Types of brushes for painting. Ear hair brushes

Drawing is a rather interesting and exciting hobby, but if you want to achieve truly serious success in it, you cannot neglect any details.

For children's creativity, parents usually select paints first, but brushes have a huge influence on the quality of the implementation of creative ideas.



Types and their purpose

Brushes come in a wide variety, but your child is unlikely to need professional models at the learning stage. It is worth paying attention to relatively small artistic brushes - these are sold in any craft supply store. All parts of the brush have great importance, but the characteristics of the hair bundle, with the help of which the paint is applied to the surface to be painted, are of fundamental importance.

Size and shape are of maximum importance, because small brushes are much easier to draw fine details, while large brushes are better suited for tinting large areas.

The stencil brush even differs in details such as absence of sharp ends in hairs– they are flat and blunt, which makes painting figures through a stencil faster and more uniform. To directly apply paint to a drawing, sometimes even sponges are used, similar to brushes.




An important role is also played by the choice of a specific material for the hair bun - the convenience of working with a specific type of paint, as well as the durability of the product, depends on this. For serious artistic needs, it is better to purchase not just one brush, or even a couple or three, but a whole set.

The base of the brush may seem primitive, but it also determines how good the tool is. It must reliably connect the handle and the hair bun - the service life of the brush depends on this. A seam on the surface of the base can make the drawing process less convenient, so it is better not to have one.

Even the handle has certain requirements. First of all, its surface should be smooth– this will allow you not to rub or scratch your hand even with a huge amount of time devoted to your favorite activity. In addition, the length of the handle is selected in such a way that holding the instrument in the hands is as comfortable as possible for its future owner.

What paints are used for?

Various parameters of the hair bundle can be chosen at your own discretion, but professional artists have long developed general recommendations by choosing a brush for each type of paint, thanks to which the palette is better revealed and details are drawn more clearly.

For example, for oil paints They prefer brushes made of natural pig bristles that can absorb paint. Mongoose wool is also acceptable, except for the toughest varieties.

In our country, badger hair is often used as a material. Synthetics are traditionally considered a lower-quality substitute for natural raw materials, but a nylon-based brush is one of the rare exceptions to the rule, allowing you to paint with oils without losing quality.

For water-based paints, choosing a brush will be simpler, but here you need to take into account some features. For example, squirrel fur is great for painting with watercolors, but synthetics will not work (but it is considered perfect choice when painting with acrylic paints).

Material of manufacture

Materials differ in paint absorption and hardness, which cannot but affect the final result. Today there are at least a dozen different materials, And Almost every variety has its own advantages:

  • The most universal option is a kolinsky brush, which is widely used by professionals, but such a product is rarely purchased for children - it is too expensive.
  • Squirrel fur is the best option for drawing watercolor paints, and therefore is one of the leaders in the field of children's creativity.


  • The pony is another animal that provides inexpensive wool that is good for painting. In general, this material is also quite versatile, but compared to the column, it is somewhat inferior in quality.
  • For oil paint, they never came up with anything better than pig bristles.
  • Badger hair is considered a good option for almost all types of paint, provided it has a fairly liquid consistency.




  • Sable wool is quite versatile and suitable for all types of paints, but it is not used for drawing small details, and such a tool is very expensive.
  • Artificial materials not very popular among professionals and are used in to a greater extent for acrylic-based paints, however, nylon brushes stand out from this series because they allow you to paint oil paintings.
  • Unusual options, such as rubber or silicone brushes, can give a completely new, unlike anything else effect, which is actively used by modern artists, but can only hinder the child in the process of learning to draw.




Dimensions

If parents are going to buy small child If you are just taking your first steps in painting, with just one brush, it is better to choose an option that is average in shape and size, made from a universal material such as pony hair.

However, for serious painting, you need brushes of different sizes. Composing own set, you need to remember that you will have to paint both small details and large monochromatic ones, so the minimum set should include at least one large and one small brush.



Serious art teachers usually immediately tell their students what tools they should acquire to achieve the expected result. They usually call brushes by numbers - for example, “round No. 3”. In theory, this means that any brush with a round hair tuft with a diameter of 3 millimeters is needed, unless the teacher named a specific name along with the brand.

In the case where the shape of the brush differs from that for which the concept of diameter is appropriate, The number most often indicates the width of the hair bundle.

It should be taken into account that numbering is actively used not only in colloquial speech people close to painting, but also by the brush manufacturers themselves, and this is where the catch lies. Although the number of millimeters is easy to measure, measurement standards may differ between different collections of the same manufacturer.


Forms

The skill of an artist lies not in painting the whole world around with the same brush, but in being able to choose the most suitable tool to convey each individual object. This is another reason why to achieve success in painting you need not just one brush, but a whole set.


Professional artists use the main types of hair bun shapes as follows:

  • A round brush is the most common option that many parents purchase for their children. Such a tool is optimal for painting small details with bright colors - for the so-called “dot” pattern. For the gouache painting technique, such a tool can safely be considered the main one.
  • Flat brushes are distinguished by a somewhat flattened shape of the hair bundle, due to which they resemble a tongue in appearance. This arrangement of bristles makes the entire bundle more elastic, simplifying long-term tangential movements, so this variety is also used quite often - for example, for painting large objects in a picture.



  • Brushes called “flutz” are also very thin, but at the same time they are much wider, somewhat reminiscent of a comb and a paint brush. Their use is limited to large-scale painting; they are used mainly in watercolors and gouache.
  • Font and linear brushes are distinguished by an extremely small area of ​​the hair tuft, reduced to the size of a small round dot, and the difference between them is that the first variety has much longer bristles. This design helps to draw fine lines and create exquisite patterns, and is also most suitable for learning calligraphy.
  • Fan brushes could be classified as flat, if not for one “but”: their bristles are arranged in the shape of a fan, that is, the general end of the hair bundle does not look like a straight line, but like a roundness, in which only the center is guaranteed to touch the surface of the canvas, and the flanks - only with stronger pressure. This trick is used by those artists who seek to reduce the contrast between the details of the drawing and provide a smoother transition of colors.




Other characteristics

Among other small characteristics that affect final result, first of all, it is worth highlighting hardness.

It is better to give preference to more soft materials , since the elastic bristles better sense the smallest changes in the position of the hand and allow you to draw the smallest details.

When pressed hard, hard bristles can even slightly spoil the paper on which the design will appear, and although some contemporary artists They use this as another artistic device; children are unlikely to need such a feature.



Since we are talking about children's creativity, you should not ignore the strength of the product: a low-quality product can quickly break in half, and the bristles can easily be pulled out of the base. A child's instrument should be able to withstand this kind of testing, or at least be cheap enough that its potential replacement will not be a problem for the parent's wallet.

Which ones are better to choose?

If a child has already achieved relative success in drawing, it is better to entrust the choice of professional tools to the child himself, because only he knows what he needs.

But most parents, when buying brushes, do so for children who do not yet know how to draw, so they have to make the choice themselves. Considering that adults themselves often have no direct relationship with painting, the task only becomes more complicated.

The minimum drawing set should consist of at least two brushes, one of which will be small for drawing contours and small details, and the other large for sketching surfaces.



If there are only two brushes, then it is better to choose the same material, ideally universal, suitable for different colors. In the case of teaching children, pony hair looks like an ideal “candidate”. However, all these considerations are relevant only if the child takes drawing lessons as part of the program secondary school, any more serious courses will require a larger set.

The choice of material here will also depend on the type of paints and the type of base for the drawings, so special brushes may be better suited for painting on canvas - not the same as for painting on fabric. When choosing brushes for additional activities question about specific models It's better to ask the teacher.

IN Lately fashion trend The art of calligraphy has also become, which is taught even to children in our country today. Here, of course, the choice of brushes is a little simpler: for them, the main selection factor is the minimum size of the bunch with a high density of bristles and their sufficient softness.

Useful little things

Most people think that all you need to paint is paint, a brush, a sketchbook, and a glass of water to rinse the bristles. Professionals from the art world will be able to name several dozen various items, which are not strictly necessary to create a masterpiece, but can somewhat simplify and make the creative process itself more enjoyable.

For example, a special cover or case could be a very useful addition for children’s brushes. It will protect the instrument itself from breakage, excessive fraying of the bun and dirt, and the inside of the briefcase and the things in it will be protected from paint if the child forgets to wash it off.

If there are quite a lot of brushes in the baby’s arsenal, it makes sense to give packaging for the whole set - such pencil cases will allow the baby to quickly find the brushes in the bag.



A special stand for brushes will help you avoid getting the table dirty while painting. It allows you to keep the correctly mixed color on the bristles, which is not needed yet, and at the same time not to stain everything around with it.

When painting with acrylic paints, it is very convenient to use a brush holder, when using which the brushes will always be in a suspended state - this way the pile will not touch the bottom and will not deteriorate.


Before we begin describing the different types of art materials and their features, I want to pay attention to the artist’s main tool: the brush.

I will tell you what shapes and types of brushes there are, why and in what cases they are used, how to choose the right brush when purchasing and how to properly care for brushes. Main tool artist, when working with most art materials, it is a brush. If you decide to get creative for more than one day, then it is better to purchase brushes good quality(this applies to brushes when using any art material).

The brush consists of three parts: a wooden handle (sometimes a plastic one, but it’s better to take a wooden one), a metal clip (capsule, base) and a hair bun. Hair bundle - the working part of the brush can consist of various types hair - synthetic or natural, collected in various shapes and sizes. The clip serves to give shape and safety to the beam and connect it to the handle of the brush. Most often made of metal. Seamless clips (no seam, most convenient).

What you need to pay attention to in order to choose the right brush:

The base on a wooden or plastic handle should not wobble, much less fly off it, the seam should be tight and not twist; high-quality brushes have a very tight crimp. - the hair on the brush must be securely fastened so that it does not fall out of it later, try stroking the tip of the brush, if at least one hair remains in your hand, then it is better not to take such a brush. IN good store you should be allowed to moisten the tip of the brush with water; when wet, it should be perfect, the hair should lie to the hair, the tip of the brush should not bristle. A good brush will always have a wooden handle. The handle must be made of hardwood deciduous tree- beech, birch. So, the types of brushes differ in shape and material from which they are made.

How to properly care for your brushes?

A good artist always keeps his tools in perfect order. - If you use natural hair brushes, be sure to use special moth repellents for prevention. - Try not to put too much pressure on the working part of the brush when drawing, washing and applying paint, as soft hairs may break off on the edge of the iron clip. - If you do not use the brush for a long time, then in order to protect the brush hair from all sorts of bacteria, you can store the brush wrapped with camphor balls. - Never place a wet brush, tip up, directly into a glass. Wait for the brush to dry. - Never place a brush in water with the tip facing down. The brushes are stored in a jar standing with the hair part up. If you simply fold them, they will lose their shape. - The hair of new brushes is glued so that the tip of the brush does not lose its shape. The hardness will disappear as soon as it gets wet. Many round brushes are sold with a plastic cap, which helps maintain the shape of the brush. Try to continue using this cap, but be sure to dry the brush completely before capping the tip of the brush, otherwise rust may form on the ferrule. - If you work with acrylic paints, always try to keep the working part of the brush in water, because acrylic paint dries very quickly, clogging the base of the brush beam at the holder and practically cannot be cleaned. - Always clean your brush thoroughly after working with paints. If you use water-soluble paints (watercolor, gouache, tempera, acrylic paints), then it is recommended to rinse your brushes several times in clean, clear water. Professional artists usually add a drop of dish soap to the water. - If you use oil paints, then after working with them you must immediately clean them. Under no circumstances should the brush be allowed to dry out. First, remove excess paint with a dry cloth. Some people recommend washing brushes quickly in a solvent such as pinene, turpentine or white spirit, but this risks the fact that the solvent gets under the tin clip at the base of the brush bristles and dissolves the binder holding the hair bundle together. Therefore, it is recommended that after using oil paints, wash your brushes in warm water using regular laundry soap until the water and foam no longer discolor the paint.

Let's talk about brush shapes.

ROUND

These are brushes with a bunch enclosed in a round clip. The bundle can be short in length, such brushes are used for miniatures, or the bundle can be long. This is the most versatile brush shape. With this brush, lines with a constant thickness or lines varying in thickness are applied. This is an excellent brush suitable for working out details, covering large surfaces (based on size), creating an entire design, creating texture.

FLAT

These are brushes with a beam enclosed in a flat clip. The beam of such brushes can be short or long. Such brushes hold a lot of paint, they are very good for evenly covering surfaces and are suitable for working on large areas of the surface of a sheet or canvas, and the strokes with such brushes will be wide and even.

CAT'S TONGUE

This brush has an oval or dome shape. This brush is used very universally - it can be used as a regular flat brush and, at the same time, as a round one if you turn it to a perpendicular position.

CONTOUR

This is a subtype of flat brushes: they have a similar shape, but the tuft of these brushes is shorter, which gives the brush more elasticity and improves control over the quality of flat strokes. In addition, more short hair makes it easier to create a smooth transition from one color to another and highlights the outline well. Contour brushes can be used for the alla prima oil painting technique, which involves completing a painting (or a fragment of it) in one session.

FONT

This is a subtype of round brushes with a long beam; such brushes are used for applying and securing contours. Used with liquid paints.

RETOUCHED

This is a flat brush with an angled tip. Designed for very precise strokes. Because the tip of the brush allows you to quickly and confidently change the volume of hair or bristles carrying paint, this part is an excellent tool for creating a transition of one color to another in relatively small areas of the painting.

SCENIC

These brushes are used to apply an even layer through a stencil. These brushes are also great for glazing or free-form painting.

LINEAR

Such brushes are shorter than font brushes but longer than round brushes, they leave precise lines, long strokes and are also suitable for applying inscriptions.

FLEITZ

These brushes are designed for free-form painting with fills. They are mainly used when working with watercolors and are almost always made from soft squirrel hair. They apply thin straight lines. The visible part of the hair serves as a reservoir for dye. Therefore, it is possible to draw a long line without refilling the brush, which is very important when working in watercolor painting. The flute shape is also often used when applying makeup. for powder and blush.

FAN

Flat brushes with a sparse fan-shaped bunch. With their help, it is possible to create a sophisticated color stretch. You can also soften the contrast of contours and texture.

TYPES OF BRUSHES

Now we are gradually approaching the types of brushes. An artist always has several types of brushes in his arsenal. Each brush has its own special qualities, thanks to which it is possible to solve a particular problem when creating a painting. Whether it's drawing a thin line or covering a large area with paint, carefully applying a second clear coat or confident strong strokes. Here we will look at each type of brush and their purpose.

Squirrel brushes

They are made from processed squirrel tail hair, since the best hair is in the tail, where the hairs are the longest. Therefore, professional brush makers buy unprocessed squirrel tails and choose the best hairs themselves. Such brushes are only round, very soft and elastic, and they can also be used to make flute-shaped brushes. They are mainly used for working with watercolors and water-based paints. But for oil paints, these brushes are very delicate and immediately begin to come out from the solvent. Squirrel brushes need to be carefully looked after. The squirrel hair is very thin, blue, black or Brown. The tip of the squirrel hair brush resembles the tip of a rapier and has the same fluidity control as a column, but is not as elastic in nature.

Core brushes

These brushes are made from processed Kolinsky tail hair. These brushes come in both round and flat. They are distinguished by such quality as a combination of elasticity and elasticity, while at the same time remaining soft. This type of brush is used when working with any material. They are well suited for working with gouache and watercolor in cases where greater elasticity is required from the brush. In oil painting they are used when making small details; core brushes are also convenient for glazing techniques on wet surfaces.

Bristle brushes

They are made from pork bristles. The best bristle brushes are made from the hair of the Chinese Angking hog. The elastic, strong bristles of this animal (hair up to 20 cm long) are processed - the bristles are boiled and bleached and only white hair goes for the production of professional quality brushes. These brushes, in addition to elasticity, have another important characteristic: This is the split tip of a pig's hair - it helps to ensure a good fullness of the brush and an even application of paint to the surface. There are both flat and round, used mainly for working with paints such as oil, acrylic, and also used when working with gouache using dry techniques. These brushes tend to wear out quickly, but replacing them is not difficult, since they are relatively inexpensive.

Brush badger

A badger hair brush is softer than a bristle brush and is ideal for working with moderately diluted paints. It has no equal when mixing oil or acrylic. The hair of this brush has a conical shape, and the “belly” of the hair is located closer to the tip. That's why the brush is very fluffy. The best badger hair brushes have a tip white and a dark stripe in the middle part. Badger hair can be used to make brushes such as fans and flutes. Manufacturers sometimes imitate them by dyeing pig bristles or goat hair brushes. However, the latter cannot compare with a badger hair brush in their working properties. If you are not sure about the authenticity of the brush, pay attention to the following: if the hair does not have a “belly” or tip, and there are twisted and curled hairs along its length, then it is a goat hair brush; if there are split hairs, it is hog bristles. Sandstone brushes These brushes are made from processed marmot tail hair - sandstone. They are only flat in shape with short or long hair. The hair is very soft and low-elastic. It is used when working with most types of artistic materials: tempera, gouache and watercolors, when working with oil paints, for glazing, varnish coatings, for applying a thin layer of painting, etc.

Bear brushes

These brushes are made from treated brown or polar bear. Brushes made from polar bear hair are produced only flat with a long or short hair tuft. These brushes are less rigid, but more elastic compared to bristle brushes; they have high elasticity and softness. Used for “heavy” types of paints: oil paints. gouache, etc. Brushes made from brown bear hair are round in shape and are more soft and elastic. Used for working with tempera, watercolor, ink, etc.

Pony brushes

Brushes made from pony hair absorb paint well, but they don’t give off paint as readily as they absorb it. Brushes made from pony hair are collected into a cone shape; they hold their shape well, but are not sufficiently elastic. This type of hair, like that of a pony, belongs to the design group, since it does not have a tip. These brushes can be brown or white. Designed for working with water-soluble paint: watercolor, gouache or tempera.

Weasel brushes

These brushes are an alternative to kolinsky hair. The hairs are red-brown in color, with a good sharp tip, good fullness, but not as long as that of the Kolinka.

ox hair brushes

These are brushes made from lightweight ox hair. Oxhair brushes are suitable for working with liquid paints due to their softness and elasticity, although they do not have such a sharp conical shape as kolinsky or squirrel.

Brushes marten

Such brushes are made from the hair of the marten or mustelidae family. Brushes made from marten hair differ in their properties depending on what kind of marten it is: lowland or mountain. Brushes made from plains marten hair are as soft as those of a squirrel, but brushes made from mountain marten hair are a little more elastic. On sale, such brushes are less common than squirrel brushes.

Goat brushes

These brushes are made from goat fur. The hair on these brushes is quite long, soft and elastic, holds paint well and does not leave hard marks on the surface. Used when working with watercolors. Also, such brushes are used in the technique of sumi-e (Far Eastern ink painting), calligraphy (an ancient branch of applied graphics, aesthetic design of handwritten fonts), and in working with ceramics. In addition, goat hair brushes can withstand the temperature of hot wax, so lovers of hot batik use them with pleasure. Often these brushes are made with a lightweight bamboo handle that is non-swelling and durable.

Wolf

These brushes are made from wolf hair. They are distinguished by their special elasticity and elasticity, thanks to these qualities, such brushes are mainly used for calligraphy and guohua painting (a style of traditional Chinese painting in which ink and water paints are used on silk or paper), brushes made from Chinese yellow wolf, which is essentially a columnar.

Mongoose

These brushes are made from mongoose hair.

These brushes have such qualities as elasticity and the ability to hold a lot of paint; mongoose bristles are stiffer than sable, but softer than bristles.

These brushes are used in oil and acrylic painting. These brushes can be identified by their color: the tip of the bristles is dark brown.

And the length is black and white.

Ear brushes

Such brushes are made from hair that is taken from the inside of the ears of oxen and cows, the quality of which is determined by the breed of the animal.

Such brushes are inexpensive, but durable, elastic and sensitive in use, give good results and retain their shape well. The hair has a silky texture.

Brushes are made flat and round, and brushes are also made for covering large surfaces. Oxhair brushes are used to work with oil paints, acrylic, tempera, and gouache.

Cow hair brushes are used to work with almost all types of paints: watercolor, gouache, tempera, acrylic, oil paints.

Sable brushes

These brushes are made from sable tails. These brushes are distinguished from others by their excellent wear resistance, they practically do not wear off or peel off, even when working with rough surfaces, the sable tool lasts a very long time.

The special properties of such a brush are sufficient elasticity with simultaneous softness and maneuverability. That is, sable is not as elastic as kolinsky: it will not cut paint and remove the lower layers, and is not as soft as squirrel: sable can easily hold thin line unlike the unpredictable squirrel.

The brush is very flexible, picks up a large volume of paint and releases it in doses. Because of these balanced qualities, such brushes allow you to work in various techniques, from the “dry” brush to the “float” technique. Everything can be done with one brush, which is very convenient.

The best choice for working with watercolors, egg tempera, gouache. Sable brushes are quite rare and quite expensive, but they are worth it.

Synthetic brushes

Synthetic brushes are made from nylon, polyester and other fibers.

Synthetic hair based on nylon is hard and does not release water, so it is not suitable for watercolor painting, but for oil paints and acrylic this quality is just appropriate.

Synthetic hair based on polyesters provides varying degrees of elasticity. Hairs of different lengths and diameters are collected into a bundle, which gives a capillary effect, which allows you to use such brushes even in watercolors.

Such brushes are less prone to destruction under the influence of thinners, insects, paints, direct sun rays. But due to mechanical stress, these brushes are inferior in wear resistance to natural ones; the bristles quickly wear out and become soft. Such brushes are not expensive, so artists prefer to buy synthetics in large quantities.

Shapers

Let's pay attention to such brushes as rubber brushes.

They officially appeared relatively recently.

These brushes are made of rubber, silicone, and are modeling brushes.

Excellent for shading both pastels and pencils, charcoal

Foam brushes

These brushes are made of foam rubber.

They come in both round and flat shapes, as well as in the form of a roller.

Not expensive.

They are well suited for working in decoupage techniques for applying glue, for covering large surfaces, for decorative painting, and of course are widely used for painting.

In conclusion, I want to say that not all types of brushes are listed here; I told you about the most common and available in our stores.

There are brushes made from fox hair, hare hair, raccoon hair, rat fur (these brushes are made from a special subspecies of wild hare), wild horse mane, plant fibers, chicken fluff, etc.

Such brushes are original and rare; they are used mainly for working in the style of oriental techniques.
There are many variations of mixed types of brushes made from different bristles. They mix both natural piles and combine synthetic and natural ones.

I hope you were interested in learning about art brushes.

Are you planning to start painting, but don't know which brush to choose? For artistic display there are various paint brushes. Let's look at each one separately.

Squirrel brush

To create a brush, squirrel hair is used. The brush itself is quite soft and does not lose its shape when used. Mostly this brush is convenient for painting with acrylic, tempera and gouache. It is very convenient to apply paint to porcelain products, and also to use it for painting earthenware. But such brushes are not durable; if used for other purposes, the bristles will begin to fall out, and it will be difficult to make a beautiful stroke with the brush. In addition, you can extend the functionality artistic instrument, if you care for it with the utmost care.

Column brush

You can make such a brush from the bristles of animals of the mustelid genus. You can draw anything with it, it is universal. The kolinsky brush is suitable for painting with watercolors, as well as for creating a painting with gouache. This brush is of medium hardness, due to which it is more wear-resistant than a squirrel brush, however, it is also more difficult to care for; the paint from the fibers is not washed out immediately.

Sable brush

Paint brushes, made from sable hair, are considered leaders among other artistic instruments.

Firstly, it is incredibly soft, making it very comfortable to draw with.

Secondly, it will last a sufficient amount of time compared to the brushes described above; even if you paint a house with it, it will not fray.

Thirdly, a sable brush allows you to draw fairly fine strokes, which the “squirrel” cannot boast of. Yes, and it is suitable for working with any paint.

Bristle brush

To create such paint brushes They take real pig bristles, which is interesting: not just any bristles, but the ones that live in China. It’s clear that you can’t write a letter with such a brush, you can’t paint over small strokes, and you can’t really paint with watercolors. It is very tough, but it is what artists prefer. This brush is great for painting on canvas.

Synthetic brush

Synthetic paint brushes made from unnatural pile. Mostly medium hard. It has excellent elasticity, but at the same time it can never have a pointed end, as a result of which it is difficult to draw a thin line with such a brush. The brush can be found quite often; most schoolchildren use it to paint. It is well used when painting with regular watercolors and gouache.

In general: brushes are different, but every artist will be able to choose a brush that will help him create a new masterpiece.

Video on the topic

How to choose paint brushes

How to choose brushes for oil painting

Tool Brush(Brush Tool) - the most popular tool in the environment digital artists, but at the same time it is one of the most difficult. When you first start working, you get that same feeling that you need a separate brush for each effect you want to create. The set of brushes that comes with Photoshop by default doesn't seem particularly suitable for such purposes, but professional artists often share their work, so you can always download something more powerful and suitable specifically for your work.

The problem is that the more complex the brush you choose, the more difficult it will be to use in the right way. And if you have ever observed the work of professionals in this field, then you have seen that most Most of the time they use either a simple round brush or a slightly textured brush. They could have used a simple default brush set and still created great work with it. But why is this not within your power?

In reality, using Photoshop is not just about pressing some buttons and expecting the program to do something for us. You can't just pick up a brush, try to paint something with it, and if it doesn't work, then start choosing another brush. And the point here is not at all in the brushes, but in the person who uses them!

IN this lesson I'll show you how to create a basic set of brushes. It will be a little smaller than what comes out of the box with the program, and it certainly won't confuse you. I'll also show you how to use these brushes to create a detailed image. This way, you will understand how to create freely without having to constantly search for new brushes.

1. Create a Texture Brush for Sketching

Before we begin, open the brushes menu (where you select your presets) and click Restore (reset) brushes(Reset Brushes). Oh, and don't forget to save your current set before resetting!

Step 1

Create a new document. Take the tool Polygon(Polygon Tool) and install number of sides(Sides) 3. Now draw a black triangle.

Step 2

Create a new layer. Draw a rectangle using the tool Rectangle (Rectangle Tool(U)) mode Pixels(Pixel).

Step 3

Now go to Filter - Noise - Add Noise(Filter > Noise > Add Noise). Select distribution(distribution) by Gauss(gaussian) and turn the slider to maximum.

Step 4

Now cut our “noise” rectangle to a triangle shape. This is done by using Clipping Mask(Clipping mask) Ctrl-Alt-G.

Step 5

Change the size of the "noise" layer using the tool Free transformation(Free Transform Tool (Ctrl-T)), this will make the white areas more obvious.

Step 6

Now go to (Edit - Define Brush Preset). We're using this shape as part of a more complex brush, so don't worry about naming it.

Let's go to Brush Settings(Brush Settings (F5)). Choosing a brush Chalk(Chalk) from the list of default brushes. Set its size to 30.

Step 7

Selecting items Broadcast(Transfer), Noise(Noise) and Smoothing(Smoothing).

Step 8

Select Double brush(Dual Brush). Find our triangle in the list and select it. Next, set the settings according to the image below.

Save the brush by clicking on the white card icon at the bottom of the brush settings dialog box. Name the brush Texture Sketch.

This is my favorite brush, it's very versatile. It is both chaotic and quite precise. You can use it in the first sketching stage to get a rough idea of ​​your idea before you even know what you want to draw. Starting a painting with a free sketch is The best way creating something out of nothing, without planning, allows you to make the end result more natural and organic.

2. Create a brush for detailed sketches

Select Hard round brush(Hard Round brush). Change her Size(Size) and Intervals(Spacing) and check the checkbox Broadcast(Transfer).

That's all! Save this brush as Sketch Detail and try to draw something with it.

This brush is ideal when used as a regular pencil. The less confident you are, the more transparent your lines will be, and this means that some shortcomings and mistakes will be easy to correct. This brush feels comfortable and natural and is great for creating detailed sketches.

3. Creating a brush for large shapes and lighting

Step 1

Create a new document, grab the tool Polygon(Polygon Tool) with number of sides(sides) 6 and draw a hexagon. Next we go to Editing - Define Brush(Edit > Define Brush Preset)

Step 2

Let's go to Brush settings(Brush Settings) and set the value Interval(Spacing) 1%. Use big Size(Size) brushes.

Step 3

Place a tick in the checkbox Broadcast(Transfer). Enter the value Opacity(Opacity) depending on Pen pressure(Pen Pressure).

Translator's note: In chapter Opacity fluctuation(Opacity jitter) next to Control(Control) select Pen pressure(Pen Pressure).

Save the brush and name it Block.

This is a large, bulky brush, and with its help it is impossible to draw individual small details. This is exactly what we need! This brush is great for painting large shapes or creating areas of light and shadow. This is quite difficult, but at the same time, it allows you to achieve an easy blending effect.

Most brush sets include what are called "blending brushes." They are typically used to hide the boundaries between colors and their shades (i.e. to create smooth transitions in color). However, it is very important to understand that when mixing, the details are everything! If you shade your creation and then mix the shading with something soft, your surface will automatically become smooth like plastic. When painting objects with an unsmooth surface, do not try to blend with a large brush. Instead, use texture brush(Texture Sketch) to draw large parts by selecting colors/shades on both sides of each transition border.

Yes, and don't worry if this step takes you a long time. It's quite normal!

4. Create a brush for inking, sharp details, and clipping masks

Step 1

Let's choose again Round hard brush(Hard Round brush). Let's make it a little smaller and smoother.

Step 2

Place a tick in the checkbox Dynamics of shape(Shape Dynamics) and set the Size as a function of Pen pressure(Pen Pressure).

Translator's note: In chapter Size fluctuation(Size jitter) next to Control(Control) select Pen pressure(Pen Pressure).

Save this brush as Ink.

The purpose of this brush is quite obvious. With it you can draw clean artistic lines, or outline a rigid contour without any translucent spots. In this tutorial, such a brush was used to erase the area outside the bird image by painting with the brush along Layer mask(Layer Mask). This brush is indispensable when you are absolutely sure of what you are painting and don't want any surprises or even creative mistakes.

5. Creating a Painting and Masking Brush

Step 1

Select Soft Round Brush(Soft Round brush). Make it big enough and make sure that Dynamics of shape(Shape Dynamics) is turned off.

Step 2

Select an option Broadcast(Transfer). In this section, activate only Pressure fluctuation(Flow jitter).

Save this brush and name it Soft.

This brush is present in almost every set, but in reality, it is not as useful as novice artists think. You can use it to blend on a layer mask by selecting quick mask mode(Quick Mask Mode (Q)), as well as when painting.

In my case I used a copy of the base to create Clipping Mask(Clipping Mask) for flowers, installed Blend Mode(Blend Mode) for a grayscale layer Multiplication(Multiply) and drew the colors below. This allowed us to achieve beautiful gradient transitions between tones. If you want to color any part separately, select it using the tool Lasso(Lasso Tool (L)) or by creating a mask. This will give you a more natural effect than painting with a harder brush.

You can easily change the colors of light and shadow using Overlay Options(Blending Options), without manually selecting these areas. Duplicate (Ctrl+J) the grayscale layer twice and place these two copies on top of it. Press Ctrl+B to make the first one yellow, then double click on it, and make the dark areas transparent by adjusting the slider in the dialog box Mix if(Blend If). Then change Blend Mode(Blend Mode) on Soft light(Soft Light). To move only half of the marker on the slider, hold down the Alt key.

Do the same with another copy, this time relative to the shadow. Make it blue, hide the bright parts, and set Blend Mode(Blend Mode) on Color tone(Hue).

6. Creating a Detail Brush

This will be easy - we'll just create a modification of our Texture Sketch brush that we created at the very beginning. Select it, and then enable the option Pen pressure(Pen Pressure) in the section Dynamics of shape(Shape Dynamics), this will allow you to create a brush with a resizable size.

Save this brush and name it Rendering.

This brush looks small, but it really doesn't matter what size you choose for it. This way you are simply forced to paint small details instead of covering large areas of the image. Use this brush on a separate layer. Select colors from the illuminated area, brighten them, and add detail. Don't draw details in the shadows!

Next, create a new layer, again select the colors and make them brighter, but this time paint on the opposite side. Leave a dark area between the main light and the secondary light. Press Ctrl-B to make these details blue and lower opacity(Opacity) for this layer.

Once all the main work is done, you can find additional uses for your brushes. For example, you can create a radiant outline using the Ink brush...

And also shine below the bird using the Soft brush to better highlight our creation.

7. Make your main brush set more accessible

Step 1

These are the brushes you will use the most. You may have a hundred more, but you will only use them occasionally. That's why our kit needs to be more affordable and easy to find.

To keep all of those essential brushes within reach, you can save them as Tool Option Sets(Tool Presets). Open this palette via Window - Tool Presets(Window > Tool Presets). Then remove the ones that were there by default.

Step 2

Select a brush from the palette and click on the white card icon. Give the set a name and click OK.

Step 3

Do the same for each of your brushes that you would like to have quick access to. Now, even if you download another set of brushes, your homemade brushes will still be with you! Finally, you can store your specialty brushes in separate sets, if necessary, loading only the one you need at a time. this moment time, without losing the main ones.

Well, great job, you're all done!

Now you have a basic set of brushes that you actually know how to use! Of course, this does not mean that you cannot use something else besides them, but I still advise you to stick to them at the learning stage. IN in this case less is more!

Believe me, most professional artists there is this basic set of brushes, usually from 3 to 10, which they use 90% of the time, and these sets are about the same among themselves! Don't get stuck trying to constantly find the perfect set of brushes for you, just get good at the one you already have. Give this set a chance. Practice, have fun, and feel free to modify your brushes to suit your style.

Brushes for painting with acrylic come in different types. A nylon brush has proven itself best, but it is not suitable for all types of work, so it cannot be the only one in an artist’s arsenal. Before buying this or that brush, you should figure out whether it is suitable for acrylic and for specific features specific artist.


Before buying a brush, you should figure out whether it is suitable for acrylic.

Shapes of brushes

You can work with acrylic with a tool of any shape, but each of the brushes is capable of performing a certain amount of work while painting. It is very easy to ruin a painting if you choose the wrong brush shape for certain strokes.

  1. Round. This tool is considered universal, suitable for any paints and techniques. They can be used for drawing details or filling, depending on the number of the brush. The round shape is achieved by enclosing the pile in a round-shaped cage.
  2. Flat. To create this brush shape, a flat clip is used. Brushes can be wide and narrow, long and short. They are convenient to use for painting large areas of a painting with plain paint, including acrylic.
  3. Contour. The shape of these brushes is similar to flat brushes, but the bristles are shorter and wider, making strokes easier to control. Contour brushes are also convenient for creating color brushes.
  4. Brush in the shape of a cat's tongue. The shape of such an instrument resembles a dome or oval. It is considered a compromise solution between round and flat brushes, since it leaves different strokes depending on the position. The tool is not suitable for beginners, as its use requires some skill.
  5. Linear. To create such a brush, long bristles are used, and the thickness of the tool is very small. The brush is more suitable for inscriptions or very thin, small details.

There are several other types of brushes, such as stencil or type brushes, but they are much less suitable for painting acrylics than the ones described above.

Types of brushes

Both hard and soft brushes are suitable for painting with acrylic paints. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages and is used in certain techniques.


To work with acrylic paints, you can use both hard and soft brushes.

Soft brushes

Such tools, which are mostly made from natural materials, hold paint well and are suitable not only for acrylic, but also for watercolors and gouache. Artists use them to create fine, precise lines or to depict translucent tones. Using a soft brush is convenient for drawing small details.

The best natural, soft brush is considered to be sable. However, acrylic paints easily spoil this type of pile, so its use is not recommended. An alternative option is a tassel made half of sable and half of synthetic material. Well, a cheaper and more common alternative is a synthetic brush.

Hard brushes

In addition to weightless layers, acrylic paint is used to apply thick strokes. Using acrylic, you can use various relief and rough techniques, which require hard brushes that hold a lot of paint, and the strokes are clearer.

A brush for painting with acrylic should not only be hard, but also elastic and flexible enough so that the strokes are even and do not spoil the picture.

Modern painting tools meet the required specifications and are made from synthetic materials. Depending on the techniques used by the artist, a hard brush can be large or small, have different widths, and handle lengths.

Brush sizes

To decide what size brushes are needed for specific style painting with acrylic, you need to gain some experience. When choosing a brush number, you should take into account the fact that the numbering may differ from different manufacturers, so having found the best option for painting, you should buy tools from only one company.

The numbering of brushes starts from one and goes up to 16 (sometimes 14). The thickness of the stroke increases accordingly. However, the difference between the brushes is not only in width, but also in the length of the handle. Soft tools are shorter, hard ones are longer, which allows you to draw at some distance from the canvas and better evaluate the picture.


Soft brushes are shorter, unlike hard ones, since they paint last at some distance from the canvas

Nylon brush

A nylon brush is considered the best option for beginner artists who prefer acrylic. It is synthetic and comes in many different shapes and sizes.

The main advantages of a nylon bristle brush:

  1. Elasticity. The material from which the tool is made has high elastic properties, does not break when bent and is quite elastic and elastic. The strokes of paint that such a brush leaves are smooth and clear. The nylon brush is easy to paint even for beginners, as it is a middle option between hard and soft.
  2. Strength. The main problem with natural brushes in acrylic painting is the need to keep them in water. Because of this attitude, the bristles fall out and deteriorate, which, however, does not apply to this synthetic brush. The tool will not last any less if it stays in water for a long time, so it is suitable for acrylic.
  3. Easy to care for. Due to the fact that the brush is made of synthetics, it is easy to clean acrylic, which is famous for its quick drying and sticking to the bristles. Natural brushes are very difficult to tidy up, since their structure is not smooth, like nylon. To care for this brush, simply rinse it with running water after use.

It is worth noting that a nylon brush, although very good, cannot be an alternative to all other types of tools. Experienced Artists, in any case, will have several other types of brushes in stock, for some specific techniques.


Nylon brush - best option for beginning artists

Caring for your brushes

Acrylic paint is different in that no matter what techniques the artist uses and no matter how keen he is on the process, he must ensure that the brushes do not dry out. Acrylic dries very quickly and then the instruments can be considered damaged. To prevent this, you need to keep your brushes in water while painting, which gradually spoils them, but at least does not disable them.

The process of cleaning the brush after painting:

  • After finishing work, excess paint must be removed with a rag or thick paper, carefully wiping the brush on it;
  • then the brush is lowered into the water, and rotational movements are made, with the help of which the acrylic is removed from the pile;
  • the instrument is wiped with a rag and soaped with soap;
  • then the soap must be washed off, making sure that it gets between the bristles and under the holder (in order for the brush to last longer, even the slightest remnants of paint must be removed);
  • The brush should be rinsed until the water runs clear, after which it is wiped dry and the bristles are left to dry (the tuft should be directed upward, and the brush should first be given the correct shape).

If the acrylic has dried on the brush, you can try to remove it by soaking it in a special cleaning agent, and then carefully remove the remaining paint with a wooden toothpick, after pressing the brush to a hard surface.

In general, for this you should use synthetic brushes. The shape and size are selected individually, but for beginners it is best to purchase several standard brush options. When working with acrylic you should great attention pay attention to the care of tools, as the paint dries quickly and spoils the pile.