Makings and Musings Community

Hi everyone, Last Thursday we spoke about paint brushes and I promised to put together a little list of recommendations.

I have a huge amount of brushes but to be honest, there is only a few that I use most.

These are my favourites at the moment:

Travel set (beautiful and practical)

I’ve been really enjoying this compact set from Fuumuui. It’s perfect for taking out and about as the bristles are protected and there is different sizes and shapes in the set.

• Fuumuui travel brush set

  https://fuumuui.com/products/fuumuui-3pcs-dual-tip-synthetic-travel-watercolor-brush-set-with-leather-pouch-6-shapes-for-watercolor-gouache?variant=47039249744064&country=GB&currency=GBP

  
  

Everyday brushes (my go-to)

The Pro Arte watercolour brushes are the ones I come back to again and again.

• Pro Arte watercolour brushes

  https://amzn.to/3OYqQei

I use the size 10 the most — it’s a really good all-rounder that holds water well and gives you both control and flow.

Large mop brushes (for loose, expressive work)

I’ve been leaning more into larger brushes recently, especially for looser painting.

• Large mop brush

  https://amzn.to/42CFxXL

  
  

These are wonderful for soft washes, big shapes, and letting go of detail a little. If you’re trying to loosen up your painting style, a brush like this really helps.

Water-fillable brushes (for ease and flexibility)

For sketchbooking and painting on the go, I often use water brushes.

• Staedtler water-fillable brushes

• https://amzn.to/4tKyKHw

They’re just very easy to use, especially if you don’t want to carry lots of water pots around. I find myself reaching for these quite often when I want to keep things simple.

If you’re building your own brush collection, I would suggest starting small. A good size 10 round, one larger mop brush, and perhaps a travel or water brush can take you surprisingly far.

Looking after your brushes makes a big difference!

• Rinse regularly

  I try not to let paint sit in the brush for too long, especially near the metal part (the ferrule). That is where damage starts.

• Avoid scrubbing the bottom of the jar

  I used to do this without thinking. It bends the bristles and ruins the point over time.

• Use soap to clean your brushes once in a while

  A mild hand soap or a proper brush soap is perfect, or I use shampoo.

• Gently reshape the tip

  I just use my fingers to bring it back to a point or its natural shape. It makes a big difference.

• Let brushes dry flat or with the tip pointing downwards

  If water runs into the ferrule, it can loosen the hairs and cause splitting.

• Never leave them standing in water

  Even for a short time — it bends the bristles and damages the handle.

I hope this helps,

Let me know if you have any questions or if you want to know about other art materials.

Love, Irene