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Denise Cat

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I'm starting back on this painting today. After looking at it for a week, I'm going to make some changes to the background, put the other two remaining hyena in place. The thing is, I'm not happy with any of the brushes I have for doing very fine detail. I've not tried this sort of close detail on faces before. I really want to try and get the detail in the faces. Can anyone recommend a brush for oils, I can get to do those minute details. I don't seem to be able to get the delicacy I want in some of the lines. I'm not sure which brand of brush would be a good one for me to use for some of the tiny detail around the face. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Browse the Rosemary & Co online catalogue. Probably the best brushes for detail in oils are synthetic small rounds, or hog-hair ditto.  Rosemary & Co's Ivory range is very good; or their golden acrylic brushes in the smaller sizes.  The only problem with very small pointed brushes is that they don't hold much paint - if you try to make them, they can become clogged, and otherwise you're having to constantly re-charge them. You can do a lot with a rigger and a light touch, helped along by extra oil to make the paint flow. A surprising amount of detail can be accomplished with the edge of a long flat - one that holds its shape: again, the Rosemary & Co Ivory brushes are good for this. Just one thing, though - if using synthetic brushes with oil, don't clean them with turps or white spirit - squeeze the excess paint out on a kitchen towel, and then wash them in lukewarm water and plain soap (or Murphy's soap for oil paint).  Synthetics can curl and splay outwards if introduced to mineral spirits, some being far more prone to this than others - but you won't know which is which until you've ruined a few brushes. 

Denise Cat

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That is ever so helpful Robert, thanks so much, it has given me some idea of what I should be looking for. Great advice on care of the brushes and some very good tips also. I hope to start the real work on the hyenas by about Wednesday so I will get the brushes before then. Thanks again.

Edited
by Denise Cat

Alan Bickley

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All of these that Robert has suggested, I tend to use a Jackson’s Black Hog Round, I’ve got a selection of sizes plus of course my trusted synthetic Pro Art rigger size 00. I’m in the process of writing a article for TA on  oil painting brushes, which includes a paragraph or two on cleaning them. The ‘ Masters Brush Cleaner & Preserver’ is rather good, it’s also useful for older brushes with dried on paint. Also available from Jackson’s.

Alan Bickley

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This is the stuff, I’ve had it a few months now and it seems to last for ages! A little goes a long way.

Edited
by Alan Bickley

Denise Cat

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That's great Alan thanks, I'll be looking forward to reading your article. The brush cleaner is something I would definitely like to have for sure.
Moi 17

Linda Wilson

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I use the Masters cleaner too.  It is really good.  I follow it up with some mat clay to bring them to a point and let them dry.  It is like setting hair. what I also use for both oil and acrylic fine work is rubber paint shapers.  They don’t even need thinners or water or anything other than a rag or kitchen towel to clean them.

Denise Cat

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I had never come across paint shapers before Linda, I had to look them up. I'll be getting a set thanks. They will come in useful I feel.

Alan Bickley

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I’ve never used paint/colour shapers, I’m not even sure that I understand their proper use! You presumably ‘move’ paint around… I’ll probably stick with my brushes for that! I’ve not come across any well-known professional artists that use them as far as I know. Perhaps Linda could enlighten us a bit more as to their advantage over a brush…
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Marjorie Firth

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I use shapers in pastel work - for fine detail. You can “ tease” the soft pastel in the final layers to soften a line or bring out a whisker or hair for example. Never used them with paint though.

Denise Cat

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Yes Marjorie, I can see they would work great for that sort of soft pastel work. I can already think of a couple of times they would have come in useful for the pastel work I've already done. The black cat I did, they would have been great for doing the whiskers and maybe some of the highlights on the fur.

Alan Bickley

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I don’t work with pastels too often these days, but for details such as whiskers I would use a sharp pastel pencil, you can’t produce a thinner line than that I wouldn’t think!
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