Artist Brushes
These are just my most often “used” brushes.

I love my brushes…after all, where would I be without my brushes.  They are more than a tool…more than a means to an end.  They are an extension of all my creative energy, flowing from my inner soul, my heart, through my veins and down to my fingers.  What happens at the end of a brush is pure magic!  In fact, I love my little helpers so much that I rarely throw them away……cause you just never know when that spindly little brush with only one hair left….is just the perfect one!

There are a multitude of types and manufacturers of artist brushes.  Finding what works for you can be quite the task.  Don’t be put off by the manufactures suggested use….yes, use it as a guideline but don’t be afraid to experiment.  I promise the oil brush police will not show up if you dip it in watercolor!  Now, having said that…sometimes that is the best place to start.  If nothing else, it narrows the field a bit.  Try out a few brushes specific to your medium…..see how they behave, how they clean up, how they “feel” in your hand.  Then move on and experiment with some brushes that are not recommended for your medium.  How do they compare?

Cleaning and maintaining your brushes is a very personal thing.  Most everyone has their own ritual for keeping their brushes in the best possible shape.  Here is mine.  As I have stated I work primarily in acrylics and I tend to use synthetic brushes.  They clean up easily with soap and water.  However, I rarely use soap.  Most of the time I simply rinse by brushes in clean tap water, reshape the hairs with my fingers, and lay them flat to dry.  When I do use soap….I use regular old dish soap.

And finally, a note about price…. it is true, you do get what you pay for in most cases.  That is not to say that there is no place for inexpensive brushes.  If you have a technique or are using a type of medium (for example, masking fluid) that will do serious damage to your brush, then by all means choose an inexpensive brush.  Notice I did not say “cheap brush”.  Cheap brushes tend to loose hairs constantly, will not hold their shape, and will make you go “screaming into the night”!  I promise!

Next post, I’ll share some of my favorite brushes….brand, shapes and sizes, and some specific techniques.  Please feel free to share your favorite brush in the comments below…..cause we are all always on the look out for that “perfect one”…..