Do you want to make amazing paintings that leave your friends breathless? Know that the key to doing this lies not only in your skills and your experience as an artist, but also in the tools you use.Usually, quality materials translate into quality paintings. There is no way to reverse this fact! So … don’t you think the time has come to invest in your art?
The most important tool when dealing with oil painting is the brush. That’s why we decided to turn this post into a little guide thanks to which you can learn how to identify a quality brush, the various types of brushes and their use, and finally how to clean the brushes correctly.
First of all … a good oil paint brush is:
– the one that keeps its shape after being loaded with color;
– what returns to its original shape after each stroke.
In general, for larger backgrounds you can use a simple brush with bristles. However, when you are ready to add the finer details, we recommend switching to a smaller brush made from ox hair or marten.
Choose a “size”
You have already noticed that each number has a number associated with it. This indicates the size of the brush. When choosing the size of the brush, keep in mind how big the canvas you are working on. A big brush will be better suited for a large canvas, right?
Brush shapes
Plate: The flat brushes are rectangular in shape. They are the most versatile brush model when working with oil paint: they can in fact be used flat or cut, thus producing both wide and narrow strokes.
Cat’s tongue: it is similar to the flat brush, except for rounded corners. Use it when you want to get a softer edge.
Round: it is used for details and finishes, the line is soft. Most likely you will not use it for an entire painting.
Fan: used for staining, shading and glazing effects.
Fine art brushes usually have long handles because they are made to paint vertically with the brush held horizontally: the longer handle offers more balance.
How to clean brushes
The cleaning of an oil paint brush is very different from that for a brush used for watercolors or tempera. Instead of water, brushes should be cleaned with a solution known as “turpentine” or turpentine.
THE ITALSIR COUNCIL
Fine art brushes are a world of their own.
In the past the brushes made with the finest bristles, such as ox hair, marten hair and skunk were the most sought after by artists: in fact, they are of such a softness that the application of the oil color is in any case perfect! Today there are various types of brushes made with synthetic fibers, from the most expensive to the most economical: they have perfectly replaced the old natural bristles improving the application and … resulting more advantageous for the artist’s wallet!
When you start an oil painting, being able to count on quality brushes is extremely important, but it’s not the only thing to worry about. We told you about the shape of the brush, its cleanliness, but for more information on the other materials you need, entrusted to Italsir. By purchasing an Italsir brush you will have a product made with the best raw materials and studied in detail: browse our catalog to choose your most suitable workmate!
