Stencil
brushes are easy-to-use brushes, even the beginners can achieve
professional-looking results. Stencil brushes are specially-designed
keeping in mind the comfort of the artist and make it easy to achieve
maximum shading and highlighting. Stencil brush have a wide flat shape
and curved edges which make it easy to spread color smoothly and evenly
on a variety of surfaces including paper, painted finishes and fabric.
Most stencil brushes have bristles that are blunt cut, leaving stiff
bristles that create brush marks on the surface. Stencil brushes may
have have soft bristles with special "feathered" tips. They
hold, spread, and blend the paint beautifully without leaving hard brush
marks for a naturally blended look. Usually, these have polished wooden
handle with metal ferrule.
The larger stencil brush feature a bulb-shaped design that fits into
the palm of the hand, reducing fatigue when stenciling for long periods
of time. This shape also encourages to hold the stencil brush in the
correct position: straight-up-and-down, perpendicular to the stenciling
surface. The smaller brushes have thin, tapered handles, making the
brush easy to maneuver-perfect for detailing and shading small areas.
Larger brush are used for larger cut-out areas and a smaller brush for
smaller, more detailed cut-out areas.
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.
