Artist Problems - Paint Brush Basics: Part 2

We’ve talked about hair, now we’ll talk about head. Brush heads that is. So what is an almond filbert exactly? What is a regular filbert for that matter? Do I need a fan brush? What brush should I use for my signature? Diving in to watercolor, acrylic, and oils, let’s take a look at different brush head shapes and their uses for each medium. It’ll be fun. I promise.

[@eveningseries]

I use my long large filbert for my close up flower paintings (close up of one singular flower instead of say, a bouquet). I find it the best for peonies and roses because the filbert handles the curves of the petals well.

[@ronhochhalter3491]

if you're a beginning oil painter listen to this experience, don't waste money on brights, trust me your flats will become brights quicker than you wish. Brushes wear out, and if you actually clean them after every painting session , they will wear out fast. The expensive natural hair brushes wear out the quickest. But that's ok, they are worth it, don't buy cheap brushes!! If you want them to last, use only good soap, like The Masters, or Chelsea Studio soap, but always dip them in Safflower oil before cleaning them to suck out the pigments. I mostly reach for Filberts when painting. I have some of those long Filberts. They are good for applications where you want a very flexible brush, and they hold lots of paint. I've also learned the importance of using the largest brush you can stand for the application you're attempting to create. Depending on your style, small brushes are ok, but reach for the larger brushes. Just my opinion. Happy Painting

[@ruthieminers8689]

Ron you have any pointers for cleaning acrylic brushes? I use dish soap? Anything else I should do, drop in etc? Thanks soooo much

[@PaintWithNisha]

Hey ! Love from India ♥️. Just discovered your channel and i must say, you are an amazing artist 😮. I went through some of your videos. I also run an ART KZbin CHANNEL named NISHA SHIVAKAR KUMARI 🙃. Your videos are really informative. Perfect for people like me 😃. I love to learn mew techniques 😃. Keep it up 😃

[@sthanuhu]

Nisha Shivakar Kumari bu

[@becool365]

I actually watercolour with a gnarly old hog brush. Mainly because I love the patterns it makes.

[@rondawiebe1505]

I use the angled flat a lot in my landscapes for rocks. I get a really nice shape and highlight with it.

[@RedSoxKal]

Thumbs up for Goodnight Moon T-shirt. I have it as well. 😊

[@richiejourney1840]

One can never have to many brushes of all types-especially filberts. No brush hits the trash can until the hairs are all gone. Even then it becomes a stir stick or some such tool.

[@04nbod]

I make do with a few rounds, a few flats and a big wash brush. Plus a fan and a rigger. The fan is an textural brush I find. When I want to make tiny semi random dots of highlights like on grass or fields of wildflowers in the distance. I used it today to get texture on a rock with little indents and thin ridges. The rigger is my true love. Named a rigger because it was used for painting tall ship rigging. Long controlled lines are so easy with a rigger. Now for one I don't understand, A dagger, What the hell is a dagger for?

[@richiejourney1840]

04nbod Fan brush was originally designed for blending oils but they are an excellent special effects brush as well. A dagger brush is designed for lettering and very long pinstripes and curve strokes as they tend to hold much more fluidic paint. I personally use them in conjunction with riggers to make tree trunks and limbs, etc.

[@ruthieminers8689]

The brush you like that is considered to be the brush closest to the mongoose hair brush is ??? I want you to spell it so I can look for it on your site. I heard you say it but Im still not sure what to type in. lol Than you. I want to order a few of these brushes to try them out.

[@zakirahtheniqabi]

I have way too many fan brushes, but recently i love the filbert and bright

[@mjpete27]

Gosh I feel completely the opposite about the filbert brush, I find them useless! I suppose that is why there are so many opinions about what to use in your art works! Good video and quite an eye opener. have a great day.

[@terpcj]

I tend to use whatever the project wants. If I'm doing a lot of blending with acrylics, then filbert, round, and a good blender (round, lunar, whatever); if little blending then filberts and flats/angles until the fine detailing. For gouache I tend to favor rounds and flats/angles. For watercolor: round, flat, and mop. Casein is sort of a mash-up of artistic capriciousness.

[@shelleyfoster6260]

I love filberts. However, I go through phases where I love my rounds then my flats, and recently the cat's tongue. I have never found a fan brush to be useful. One of my favorite brushes was a goat hair short filbert

[@PixiePrincess501]

Thank you for this! I've been wanting to learn more about the fan brush for so long (not a lot of people go into detail with this particular shape) I also knew the filbert brush was named after the filbert nut, but I had no idea there were different shapes, like almond and hazelnut! The brushes I use the most are rounds and small flats and filberts for watercolor plus liners and spotters, for oil or acrylic I prefer assorted sizes of rounds and filberts (I go crazy with details when I paint) I'm not particular about the brand, since I have to work with what little my local art store has, but after seeing part one for this video, I think I would prefer synthetic over natural (but again, I've never seen real hair brushes IRL before, if I ever do I'd like to give those a try) since they can be tricky to care for... I've been trying to find a good mop brush for watercolors, since they're good for washes. I also got an angle brush in a set of acrylic brushes, and the effect is quite interesting.

[@MsDiamond611]

The brushes I can't live without is a Munkacsy #6 1844R

[@lindapeacerose]

Filberts

[@grannie2010]

You are really fun. I would watch you even if I didn’t paint. Filberts....are my go to.....but give me a brush, I i

[@grannie2010]

I will find a use for it...but I still can’t type 🐸

[@MsSabbith]

Ok, Ron - here's my question. I use acrylics for mixed media. As I am rather broke, what is the one brush you would recommend? Hey, thanks for making insrtructionals so cool. Love the Goodnight Moon tshirt. Have you heard Oderus Ungus from Gwar read it?

[@ibkristykat]

Ron? Who is Ron? His name is MIKE.

[@lizjoe21750]

A little off topic, but i'll ask anyway. How do you get back into things when you hit maximum burnout status after doing the same thing, incessantly (let's say, ohhhh, you run a business and everyone orders the same. Damn. Thing... constantly). Asking for a friend.

[@richiejourney1840]

Elizabeth Joseph Take a break. Go on vacation. Force something new into your business market or introduce a “twist” in that “same thing” so that now it’s the same thing but with something new. Even so. We all have those types of days or periods in life. You have to just trudge through them and be the best “same damn thing” order taker and maker in the world. Otherwise, start a new career.