An
artist always strive to use the best quality brush possible as the
brush, more than anything else, massively affect the outcome of his
endeavors. Quills are made the same way as other artist' brushes except
that the hair is placed in ferrules made of hollow tubes cut from the
base of bird feathers instead of being placed in metal ferrules. Quill
brush have plastic or natural quill ferrule, with a permanent or
detachable handle. Long hairs and a natural-shaped tip, these brushes
generally have a round ferrule and a short handle. Useful for lettering
and poster work, they are good on smooth surfaces such as glass. The
silky smooth bristles of quill brush holds a huge reservoir of color and
acts in concert with the hand movements to lay down sweeping strokes
with beautiful precision.
Providing a perfect combination of flow and performance, a sign writer
or sign painter uses a "quill" brush as a main tool. The quill
brush is usually made from ox hair, which is more durable than many
other artist brushes. It has a quill ferrule which attach the hair to
the brush handle and is tied together with wire. In a quill brush the
bristles are inserted into the quill of a feather rather than into a
metal ferrule; the resilience of the quill gives the brush a special
feel. The sizes of quill brushes are named after the birds that
originally provided the feathers. From small to large, the sizes are:
lark, crow, small duck, duck, large duck, swan, small goose, goose,
large goose, condor.
