Traditionally
used by Oil painters, the standard oil brush shapes are: Filbert- shaped
like a filbert nut; Bright- flat with short bristle; Flat - flat with
long bristle; Fan - shaped like a fan and sometimes referred to as a fan
blender; Round - shaped like a bullet which comes to a blunt point. Many
oil mediums contain solvents or oils in such concentration that they
could present a hazard to the oil brushes.
Natural bristle doesn't come to a point, it actually has two or three
splits at the end, these are called 'flags'. This allows the bristle to
hold more paint, with use, the 'flags' often change color after being
stained by strong pigment, but this has no detrimental effect on the oil
brush. Besides using bristle brushes for oils, sable & synthetic
mixed or synthetic is also used. The sable and sable/synthetic mix
usually gives a softer, smoother look to the applied paint, these are
also useful for detail work. The synthetic type, range from soft to
bristle effect.
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.
