offer a flexibility to
reach beneath the nail and a strength to provide effective cleaning.
Nail brush handle must be balanced properly to be comfortable to hold
and manipulate and at the same time it must also be strong to withstand
pressure. These brushes are available in every conceivable shape -
round, flat, filbert, liner, shader, fan, wash, mop etc. The shape of
the hairs or the fibers, their placement in the ferrule and the design
of their tip all help in creating a multitude of different results.
Bristles must be fused rather than stapled. Most nail art brushes use
the stapling method which creates potentially germ laden pockets at the
base of the bristles. Fused bristles are easy to clean, virtually self
cleaning with each use. Long bristles clean fingers top and bottom while
short bristles clean under fingernails. A variety of hairs and fibers,
both natural and synthetic is used to manufacture nail brushes.
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.
