Materials are important to the artist and like most things in life, it is better to obtain the best that you can possibly afford. Painting isn´t always an easy craft—so your tools are very important to you.

For example, if you choose mediocre materials the final result obtained will probably reflect this.

If you go for quality it should certainly obtain improved results.

As a contemporary artist I can tell you that you require a firm support to paint on, together with a mixed selection of colours and certainly high quality brushes. Brushes are important! You need one that is both clean, a naturally good shape, but that is also flexible. With a good brush you can draw freely and not simply make a certain size brushmarks.

If you use short, bristled brushes they do not usually seem to give a particularly good finish.

If, for instance, you want to draw a persons head you require an amount of flexibility and a precise touch. To achieve this you need to be drawing with the paint continually and in small accurate strokes.

As brushes go I find that it is good to have a few sables that are pointed, as well as a few hog hair brushes. If you use a flat brush you can get delicacy by lying it on its side.

If you wish to draw well and put down patches of colour, you need brushes that have fairly long hair, filbert, round or flat, so they are flexible.

When you purchase good quality brushes then they should stay in shape well, but it is a requirement that they are washed at the end of each painting session. It is pretty clear they will not be good for long unless you treat them well.

What will help you? Well, being a contemporary painter, I often keep an old jam jar filled with turps substitute at my side. This you can use for cleaning out the brushes whilst you are painting and of course when you finish your work for the day. It is recommended that you should clean them sufficiently in this, preferably dry them on an old piece of rag and then finally it is usual to give them a wash with some soap and water.

It is useful to hold the soap in one hand and rub the brushes across it, then clean them gently in your hand with your fingers. The second step is to rinse in water and then start to reshape the bristles with your fingers.

This sounds a lot to do, but really should never take long to do, but it is important.

Sometimes if you are tired you may forget to do this and then find you will be mad with yourself the following day.

Actually most people seem to collect quite a large collection of brushes but end up using only six or seven at a time. As with everything else you have your favourites and really you do not necessarily have to acquire a large stock. You find that you still use your very old ones. These are very nice on wide areas of painting as they are well worn and this saves on your newer brushes as it tends to wear them down.

This article was written by Anna Meenaghan of http://annameenaghanart.com

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That’s why, as I mentioned in Cheap, Fun Watercolors, I was surprised to find that the brush that came with Coloriffic watercolors was quite good. That set was the exception to the rule.

Serious watercolor brushes can be quite expensive—and fragile. Nowadays there are some really good synthetic brushes that are cheaper and better than some natural hair brushes. But they can be somewhat expensive, too.

Waterbrushes

One answer is to use the plastic waterbrushes made by Niji, Royal Langnickel, and others. They are popular because you can fill the barrel with water, put the brush in your purse, briefcase or backpack and be prepared to paint anywhere. They use very little water, and they never leak!

Waterbrushes by Niji (top) and Royal Langnickel with caps on.

Waterbrushes make it possible to paint anytime. At about $6 to $10 for a Niji brush, they are cheap compared to good-quality traditional brushes. They are also really nice to paint with, easier to control and easier to clean. Niji even makes a flat brush that is about 5/8 inch wide for washes.

I generally use waterbrushes at home so that I don’t need a big container of water beside me to rinse brushes in. I don’t have to keep replacing the rinse water, and I don’t have to worry about accidentally spilling it. (If you have children or pets, that can be a big concern.)

I had heard bad things about cheaper waterbrushes, but I got a set of three Royal Langnickel waterbrushes on sale for about $8 and I love them! To me the quality is quite good. I especially love the largest and smallest Langnickel brushes.

My only complaint is that the caps are not as tight as the caps of the Niji waterbrushes. I have lost one Langnickle brush cap. Without the cap, I can still use the brush at my desk (and I do), but I can’t carry it in my purse anymore. I have never had a Niji waterbrush cap come off in my purse, and I have carried one constantly for two or three years.

Bargains on Natural Hair Brushes

Another option is to watch for sales or bargains on good quality natural-hair brushes. I’ve found sable brushes for $5 to $7 at beauty supply stores.

Look in the manicure section of any beauty supply store. I’ve even found them for as little as $2 on the clearance table.

What Kind of Brushes Do YOU Use?

What kind of brushes do you use with fun watercolors? Do you carry them with you constantly to use in your sketchbook?

Do you use waterbrushes? What brand? How do you like them?