My Favorite Art Materials: Watercolor Brushes.

My lovely readers often ask me what materials I use, so I figured it was about time I made a series of posts on this topic. I do not claim to be the final authority on the subject of art supplies, and none of the companies mentioned have endorsed me. My sole intent is sharing some experience and knowledge, hope you find it useful:)

This very first post is all about brushes I use most. Let me start with a quote of renowned master watercolorist Charles Reid. In his book "Painting Flowers in Watercolor" he says:



Hard to disagree, isn't it? I only would like to mention that good brush can be a very broad definition, and it doesn't necessarily have to be super expensive. Even the old rough looking brush can sometimes do a wonderful job on certain objects, and feel just right in your hand.



1. Silver Brush Black Velvet Oval Wash, Size 1'' is a blend of squirrel hair and synthetic filament. It's my "work horse" brush. What I like most about oval brush is that it provides a variety of strokes and somewhat combines features of two shapes: round and flat, depending on how much pressure I apply to it. I use this brush for both broad washes and some detail work.

2. Da Vinci Quill, Size 6, is just a big bold watercolor brush that holds an incredible amount of paint and water. Perfect for washes, as well as getting around details. I find this brush to be lacking of spring a little bit, but other than that, It works great for loose painting and gets used very often.

3. Silver Brush Black Velvet Wash, Size 1-1/2'' is another combination of squirrel hair and synthetic fibers. This flat brush is ideal for large washes and laying in water.



4. Silver Brush Black Velvet Square Wash, Size 3/4''. This medium-sized, squirrel blend flat brush doesn't get used very often, comparing to others, but comes in handy when I need to paint straight lines for example.

5. Silver Brush Black Velvet Round, Size 16. A full bodied, medium-sized round brush like this one is a must have for me, since it is very versatile and can do the trick for everything.

6. Winsor & Newton Artist Pointed Round, Size 8. I love this Kolinsky sable brush for its excellent carrying capacity and beautifully pointed tip, which makes it perfect for long, continuous strokes, some washes and detail work.



7. Winsor & Newton Artist Pointed Round, Size 7. Being just a little bit thinner, this brush does essentially the same as Size 8 version.

8. Winsor & Newton Artist Pointed Round, Size 4. I use this brush for painting smaller objects, fine detail and lines.

9. Roubloff (Russian brand), Size 1. My oldest and tiniest sable brush. No painting is done without its participation, since I use it for signing my watercolors.



In the comments section, I'd love you to share your thoughts and preferences regarding watercolor brushes. What are your "must haves"?