Brush Shapes
From left to right: flat, bright, round, filbert and liner brush shapes.
The way paint looks when applied to canvas largely depends on the type of brush you use. See the Start-Up Kit for the basic set of brushes needed for most of your projects.
Brushes come in a variety of bristle types.
Stiff bristle: These brushes are made from boar bristle, ox hair, horsehair or other coarse animal hairs.
Sable: These are made from the tail hair of the male kolinsky sable, found in Russia. This very soft hair creates smooth blends. The scarcity of the kolinsky makes these brushes expensive, but they are worth it!
Squirrel hair: These soft brushes are a bit fuller than sable brushes and are often used for watercolor because they hold a lot of moisture.
Camel hair: This is another soft hair that is used frequently for both acrylic and watercolor brushes.
Synthetic: Synthetic bristles can be a more affordable substitute for natural-hair brushes, but paint is very hard on them. They tend to lose their shape and point faster than natural hair brushes. Good brush cleaning and care is essential to making them last.
Brushes come in different shapes, and some shapes are better for certain paint applications.
Flat: A flat brush is used for broad applications of paint. Its wide shape will cover a large area. The coarse boar-bristle type is a stiff brush that can be used to literally scrub the paint into the canvas. A softer sable or synthetic bristle is good for smooth blending with less noticeable brush marks.
Bright: Brights are very similar to flats; however, the bright’s bristles are a bit shorter, which gives the brush more spring.
Round: Use round brushes for details and smaller areas. The tip of a stiff bristle round is good for dabbing or filling in small areas. A small soft round can be used in place of a liner for creating long straight or curved lines.
Filbert: This brush shape is my personal favorite. Also known as a cat’s tongue, the filbert is useful for filling in areas, due to its rounded tip.
Liner: The liner’s small, pointy shape makes it essential for detail work. You can create tiny lines and crisp edges with a liner.
Hake: a hake (pronounced hah-kay), a wide flat oriental brush made from natural hair, is excellent for soft blending.
Brush Shapes
From left to right: flat, bright, round, filbert and liner brush shapes.
Bristle Types
From left to right: stiff bristle, sable, squirrel hair, camel hair and synthetic bristle types.