My Favourite Brushes - Studio Supplies #2

Hi everyone, 

Since I keep repeating basically the same information in most of my process PDFs and videos, I figured it might be more efficient to simply create a few posts detailing my current favourite supplies.
I use the same basic things for pretty much every piece I do, so this post is going to compile everything I love using and how I use each one.
That way, I can reference these posts in the PDFs and you can refer to them directly if you need any information about my general process. 

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Here are all my "Process Posts" : 

▶  My favourite drawing supplies : LINK
▶  My favourite brushes (this post)
▶  My favourite paints  : LINK
▶  My studio and set-ups  :  soon
▶  How I transfer a sketch to the final paper  :  soon  
▶  How I prepare my paper before painting   :  soon  
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This first post is going to be all about the brushes I use most often. 

 Like most artists, I have a fairly extensive collection of brushes, but I only really use a small selection, and I use that selection for pretty much everything. 

Here's what I tend to favour in brushes : 

- Mixed Media
- Angled and Round
- Medium size, with a few detail brushes also

I will use most of my favourite brushes with any medium I decide to use for the painting (watercolour, gouache or acrylic), except for oils.
Most of the brushes I currently own are either OLD (like...between 5 and 10 years old, haha), brushes I used when I was a make-up artist, or Princeton brushes I received when I did the Gouache Workshop with Strathmore. All my Princeton brushes were sent to me by Strathmore to use in the Gouache course I filmed for them, and I have been using them extensively since. 

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✦ Dagger/Sword/Angled Brushes

These are the brushes I use almost EVERY painting. I started using angled brushes when I took up gouache a few years ago, and have never looked back.
I find that angled mixed media brushes are fantastic for a wide range of mark making, from tiny details to flat washes to calligraphic lines.
They are my go-to for gouache particularly because they don't hold too much water, and are stiff enough that they carry a good mount of pigment for optimal opacity (for my taste).
I can be very precise with them and they are versatile enough that I would be comfortable painting an entire piece just with them. 

Most used

Occasional

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 ✦ Flat Brushes 

 Most used 

 ⇫ The 2 brushes above are ones I use as an alternative to my angled brushes, when I want to be even more precise. I use these fairly extensively also, for the same reasons as dagger brushes.  

⇫ I use this particular brush with watercolour and gouache only. It is very soft and retains water very well (as a good watercolour brush should), so I like using it for large washes. I don't want to risk damaging it with acrylics however. It is a travel brush, so the steel handle collapses and can be used as a cap for the bristles. 

 Occasional 

⇫ I use this particular brush mostly for washes and large areas. It's fairly large in comparison to the brushes I use more, and retains water well, so it's good for watercolour particularly. 

⇫ I only ever use the above brush for large background areas I need to cover fast. 

 ⇫ A smaller version of the one above, and one I also only ever use the above brush for large background areas I need to cover fast.  

 ⇫  I like flat pointed or flat rounded brushes for repetitive texture, such as leaves, scales, or bark. 

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✦ Round Brushes 

I mostly use round and pointed brushes for detail and any line marking (outlines, hair...etc...).
I can also use angled brushes for line-making, but round brushes are more calligraphic, and will lead to better control and therefore better line quality.
Angled brushes have a tendency to swerve when use to create lines, whereas round brushes will stay in the position you want them to more easily.
You can also easily vary your line thickness and taper off at the ends if need be. 

Most used 

 ⇫  I use this brush only with watercolour, as it is VERY soft and retains water extremely well. Both gouache and acrylic would be too harsh and would damage it fast.

 ⇫  I LOVE this brush. It is one of those I used to use when I was in make-up, so it is quite old and I haven't been able to find an equivalent since. I don't use it as extensively at the brushes above it, but it has some fantastic uses when painting some rougher detail or textures, as it is fairly stiff and precise. And because the bristles are short, I have a great deal of control over the marks I make with it. 

Occasional

 ⇫ This one could qualify as a detail brush.

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✦ Detail Brushes 

Detail brushes are very thin brushes that can be used for final details, highlights, hair, outlines...etc...
I will usually use mine for outlines, and at the very end of a painting, for the last bits of detail. 

Most used 

Occasional 

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 ✦ Miscellaneous

The brushes in this category are any oddly shaped brushes I only use for very specific elements.

 ⇫ These wisp brushes are great to create fur and hair texture, when what is needed is wispiness, randomness, and very, very fine detail. They are not brushes that are easy to control, but they can create wonderful texture when left to do their thing. 

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And that it for my favourite brushes, for now!
I will update this post whenever I find new brushes I love, but you can be confident that every brush I like using for my paintings is in this list. 

If you have any questions, do leave them in the comments!

Take care everyone :)