Choosing a brush
There is such a wide range of brushes to choose from that it can sometimes be bewildering. There is rarely a brush that can only be used for one type of painting and so you can mix and match to create the effect you want.
Brushes broadly break down into two types: soft bristles (such as nylon and sable) and hard bristles (such as hog). A general rule of thumb is for watercolours you would use a soft brush and for oils you would use a hard brush. For acrylics you can use either. There are many exceptions to this rule - if you want to create a specific effect then you can use the brush that does it for you!
Shape is another important aspect of a brush. Round brushes carry a lot of paint and can be used to create detail and broad areas of colour. Flat brushes are excellent for laying down flat, even areas or washes. There are unusual shapes such as the long thin 'rigger' brush, which is used for fine detail, branches and similar work and the 'fan' brush which is excellent for blending colours and creating cloud effects.
Brushes are available in a range of qualities similar to those found in paint ranges. A top of the range artist's brush will have a longer life and carry more colour than one designed for student use. It is always important to check whether the brush you want to use will be affected by the medium you are painting with. Remember acrylic paint can quickly ruin a brush so you must never let the paint dry on the bristles. Oil paint and turpentine can easily ruin the wrong type of brush.
It is important to have a range of brushes, both in terms of size and shape. A brush set is often an excellent way to obtain a good starting point for a brush collection.
Remember...always clean your brushes well, dry them properly and store them safely.
Choosing a paint surface
Choosing the right paint surface to paint on can be the making of a painting. It is important to match your surface to the paint you will be using.
For watercolours you need to use watercolour paper or board. This comes in a range of weights and surface finishes. For detailed work you will want to consider using a Hot Press (HP) or smooth paper, for general use a Not (or Cold Press) surface. A further alternative is Rough Paper, which is perfect for adding texture to your work. These papers are available in a range of weights from 72lbs to 300lbs - the higher the weight the thicker the paper. On lighter papers such as 72lbs and 90lbs, it is essential to stretch your paper before you start to work - heavier papers can be worked directly or stretched. Any guide to watercolour will give you instrcutions on preparing your paper in this way.
Watercolour papers are available in pad form or as individual sheets. Watercolour board is also available - this is watercolour paper bonded to a heavy acid-free cardboard - it is ideal for those who do not wish to stretch their papers! A new innovation is coloured watercolour paper - in soft pastel shades - why not experiment with this for a new style?
Oil painting is traditionally carried out on canvas. As with watercolour papers, canvas is available in a range of materials and finishes. Smooth, man-made canvas is ideal for detailed work such as portraits; cotton canvas has a slight texture and is the most commonly used. Linen canvas has the coarsest finish and is widely used for achieving a textural effect in your work. Canvasses are available ready stretched in a range of sizes or you can buy a length of canvas and stretch it yourself to create a specific size.
There are two alternatives to the traditional canvas - canvas boards and oil painting paper. Canvas boards are made up of a layer of canvas, bonded to a heavy cardboard and are a great value way of developing your techniques. Oil painting paper is a textured paper, which again offers an excellent surface at a lower price - perfect for beginners!
For those who want to paint in acrylics - the choice of surface is almost limitless! Acrylic artists can use watercolour papers, canvas, canvas boards and many other 'found' surfaces such as wood and metal! Special papers have been prepared for work with acrylics, which offer yet another choice. Essentially the choice of surface is one for you - the artist - to make!
