Brushes

By Anthony Karl Erdelji

There are several different brands of brush made from different types of fiber. It can be a little confusing when choosing brushes. Some brand are rather cheap, others very expensive. Don't try to save money by buying cheap brushes! You'll regret it in the end. Polly brushes are good to begin with. Later on, you can get the more expensive artist brushes, like Winsor & Newton.

Besides brand names, there are different fibers or hairs to chose from. Brush fibers can be divided in two types: natural hair and synthetics. Natural hair brushes are made from animal hair, typically camel or sable. Synthetics are made from nylon. Brushes usually have printing on the side telling what they are made of. If not, you can tell by the color of the bristles. Camel hair is light brown in color, sable is dark brown, and nylon is typically white.

Both natural and synthetic brushes have their won pros and cons. Natural hair is finer than the nylon and leaves less brush strokes. Red sables are the finest. On the minus side, they don't hold a point well and the tips quickly bend over. Red sables are almost useless for painting fine details like eyes. Synthetics are thicker and may leave brush strokes on the miniature depending on the thickness of your paint. Though synthetics are stiffer and hold a good point. The solution? Use both. Use natural hair for basecoats and large areas and synthetics for smaller details.

Now its time to start pulling sizes. You're going to need at least three sizes of brushes. A "5/0" or "10/0" for a majority of your painting, a  "0" for large areas, and a "20/0" for fine details. This is enough to get you going. Later you may find it helpful, perhaps necessary, to get additional sizes. A "1/2" or "3/4" inch brush is helpful for drybrushing vehicles, for example.

Your brushes will last longer if you clean them after every painting session. Brush cleaner is available at art stores. You can use regular soap, but it can damage your brushes by drying out the natural oils in the bristles. The brush cleaner is more effective. You'll triple the life of your brushes if you take care of them and it will save you a lot of money in the long run.