I wish I could say this is a topic I’m an expert in, but it’s not. As someone who never went to art school, I sometimes feel like an imposter when talking about supplies and technique.
Everything I’m going to share with you is simply what works for me, but I have no idea if it’s the “proper” way of doing things. I’ve tried a lot of brushes, and I know which ones in my supplies drawer I’m always using and which ones I never pick up. I’m happy with the brushes I use, and they’ve stayed fairly consistent over the years.
That would be my main advice to you. Use this article to help you choose a variety of brushes, and then observe which ones you actually pick up. Brushes are very instinctual like that, and the preferences vary from artist to artist.
When painting with Gouache, a synthetic brush is ideal - meaning the bristles are soft and smooth, versus course and stiff (bristles that feel like horse hair). At the art store, I usually look for brushes that are labeled as “watercolor.” A brush labeled as “watercolor, mixed media, acrylic, etc.” is fine too, as long as watercolor is in the description somewhere. Oddly enough, it’s tough to find brushes labeled as “gouache.” However, gouache is just opaque watercolor, so they require the same tools (that goes for paper as well).
Next, I look at the quality of the bristles. How do they look on the shelf? I look at which brands have a lot of stray/fanned out bristles, and I steer clear of those. All bristles should be in place, especially when you haven’t even used the brush yet! Also, do the bristles come out easily when you run your fingers over them? No one likes stray bristles scattered throughout their painting!
For a while, I used Simply Simmons Synthetic brushes. I found that they held up well against more expensive brushes I tried. Also, the price point was low, so replacing them wasn’t a big deal. Lately, I’ve been using Princeton Lauren Series Gold Synthetic brushes. They are slightly more expensive, but talk about no bristles being out of place on the shelf! I noticed these at the art store immediately, and boy have they delivered! The bristles have stayed perfectly in tact after months of use. And I’m tough on my brushes!
While brands of brushes are important for price and quality, the end result comes down to the type of brush you’re using. I could easily switch between brands, as long as the brushes are synthetic and designed for watercolor.
Below are the five types of brushes I use and the sizes I like. I’m going to start with the largest, and work my way down. Oddly enough, this is the order I use them in when creating a piece as well. I have many more brushes in my drawer that never get picked up, so I don’t see the point of including them. I’ve stopped buying any brushes that aren’t the ones I’ve listed below for that reason. Keep in mind - I usually work at an 8x10 in. or 11x14 in. size. If you’re painting larger, you may want to size up. I also have a lot of detail work in my paintings, so I probably like smaller brushes than most. I think it’s my drawing foundation. I like paint brushes to feel like pencils. If you like less detail, I would also consider sizing up as well.
Flat Shader (or Filbert) Brush | Size 10: This is a wider, flat brush. I typically use this brush to block in my backgrounds. To me this size is big enough to cover a large surface area, but small enough to block in details. The flat shape allows for a very straight edge, making it perfect for geometric shapes. Flat shaders can give the best dry brush texture, which I love as well.
Flat Shader (or Filbert) Brush | Size 4: I use the size 10 much more than this one, so I think the size 4 is optional. I like to have this brush on hand for blocking in smaller areas like buildings in the background, or things like cars and boats. It’s good to use on anything with corners, or straight edges. The size 4 just reaches the smaller areas where the size 10 cannot.
Round Brush | Size 6: This brush is perfect as a next step after the flat shader. I use it to block in smaller areas over the background. It’s also great for thick line work. Since it’s not a flat brush, I like to use it for more organic shapes, like plants or flowers. The round shape makes it perfect for blocking in circles as well, something that’s difficult to do with a flat shader.
Liner Brush | Size 2: I have a lot of thin line work in my art, and this brush creates the most beautiful lines. Before I found this brush, I was using a spotter brush or micron pen, and it just didn’t have the same effect. To me, this brush feels like a liquid eyeliner brush. It gives a soft, polished look, but keeps the lines interesting with a bit of variation in thickness. However, because of the long bristles, it’s not great for other details due to the lack of control.
Small Round (or Spotter) Brush | Size 5 or 10: I love my dots and details. This is the last brush I use (and my favorite) because it means I’m putting the finishing touches on a piece. I like this brush sized as small as possible, so I typically buy the smallest round brush the store has to offer. I find myself replacing this brush the most, simply because I use it so much. This brush gives me ultimate control, because of the short bristles. It almost feels like painting with a thin marker or pen.
That’s it! Those are the five brushes in my toolkit! Again, it’s a pretty simple approach, but it works for me. I recently got crazy and purchased a fan brush, so I’ll update this post if that works out :) I’m hoping to use it to add some soft color variation to my backgrounds - specifically in areas of water or sky.
