Paint brushes
Betty Cunningham
A lot about brushes depends on what kind of paints you use.
-If you use enamels or other paints dissolvable by some kind of solvent,
SABLES are the best brush you can by for detailed work. They retain an
amazingly fine point (even a #1 sable brush has a comparable tip to a
#00 in a synthetic brush) and with proper care can last years. They're
also the priciest brsuh you can invest in. Otehr brushes to look for
are natural fiber brushes such as MONGOOSE or SQUIRREL.
-Natural fiber brushes can carry more paint than synthetic brushes as
the cracks and crevices along each hair act as reservoirs for the
paint. Until very recently synthetics couldn't reproduce this and thus
couldn't hold paint as well but technology is cathing up. I don't
beleive paint brushes are marketed yet with this extra bumpy surface but
you can now buy toothbrushes with it to it's only a matter of time
-If you use water-soluable acrylics, sables are still an option but a
very very expensve option as the paint will in time gum up your brush
and you will need to replace it. I prefer really high quality SYNTHETIC
NYLON for most of my work. I use the Windsor Newton series 233 brushes
which are white nylon and come to a very nice point. Synthetic nylon
can also will, in time, dry out if used with solvent based paints such
as enamels.
-Other materials that fine brushes can be made of are:
SQUIRREL-very limp but hold a lot of paint, hard to control (semi
pricey)
CAMEL-probably actually horse hair-very coarse, I usually use these for
applying solvents (cheap)
BADGER- this is a very tough-to-find brush material and is pretty
comparable to high quality nylon, but not as nice a point as SABLE.
(pricey)
MONGOOSE-very fine, not quite as firm as SABLE but still able to hold a
nice point (semi pricey to pricey)
BOAR'S BRISTLE-this brush is used for oil painting and is generally too
coarse for use on miniatures or models.(prices can vary)
CHEAP NYLON-this is a cheaper version of the CAMEL brush-the type of
brush you find in the lids of rubber cement jars. I use only for
solvents.
For some detailed work such as outlining eyes, I prefer a really fine
sable such as a #000
-The smallest brush I've found was a #10/0 (that's ten zeros) but that
usally gets trashed in the art store's brush racks as it's about 5
hairs. The next smallest I've ever seen was a #5/0.
-A really fine brush for dry-brushing (which is what it's for) but VERY
hard to find is a type called a CAT'S TONGUE which is sort of shaped
like the head of a Q-tip. This one comes in a variety of sizes as
well. I think Langnickel makes some very nice ones, Raphael makes a
synthetic one which is pretty good.
-A dandy brush for detailing lines is the sign painter's PIN STRIPING
brush. This is a very thin, very long haired brush that holds lots of
paint so you can draw continuous, un-interrupted lines.
-Betty Cunningham
(who used to sell brushes for a living a LONG long time ago)
Robert Iera wrote:
> I wanted to know what types of paint brushes you use and would
> recommend. What particular brands and bristle materials??
> Thanks
> --
> Rob Iera
> ie...@psu.edu
>
james_b
>>-A really fine brush for dry-brushing (which is what it's for) but VERY
>>hard to find is a type called a CAT'S TONGUE which is sort of shaped
>>like the head of a Q-tip. This one comes in a variety of sizes as
>>well. I think Langnickel makes some very nice ones, Raphael makes a
>>synthetic one which is pretty good.
>>
Cat's Tongue. I have a used one that I recently used (for the first time)
to paint green patches over silver base, it IS nice. Worked good on a
small tight pattern.
James B
William Just
thanks for the great rundown on brushes. i use a bit simplier method:) :
testors 000 (model master) brush holds a fine tip, hold lots of paint,
is flexible and fairly long lasting. i usually buy 3 or so a year and
brush paint a lot. its my consistent favorite.
>-A really fine brush for dry-brushing (which is what it's for) but VERY
>hard to find is a type called a CAT'S TONGUE which is sort of shaped
>like the head of a Q-tip. This one comes in a variety of sizes as
>well. I think Langnickel makes some very nice ones, Raphael makes a
>synthetic one which is pretty good.
>
>-A dandy brush for detailing lines is the sign painter's PIN STRIPING
>brush. This is a very thin, very long haired brush that holds lots of
>paint so you can draw continuous, un-interrupted lines.
>
>-Betty Cunningham
>(who used to sell brushes for a living a LONG long time ago)
>
>Robert Iera wrote:
>
>> I wanted to know what types of paint brushes you use and would
>> recommend. What particular brands and bristle materials??
>> Thanks
>> --
>> Rob Iera
>> ie...@psu.edu
>>
>
>
>
>
--
one love
rasta4I
jah bill
Charles Gallo
Betty,
The BIG Badger hair brushes are about the best DUSTING brushes
for a model you will ever see. I'm talking about 2" in diameter.
It's also the traditional material for shaving brushes
On Mon, 12 Jan 1998 15:01:38 -0800, Betty Cunningham
<bet...@flyinggoat.com> wrote:
<snip LOTS of GREAT stuff>
>BADGER- this is a very tough-to-find brush material and is pretty
>comparable to high quality nylon, but not as nice a point as SABLE.
>(pricey)
<another big snip>