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New brushes
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Message
Posted
Just bought paint - oil and Chromacolour acrylics; plus Winsor and Newton Mixing White in acrylic (very useful indeed) AND - a clutch of Rosemary & Co brushes. A selection of long flats, in their Ivory range, and - just for a bit of fun - a Shiraz dagger, on a long handle. I've never used a dagger and felt it's time I gave one a try.
I am more and more using flat brushes, rather than the rounds I always used to use, and occasional filberts, in all mediums. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how fantastic Rosemary & Co brushes are? But if you do - they are; superb brushes; not only beautifully made and balanced, but expertly packaged, and delivered in a matter of days from placing the order.
This gives me the opportunity to burden you with advice, as well! There were some complaints on Facebook that the Rosemary & Co synthetic brushes splayed and curled. Further investigation unearthed the reason why - they were being used with oil paint (and that's OK; I'd tend to use hogs, but synthetics can work) and they were being cleaned with mineral spirits or Turps: and that's not OK at all. If you're going to use any synthetic brushes, keep 'em away from spirits; wipe them clean, and wash them in plain soap (or Murphy's soap) and cool water. Otherwise, you'll spoil your brushes, and Rosemary's brushes deserve better.
Posted
I’ve never used a dagger brush either, it’s never been on my list of priorities but let me know how you get on with it.
I’ve never been a fan of filbert brushes, I mainly use flat brushes and the occasional round as and when necessary. I like the sharp edge of flats, they give me a range of mark making.
I also use R&Co Ivory and a few other synthetic brushes from Jackson’s. However, I’ve always used white spirit to clean them, along with Fairy liquid afterwards. I haven’t actually noticed anything detrimental, but I’m pretty rough on my brushes anyway, so they don’t last long in my hands.
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
The Fairy Liquid - what our American cousins call 'dish soap' - is probably what removes all trace of Turps/spirits, so you won't have the splaying problem. The ones who did were those who JUST used spirits to clean their brushes; then, because the brush will have felt dry, put them in their brush pots or whatever bristles upwards (or worse, downwards).
I will certainly let you know how I get on with the dagger - it's of no use for the painting I'm currently working on, but I thought it might be of use when I next paint a landscape. We shall see.
Some of us are too easily influenced! I used rounds to begin with, because I was told that's what the old masters used; then I went on to filberts, because I was told they were the ideal mixture of rounds and flats; but I stopped listening to other people's advice and reflected that some of my better results had come from using flats, so - why didn't I go to them as a matter of course, rather than play with different shapes? I'm on to the Ivory long flats now because they seem to do everything I need (or am capable of doing, anyway) - dare I ask what you think of fan brushes? I have a few - I have specific uses or them, principally blending, but they're hardly a necessity. I don't know, but I would imagine you have no use for them at all. Still - one can always be surprised!
The brush I'm not a bit keen on is the Bright - very short flats, that in my hands just get clogged with paint all too often; I can think of a few uses for it, but on the whole I wish Mr Bright hadn't bothered.....
Posted
You are not the only one who has problems with brights, Robert. They are almost impossible to clean. I have been told that they are designed to deliver the maximum paint to canvas.
I’ve not come across a dagger. (The Scottish play comes to mind). I do have a sword brush for watercolour though, which I would highly recommend. I have fan brushes but they don’t get used much. I’ve found that fingers do blending better and more accurately. They are useful for random dabbing though, if you ever have a need.
Posted
Same here regarding Bright brushes, I do have some R&Co ones but rarely use them, I much prefer a longer, springier fitch.
I hate fan brushes! They probably have their uses, like dropping in detailed grasses or leaves on trees - I’m shuddering at the thought of that style of painting, it’s not for me. I do have one so I must have succumb at some stage.
Posted
We seem to be singing from the same hymn-sheet. I do have an Orpen brush; a very old brush from Roberson & Co, as used by Sir William Orpen, RA- it's a long filbert. I rarely use it, but always hope to paint like Orpen when I do...... It's a hog: I doubt that synthetics were available when this brush was made. I've had it for some 45 years at least.......... daren't use it too often!
Flats - especially long flats - suit me better these days; though I used filberts for years...... it is very surprising how much difference a different range of brushes can make...... so much to learn! Different brushes, different paints, different surfaces - it's hardly surprising that painting is a life-time pursuit - especially when you add all the different media in which one could paint: I stick to acrylic, oil, and watercolour, in that order: I'm lost in admiration for those who can add extra media, and excel in all of them.
Posted
I picked up on this post. I don't really know that much about brushes. I've acquired a lot of brushed because I am working in three mediums. I pay a couple of pounds for a brush. I have a nice set of sable brushes for watercolour, fine detail. When I buy brushes it's a guessing game. I have know one to ask. I think I have pretty much figured out the shape of brushes and their names, although, not quite their uses. So, Quality of brushes is another mine field. I would just like a decent quality set for each medium I use but I have no one to ask. I would like a decent set of palette knives now. I've been using the plastic ones. I think you get 5 knives for a pound. Yes a bargain when your starting out but I think I would like to develop it further now. Again, I have no one to ask. I remember my dad saying, a workman is only as good as his tools. If I had decent stuff, It might turn me into a better artist. Well, we can all dream can't we.
Posted
Denise, plastic painting and palette knives are useless, get rid!
You need quality metal knives that have some ‘spring’ to them, cheap unbranded metal knives generally aren’t flexible enough.
Buy genuine branded makes such as Royal Talens, W&N etc. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve with them, and the difference quality products will make.
You really can’t skimp on brushes either, there’s always good constructive advice available on this forum if you aren’t sure about what to buy, but you know that anyway!
Posted
Thanks Alan, there is a big art shop in town, I'm waiting for it to open so I can get a decent set. I will get the brands you mentioned. I have some decent brushes for watercolors. Now I'm working in oils a lot more I want some decent brushes so really I need a nice quality set, something I can build on.
Posted
I have three aged painting knives, stamped G Rowney & Co, so they go back a good 40 years at least, and a palette knife. The painting knives are flexible, and still have a lovely spring to them; but are a bit warped (this is sounding a lot like a description of myself - old and warped...). The palette knife is less flexible, I HAVE used it for painting, but its principal use is scraping the palette, mashing the paint into the desired consistency: it doesn't have the sensitivity of the painting knives.
I keep planning to buy new ones, but as I don't often use knives for a full painting - in short, I still haven't. But I endorse Alan's comments, if endorsement were needed - plastic implements just impede your progress; they have all the sensitivity of a bread-knife. If I were starting with acrylics or oils all over again, I'd go for a range of flats, and a couple of riggers in different sizes. Plus one large round - though be careful with those, they encourage stippling - a technique which has its (very small) place, but which if over-indulged can make all your paintings look exactly the same: I shall not name the painter who pushed this technique - but on the rare occasions he didn't use it, his paintings were, at least, less awful than they normally were.
(Suggest by the way that this painter was actually not very good, and you get a load of angry emails - I still get them, on a blog post from around 7 years ago! Anyway - go easy on the stippling..)
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