I would not like to start with a sad one, but to say that the Belarusian market indulges us with a wide choice, we, alas, cannot. In general, we do not have official representatives of world-famous brands of brushes. But the underground and semi-underground regime is actively practiced. But these are our realities, our reality. If you want to be beautiful, if you want to become a high-level master and skillfully use the necessary arsenal, you will have to choose from what is available, or turn to those who can bring what you want from abroad.
Brushes are different
hard and soft, round and rectangular, artificial and natural, from goat, pony, kolinsky, squirrel, nylon fur - you can list for a long time. In addition, each brush has its own purpose and scope.
An important role is played by brush assembly. It is at this stage of creating the tool discussed in this article that its key properties are laid.
glued brushes- less durable due to the fact that the attachment point of the pile is not stitched, but glued with special glue. This is the cheapest build option. When choosing such a brush, you need to keep in mind that the pile will quickly begin to crumble and fluff, respectively, the effect of applying preparations (shadows, powder, varnish) will not be very accurate. fleecy part stitched brushes it is sewn together with a thread from small bundles of hair, so the pile in them is fastened more densely than in glued ones, and they are more elastic and durable. Accordingly, they are less prone to destruction during use.
A professional with extensive experience can easily determine by how the brush behaves in the process of work, whether it is glued or stitched. The layman can only guess, believe the sellers or turn to the pros for the "identification" of the product.
However, the properties of a brush are determined not only by the way it is assembled, but also by how the bristle of the brush was processed. So, cut (shorn) brushes are made without careful selection of the pile along the length, and the contour of the edge is formed by a haircut (hence the name). In application, these brushes leave sharp edges behind the strokes, so it is better not to use them for shading, but they are great for drawing lines and applying clear color spots. But for typesetting brushes the pile is selected carefully, manually, hair to hair with uncut ends up (this affects the uniformity and softness of the distribution of the drug), forming a soft edge contour and a smooth transition from one length to another. These brushes are ideal for blending preparations of any consistency and are rightfully the most expensive.
There are also brushes natural and synthetic. Natural brushes commonly use pony, squirrel, kolinsky, goat, badger, beaver and bristle hair, as well as fox, raccoon and sable fur. Artificial brushes are most often made from nylon - the peculiarity of this material is that it does not absorb water and fats, so it is simply indispensable for greasy and gel textures, as well as for some types of paints. But at the same time, nylon is not very suitable for powder textures.
On a note
The most comfortable makeup brushes in terms of tactile sensations, many makeup artists call brushes from squirrel hair: they are soft, smooth to the touch, and long hairs collect powder well, providing an economical use of material, while the powder lays down thinly and evenly, providing a uniform matte surface.
brushes pony hair- smooth, soft and silky, since pony hair is thicker than squirrel hair, pony brushes are denser.
brushes goat- harsh (the hair of a goat has no top, along its length there are twisted and curled hairs), but very lush and hold powder well.
There are brushes and mixed, for example, from squirrel and pony hair: squirrel hair gives the brush softness and elasticity, and pony hair elasticity and density. Blended pony and goat hair brushes are silky and voluminous.
When buying a brush, it is important to understand that in the pursuit of savings, you can not only purchase a low-quality product, but also, more importantly, harm your own face and skin. However, you should not go to extremes either - too expensive exclusive brushes are intended more for professional use than for everyday use. How not to get confused, how to correctly identify and choose a good brush, how to care for this important tool in creating an image and skin care? Let's try to figure it out together.
MAKEUP BRUSHES
How many disputes flare up around them, how many questions are asked when you personally contact makeup artists! Not surprising. Makeup brushes have rightfully won their popularity in the right cause of the struggle for beauty.
A woman's face is like a canvas for an artist: you can capture different images on it, radically change its appearance, emphasize advantages and correct flaws. But in order for the makeup to lie, really, qualitatively and naturally, expensive cosmetics and knowledge of fashion trends are clearly not enough. Equally important here is the tool with which you apply this cosmetics and which has to come into contact with your skin. Therefore, the main part of our story about brushes will be devoted specifically to representatives of makeup brushes.
Powder brushes
For the most part, these brushes differ from the rest in their size - they are the largest in the entire make-up arsenal. Powder brushes are usually large round or flat. They are made from the pile of squirrels, martens, ponies, goats, as well as from well-treated bristles or synthetic material. When buying, you should pay attention to the fact that the brush should be soft and smooth to the touch, and its hairs should fit snugly together. You should also pay attention to the volume of the brush, because in this case the size matters - the larger the brush, the more evenly the powder is applied.
As a rule, the most expensive powder brushes are made from squirrel hair.
If we talk about the methods of applying powder, then it would be useful to recall "Puffs", tassel-kabuki and brush-flowers.
So-called "puff" Primarily designed for loose powder. In this case, closer contact of the powder with the skin is ensured, so that the makeup lasts longer. With the skillful use of the “puff”, the powder can be applied in a fairly even and thin layer. And yet, this accessory is more suitable for professional use (including for applying makeup), as it gives a fairly dense powder coating. Therefore, when using this particular accessory, the risk of overdoing it with powder is so great. But the face should look natural. Therefore, if you still went a little too far (the key word is a little), you can remove excess powder with fan tassels(read about it below).
When choosing a puff, pay attention to whether it is glued or stitched - glued puffs will not last long.
kabuki- thick round brush made of natural bristles with a short handle. Gives the thickest coverage. This brush is convenient and comfortable to apply mineral powder. When using it, the mineral base on the face looks as natural as possible, making your skin well-groomed and beautiful.
Flaules- This is a flat brush with an oval cut made of natural material, somewhat reminiscent of a mini powder brush. Unlike kabuki, it covers the skin less densely. Ideal for applying veils and tinted powder.
Tone brushes
These brushes are used for applying foundation and makeup bases. They can also be used for dry correction - modeling the oval of the face. And if their presence in the arsenal of the pros matters, then for personal use these brushes are not at all necessary to acquire (according to most makeup artists, when applying a tone to your own face, it will be quite enough to learn how to use your fingertips and a sponge).
For applying the tone, kolinsky brushes are considered the best, as it has a smooth, elastic bristle, which gives a more dense application of the drug. But it costs accordingly. Therefore, if a brush is purchased not for professional work, but for yourself personally, you can pay attention to nylon brushes. But, again, nylon is different from nylon, so do not rush to buy a cheaper brush and carefully review its quality.
The shape of the tone brush is usually flat.
Blush brushes
Usually it is a flat brush in the form of a spatula, rounded, with short hairs on the sides and long in the center (more suitable for even distribution of blush), or with a bevel (for correcting the shape of the face). The most typical for her is the fur of a squirrel, marten, goat, pony, or combined fur of a squirrel-pony, and a pony-goat.
The main advantage of a blush brush in work is its relative rigidity, so the most expensive piles (squirrel, sable) are not the best option. But more budget "furs" of goats and ponies will give excellent results. Unlike a powder brush, the optimal width of a blush brush should be 2-3 cm. If the brush is larger, then there is a chance that the strokes made with it will be too wide. And the main thing in makeup is naturalness!
lipstick brushes
How often these brushes fall out of sight during the formation of a personal make-up arsenal! And I must tell you, undeservedly. Their importance in makeup is underestimated in vain. Many believe that if you can save on something, then it is on the acquisition of such a brush. Like, lipstick can be applied in the usual way. But it is with the help of this brush that lipstick can be distributed easily and accurately, blend the contour pencil and work out the corners of the lips.
When choosing a lipstick brush, you should pay attention to the fact that it should have a dense texture and a pointed tip (for applying lipstick and working out the contour of the lips). The ideal material for her is fur column, but nylon is also suitable. Sometimes these brushes are also made from pony hair. A sable brush will not only cost a pretty penny, it will also have a pile that is too soft for applying lipstick. There are also double brushes - with a pointed tip on one side and a dense “spatula” brush on the other (“spatula” is convenient to complete lip makeup by applying a little gloss to lipstick).
Eyeliner brushes
As a rule, these brushes are produced from kolinsky, sable, raccoon or nylon hair, have a sharp tip (1-1.5 mm). They are convenient for applying both a subtle and more intense line along the lower and upper eyelids with liquid eyeliner. By moistening the brush and dipping it in dry shadows, you can also draw a thin line along the contour of the eyes.
It is believed that kolinsky brushes are more “obedient” in work than nylon brushes.
Eyeshadow brushes
There are several types of eyeshadow brushes - a flat brush, a rounded brush, a fan brush. In any case, which of the options you would not purchase, be sure to pay attention to the pile - the villi should fit snugly against each other. A fairly large variety of eyeshadow brushes (both in shape and in the quality of the pile) stems from the need to perform different types of work. Here you can also use brushes made of sable pile, and marten, column, squirrels, ponies, pony squirrels, nylon, etc. As you can see, almost all types of pile, except for bristles. Smooth and soft fur does not stretch, injure or stretch the skin of the eyelids. In work, larger brushes are used to apply shadows on the upper eyelid, small ones - to work out individual areas.
Flat eyeshadow brush ideally - thin and elastic, with a delicate pile, serves for soft shading of shadows on the upper eyelid and working out the lower eyelid. Also, with a brush of this shape, you can draw clear lines on the eyelid (the thickness of the lines depends on the size of the brush).
The form a rounded eyeshadow brush (often referred to as a “hoof brush”) perfect for applying shadows on the upper and lower eyelids - for shading the eyelids, the pile in the shape of a "barrel" is ideal. This brush will gently distribute the shadows, and it works well with the overhanging eyelid. Shadows with such a brush are applied in a circular motion. A good choice for those who find it difficult to work with feathering. It will also be a good helper for beginner makeup artists, and is also suitable for express makeup.
In fact, there are many more brushes for applying shadows, but we will stop there for now and move on to the rest.
Main mission fan tassels- comfortable and thorough removal of loose mascara or shadows, excess powder and blush. The same brush is good for blending shadows and blush. In addition, it is convenient to apply and distribute sparkles on the face.
Concerning eyebrow shaping brushes, then mascara brush It is used in accordance with its purpose - for coloring eyelashes with mascara. It is also convenient for combing eyebrows and eyelashes. The large comb on the eyebrow brush is used to give the eyebrows a neat shape, and the small one separates the eyelashes that have stuck together after dyeing.
STRENGTH TEST
When purchasing a makeup brush, be sure to check its elasticity. This is easy to do by bending all the hairs and releasing abruptly. If the pile has returned to its original position, then the brush is strong enough. In addition, you need to determine if your brush will begin to shed after two days. There is an opinion that this can be done by drawing a brush sharply across the palm of your hand 10-15 times in different directions. But here I would like to draw attention to the fact that even this method may not give the desired estimate. According to many make-up artists, a fresh stitched brush almost always sheds, a glued one rarely Therefore, we cannot honestly say that the proposed method will help you get an objective picture. Therefore, if you are especially critical of the choice, it is better to turn to professionals for help in identifying a quality product.
ARTIFICIAL OR NATURAL?
Which is better: a natural bristle brush or a synthetic bristle brush? It is difficult to give a definite answer to this question. When choosing, you need to take into account several main aspects. On the one hand, brushes made from all-natural fibers are considered by professionals to be the best, but on the other hand, they are very difficult to care for. Plus, natural brushes are not cheap. Synthetic brushes, on the other hand, with their stiffer pile, can crumble powder and shadows, but they do not absorb excess makeup, so it is much easier to care for them, and for some operations they can be better suited due to this property.
CARE OF MAKEUP BRUSHES
Brushes, like women, just need to be in good shape, so you need to take care of them carefully and carefully so that the brushes do not fluff up and lose their pile.
Care tips are simple. It is important to remember that you need to wash your brushes regularly. After each use, it is advisable to wipe them with a damp cloth and wipe off the remnants of cosmetics from them.
Brushes with natural bristles should be washed every two weeks in warm water with shampoo (not soap!). It should be washed carefully, not under running water, but in a small basin, or a deep plate, it is also important not to ruffle or fluff the bristles of the brush so that its working part does not deform. After washing, the brush must be carefully but gently squeezed out, giving it its original shape, then brushes that should remain soft (squirrel, kolinsky) should be rinsed with hair balm. For those who need to remain tough, there is no need to use a balm. Finally, dry the brushes on a towel in a horizontal position. In no case do not dry the brushes with a hair dryer and avoid leaving them in the sun, because when light hits the brush, it can permanently lose its shape.
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I have been writing this series of posts for a long time, but my hands did not reach to lay out.
Finally checked everything and ready to tell :)
brushes
Different materials are used for watercolor: protein, columns, synthetics. There are many opinions about which brushes are ideal, but it all depends very much on the quality of the brushes, the painter himself and the habit.
squirrel brushes They are very soft and absorb the most water. This means that they will give it away longer and more willingly. Another feature: if you wet even a very thick round squirrel brush, it should converge into a thin tip. With this brush, you can draw both large and small. My most popular brush at the moment is the squirrel six.
Round brushes are the most common, everything is clear with them. Flat ones give a characteristic angular brushstroke, sometimes they are very convenient to use for architecture and, oddly enough, the sky.
The batik brush takes an incredible amount of water and pigment, and makes savory strokes, sometimes even too much. It would be good for a large format, for example A3. On A4, I used it for a long time to wet the paper, and now it is successfully replaced by a thick #7 kolinsky brush.
Kolonok more “dry” in comparison with protein, it takes less water, but is more elastic. With it, you can not worry that the smear may be too wet and overflowing with water. For a very long time I painted only with kolinsky brushes, but now in constant use there are seven columns for wetting paper and a thin unit for small details. For "little things" speakers are just perfect.
Synthetic brushes I didn't get along too well. I bought them because of the exoticism, for testing, but I use only the Cat's tongue - it is convenient for them to "choose" the paint from the sheet.
Synthetics are even drier than kolinsky and are the most resilient.
Tassels are made from the wool of different animals, such as Japanese goat- they will not give a smooth thin tip when wet, but they are good for making a "shaggy" stroke. Of course, this is not an essential brush.
Pony will not gather even in the semblance of a point, it is good for them to wet the paper.
What brushes are needed and how to choose them?
If it is not possible to try which material for brushes you like best, I would advise you to buy such a set:
A round six of a squirrel and a round three of a squirrel.
Round four and unit of columns.
You don't have to buy very expensive brushes. See that in a dry state they have a uniform bunch without hairs sticking out in different directions. A good manufacturer protects their brushes with special caps.
How to choose a squirrel brush.
Round squirrel brushes must necessarily converge into a thin tip. It is necessary to look carefully that it would be a brush from the hair of the tail, and not pulled from the skin. Here is an example of a good and bad squirrel brush. With a silvery holder, good, when wet it converges into a sharp tip (production: "painting brushes", squirrel, master series). With golden it has a hard shiny pile, converging into an oval (production "Gamma"). You can highlight the tip, but you have to try, and this is not good. (I have a complicated relationship with Gamma, I wouldn’t recommend buying their brushes as workers at all. They always have hairs sticking out in different directions and look unsightly.)
6 brushes, different pile.
An overview of brushes with different bristles, as well as palettes for painting. Which brush is better: squirrel, goat, kolinsky, pony, bristle or synthetic?
Which brushes are ideal depends on the quality of the brushes, paints (watercolor, oil, gouache, etc.), and the habits of the painter.
Squirrel brushes are the softest, most plastic. Kolonok is soft, but resilient, it is harder than a squirrel. Modern synthetics are close to the column in quality. It does not wear out as quickly as brushes made of natural bristles, and it is even more convenient to use because it has a smoother pile. Most artists prefer to work with natural brushes, and synthetic brushes are also great for children's drawings.
For watercolor painting, brushes are used: squirrel, kolinsky, synthetics.
Kolonok suitable for any style of painting, but it is also one of the most expensive. If in doubt which brush to choose, you can take the columns.
Squirrel good for watercolors, synthetics - for acrylic painting. The tip of the squirrel hair brush is sharp and has the same fluidity control as the kolinsky, but is not as flexible as the kolinsky.
Pony usually taken when there is no way to take columns or squirrels. Ponies are tougher than squirrels, they are closer to the column.
Pig bristle brush best suited for acrylic and oil, it allows you to work even with very thick paint.
Badger brush good for soft paints, it is very easy to work with.
Sable according to its properties, it combines columns and a squirrel, number 2 can be used to write both miniatures and large works.
Nylon bristles (synthetic) not suitable for watercolor, but great for acrylic.
The brush should not be too soft, but not too hard either.
Squirrel brushes
Brushes with different pile.
The traditional, well-known squirrel brush, it is soft, thin and elastic, the strokes are juicy and bright. It usually consists of a wooden stylus, a galvanized braid that clamps the squirrel's hair.
The squirrel brush holds its shape perfectly, does not break, absorbs moisture well and is easy to clean under running water. When in contact with paper and other surfaces (porcelain, faience, wood), the hairs do not separate and lead a clear line, without "stripes".
The brushes from the upper part of the tail of the Siberian squirrel are considered the most valuable among artists. The best pile is located in tail squirrels, hairs there are the longest.
Squirrel fur has good moisture retention performance, which compares favorably with kolinsky hair when working with watercolors, tempera paints. When wet, a squirrel brush gathers into one dense bundle, which is suitable for painstaking contour work. It can be kept in water for a long time.
Squirrel brushes are mostly round, but squirrel brushes can also be made into other shapes.
So: squirrel brushes are mainly used for watercolors and water-based paints. Squirrel brushes are not suitable for oil paints, they are very delicate and immediately begin to crawl out of the solvent.
Squirrel brushes need to be looked after, washed after use, dried, put in a box.
Column brushes
Kolonok is an animal from the weasel family, its wool has excellent properties - it is soft, elastic. The bristle of a kolinsky brush perfectly adheres to water, improves the fluidity of the paint, and is suitable for working with watercolors (including professional ones).
Kolinsky brush is the leader among brushes. The hair of kolinsky brushes is thin, elastic and has a conical shape. From the tip of the brush, the paint flows in a continuous stream and with the best consistency. Differ in a combination of elasticity and elasticity, at the same time remain soft.
From top to bottom, in the photo of the brush: nylon 7, goat 7, synthetic 6, synthetic 5, kolinsky 4, squirrel 7.
Kolinsky brushes are designed for artistic work with watercolor, oil, tempera, gouache and acrylic. In oil painting, they are used when making small details. There are round and flat.
But who is this speaker? Few have heard of this animal.
Kolonok (lat. Mustela sibirica) is a valuable fur trade animal, from the genus of weasels and trochees, its fur is highly valued, and long hairs from the tail are used for brushes for artists. Kolinsky fur is very thick, soft, warm, lush.
Kolonok is a red-haired animal, smaller than a cat, flexible, with a black “mask” on its muzzle. He preys on relatively large animals: hares, black grouse, capercaillie. It does not eat plant foods, in extreme cases it can eat insects. All winter he sits in a hole, moves, if necessary, under the snow. In the snowy tunnels, the columnar catches voles. He stores his food for the winter and arranges entire warehouses.
You don't have to buy very expensive brushes. But - cheap ones are almost never of high quality, so you should not buy the cheapest ones, even for a child. You can choose the average price category. The main thing is that the brushes in a dry state have a uniform bunch of pile, without protruding hairs. A good manufacturer protects their brushes with special caps - so that the pile does not fray.
According to the pile, the brushes are divided into natural and synthetic. Synthetic makeup brushes do not absorb fats, so they are good for cream and gel textures - concealer, corrector, cream blush, eyeliner, etc. Many high-quality synthetic brushes (nylon, taklon) are now being produced. For loose powder products, you need brushes made from natural squirrel, sable, kolinsky, goat, pony, raccoon, ferret hair.
Squirrel brushes are the softest, smoothest.
Brushes made of sable, the column is elastic, the color of the pile is golden brown. Excellent for eye makeup.
Makeup brushes of the goat have thick wavy hair. They are bulky and tough. They are usually used for powder. The color of the pile is usually black.
Pony fur brushes are used to make up the eyes and the rest of the face. They are not very expensive. Brushes are dense, smooth. The color of the pile is brown.
There are also mixed makeup brushes, such as pony-goat or squirrel-pony. They combine the properties of 2 types of pile.
Types and purpose of brushes
The next important question is the purpose, namely, which brush is intended for which cosmetic product.
Tone brush. Liquid tonal products are usually applied with a brush. Most often, these are brushes made of synthetic materials, as they do not absorb the product, which saves money. Such brushes have a flat shape, with their help the tone lays down in an even dense layer. The main thing is not to forget to wash such a brush after each use to avoid the growth of bacteria.
Concealer brushes. The area around the eyes is the most sensitive, so the brush must be chosen especially carefully. Like foundation brushes, concealer brushes are usually made from synthetics, although sable or mink options are also found.
Powder brush. Perhaps the most common and well-known type of brushes. It can be either round or oval. It is made from the pile of a goat, pony, squirrel. Of course, the best is Makeup Brush from protein, as it is very soft and allows you to apply the thinnest even layer of powder. But it is also the most expensive.
Blush brushes. Powder brushes are sometimes used as a blush brush, but it has its own characteristics and, of course, for a perfect result, it is advisable to use a special blush brush. Such a brush has a beveled edge, which allows you to carefully blend the border of the contour. For a cosmetic bag, it is convenient to use a retractable brush, and for a dressing table, you can purchase a more expensive and voluminous option.
Shadow brushes. The greatest number of options is present among the brushes designed for applying shadows. There are options for just applying and lightly blending eyeshadow, for stretching color, for contouring eyeshadow along the upper and lower eyelids, for applying sparkles and shimmer. Eyeshadow brushes are most often made from natural bristles of medium hardness, such as goat fur or pony hair.
- Brush for applying the base color. Flat, wide brush (10-12 mm). Usually kolinsky, sable or pony hair. The shape of the pile is oval or "petal". Apply the main background color with this brush.
- A brush for applying transitional colors and dark accents. This brush is smaller, it allows you to make precise accents, work out the corners of the eyes, as well as the lower eyelid.
- Eye shadow brushes. These are oval or round brushes designed to blur color transitions. They are usually made from squirrel or pony hair.
Eyeliner brush. If you want to easily draw clear, smooth lines of the desired thickness and the first time, then this brush will come to your aid. The pile material is most often synthetic, sometimes columns. Form or pointed thin brush, or beveled.
Brush for eyebrows and eyelashes. The eyelash brush removes excess mascara and separates the lashes perfectly. The brow brush evenly fills the brows with color and gives them a beautiful curved shape thanks to the beveled edge.
Brush for applying lipstick. It is made from a column or synthetics. Cat's tongue shape - fine, sharp tip for precise application. With this brush, you can apply lipstick more evenly on the lips.
In conclusion, it should be noted that in order to makeup brushes served for a long time and pleased with the result, it is necessary:
First, don't save. Quality brushes, unfortunately, are not cheap. However, this price pays off with a trinity, since they will last not one month, but a whole year, or even longer.
Secondly, the brushes need care. At least once a week, wash your brushes in warm water with shampoo, then dry on a towel or in an upright position, and never dry with a hair dryer or on a radiator.
There are a lot of brushes now, and the most unusual ones. Once again sorting through my brushes, I decided to figure out the types of pile, what exactly and what it is suitable for. After all, we draw so often that we no longer think about why a squirrel or how the columns differ from bristles.
Squirrel
One of the most famous brushes, with which many begin learning to draw. They are made from hairs from the tail of a squirrel, and the pile taken at the top of the tail is much more valuable. Such brushes are only round, very soft and elastic, they can also be used to make flute-shaped brushes (but the width of the flutes is limited). They are mainly used for working with water-based and watercolor paints, because these brushes hold water very well. At the same time, the protein is too tender for oil and may begin to crawl out of the solvent. Squirrel hair perfectly retains its shape, does not break, absorbs moisture and washes well under running water. The squirrel brush allows you to draw without uneven stripes and blurry spots due to the fact that when in contact with paper, porcelain, faience, the hairs do not separate and lead a clear, directional line. Squirrel brushes need to be carefully looked after. The hair of the squirrel is very thin, blue, black or brown.
I read here that the pile of different breeds of Siberian squirrels can serve as a material for these brushes.
For example, the hair of the CASAN breed is considered the thinnest. It is used to make tools for painting ceramics and porcelain. The TALUTKY squirrel hair is longer and is used for brushes used for calligraphy. CANADISCHE squirrels are valuable for their short, black hair. Each of their hair has a thin tip. Therefore, watercolor brushes are excellent from this breed of squirrel.
Kolonok
Tassels from his pile are considered very valuable. Kolonok is a cross between a ferret, a marten and a mink at the same time. There are few of these animals in nature, and besides, it is not so easy to prepare. For example, the tail of the Siberian column gives no more than 2 g of pile, suitable for brushes. It will make 3-4 thin brushes and 1-2 large ones. For brushes, fur is taken only from its tail and only from animals living in the river valleys of Siberia, in China and Korea. Kolinsky hair is very elastic, light and has a sharp tip. The highest quality kolinsky brushes are made from the pile of a male caught in winter. By the way, a pile column suitable for painting is called an awn. Hair color may vary. It depends on the season in which the animal was caught, mostly it is a golden brown color. In quality, they are similar to squirrel, although there are differences. The villi of the column are much stiffer and thicker at the very base, and softer at the tip, very resilient and elastic. The brush can be cylindrical or flat, in different shades from light red to dark brown. These brushes are used for both liquid and thick paints. In oil painting, they are used when making small details, and kolinsky brushes are also convenient for glazing technique on wet.
Sable
The golden mean between a soft protein and an elastic column. The peculiarity of sable brushes is that they are very durable and almost never wear off, even when working with rough surfaces, they are made from sable tails. The brush is very flexible, picks up a large amount of paint and doses it out. Because of these qualities, these brushes allow you to work in a variety of techniques, from a “dry” brush to a wet technique. Everything can be done with one brush, which is very convenient. Best choice for watercolor, egg tempera, gouache. Sable brushes are quite rare and quite expensive, but they are worth it.
Marten
They are made from the pile of martens or mustelids. Marten hair brushes differ in their properties, depending on which marten is: flat or mountain. Plains marten hair brushes are as soft as squirrels, but mountain marten hair brushes are slightly more elastic. On sale, such brushes are less common than squirrel ones.
weasel
An alternative to pile column. The hairs are red-brown in color, with a good sharp tip, good fullness, but not as long as the column.
Bristle
Quite stiff, elastic and long. It is sorted by shades (it happens to be black, gray and white) and length, treated with chemicals and bleached. The prepared bristle is doused with boiling water, after which it becomes more elastic. When finished, it has a light color. High quality bristles are produced in China and Russia.
You can distinguish this brush from others by visual inspection - pig hair is split at the end. It was this feature that led to the use of pig hair - a specific tip allows the brush to absorb a large amount of paint and apply it evenly, without dipping the brush again. The best brushes of this type have up to 80% split hairs, but for artistic brushes, calibrated, non-split bristles are still better. These brushes are chosen for painting with oil, acrylic (you can not dilute), gouache and tempera. These brushes have a peculiarity - there is no end to the beam, thanks to which the brush is able to pick up a sufficiently large amount of paint and hold it. The main shape of the brush is flat, although there are cylindrical and fan, as well as flute.
Pony
Soft pile with a cylindrical bunch, well picks up water. A pile is used that grows behind the ears or on the back. Brushes are often used in schools and kindergartens to teach watercolor techniques. Pony hair brushes absorb paint very well, but give them away worse than they absorb, gather into a cone shape, keep their shape well, but are not flexible enough. This type of hair, like a pony, belongs to the design group, since it does not have a sharp tip, because of this, these brushes are not very suitable for professional work. May be brown or white. Designed to work with water-soluble paint: watercolor, gouache or tempera.
Goat
Goat hair is elastic, resilient and quite long, it comes in white and yellow shades. Softer than pig bristle. The brushes retain their shape, perfectly absorb paints and water, as a result of which smooth strokes are obtained. They are used in watercolor painting, calligraphy, batik and pottery painting, Japanese painting. It is noteworthy that for calligraphy, brushes are taken mainly with bamboo handles because of their lightness. Such a brush is suitable for working with batik because it can withstand hot wax.
Ear brushes
Such brushes are made from hair, which is taken from the inside of the ears of oxen, cows, the quality of which is determined by the breed of the animal. Usually such brushes are inexpensive, but strong, resilient and sensitive in work, give good results and keep their shape well. The hair has a silky texture. They are made flat and round, brushes are also made to cover large surfaces. Ox hair brushes are used to work with oil paints, acrylic, tempera, gouache. Cow hair brushes are used to work with almost all types of paints: watercolor, gouache, tempera, acrylic, oil paints.
Mongoose
Mongoose brushes are easily distinguished by the color of the pile, the tip is painted in dark brown, and the base is black and white or grayish. The brushes are cylindrical or flat, resilient and slightly hard. They are used in work, as a rule, with thick paints (for example, oil and acrylic). From my own experience I can say that it is also possible to paint with watercolors in dry technique, it keeps its shape and thin tip perfectly, but does not hold water very well.
Wolf
For us, rather exotic, but quite common in the east. These brushes are made from wolf hair. They are distinguished by special elasticity and elasticity, thanks to these qualities, such brushes are mainly used for calligraphy and painting gohua (a style of traditional Chinese painting that uses ink and water paints on silk or paper), brushes made from Chinese yellow wolf, which is essentially a column.
Bear
Made from processed brown or polar bear hair. Polar bear hair brushes are flat in shape with a long or short hair bundle, brown bear hair brushes are round, as in the photo above. These brushes are less rigid, but more elastic compared to bristle brushes, they have high elasticity and softness. Used for "heavy" type of paints: oil. gouache, etc. Brown bear hair brushes are round in shape and are more soft and elastic. They are used to work with tempera, watercolor, ink, etc.
Badger
The hair for these brushes is taken from the tail of a badger. Due to its properties, badger fur has become an ideal material for making oil tools. Badger hair brushes are softer than bristle brushes, have a conical shape, and are distinguished by “fluffiness”. The best badger fur brushes can be recognized by the white tip and the stripe in the middle.
Manufacturers sometimes imitate them by dyeing a pig bristle or a goat hair brush. However, the latter cannot be compared with a badger hair brush in their working properties. If you are not sure about the authenticity of the brush, pay attention to the following: if the hair has no “belly” and tip, and there are twisted and curled hairs along its length, then this is a goat hair brush; if there are split hairs, it is pig bristles.
Synthetics
Synthetic brushes are made from nylon, polyester and other fibers.
Synthetic hair based on nylon is hard and does not give up water, so it is not suitable for watercolor painting, but for oil paints and acrylic this quality is just right.
Synthetic hair based on polyesters gives varying degrees of elasticity. Hairs of different lengths and diameters are collected in a bundle that gives a capillary effect, which makes it possible to use such brushes even in watercolor.
Such brushes are less prone to destruction under the influence of thinners, insects, paints, direct sunlight. But from mechanical impact, these brushes are inferior in wear resistance to natural ones, the villi quickly wear out and become soft. There are many variations of mixed types of brushes from different piles. Both natural pile is mixed, and synthetic is combined with natural. Recently, the production of synthetic brushes has been actively developing and high-quality synthetics may well replace or supplement natural bristles over time.
A short guide to different materials and types of pile.
Oil - brush bristles, speakers, ear hair, synthetics, badger.
Tempera - synthetic, badger, squirrel, brush bristle, kolinsky, ear hair
Gouache - ear hair, synthetics, squirrel, bristle brush, kolinsky
Watercolor - squirrel brush, kolinsky, synthetics imitation.
Acrylic - synthetics, brush columns, squirrel.
In addition, there are brushes from the bristle of a fox, a hare (these brushes are made from a special subspecies of a wild hare), a raccoon, from a rat fur, from a mane of a wild horse, from a pile of a camel, an otter, a ferret, a pharaoh mouse, a young seal, sandstone, a Chinese Angqing boar , rabbit, ermine, deer, plant fiber, chicken down, etc.
In Petrikovskaya painting, the masters themselves make brushes from cat fur hairs, the so-called cats. I even found a master class for lovers of experiments.
And here is how the brushes are collected.
While I was writing this post, I thought a lot about the ethics of making natural brushes. It is clear that the technology has been developed over the centuries and often the brushes are made from the waste of fur production, but at the same time it is clear that demand can increase the volume of harvesting. No one will catch animals and cut off the right amount of hair from them from the right places. Therefore, here, as with natural fur coats - beautiful, comfortable, but how humane? I personally switched to synthetics and imitation a long time ago, natural brushes are rather rare, while calmly painting watercolors with synthetics, not shunning the cheapest brushes. I really hope that over time, synthetics will replace natural fibers and they will become more exotic than a necessity.