What Type Of Brush Should I Use For Acrylic Painting?

For centuries, oil paints dominated the market for art materials. However, by the mid twentieth century, a new material started to find favor with artists. Now, acrylic paints are just as popular as watercolor and oil are, with artists the world over. If you enjoy creating art, one thing that you will want to know is what are the best paint brushes for acrylic painting.

If you have no experience of working with acrylics, it is often quite daunting to try to identify the best paint brushes for acrylic painting at an art store. Usually, these stores have a plethora of paint brushes laid out in front of you. Synthetic materials, like nylon, are the best paint brushes for acrylic painting. Supple and soft brushes are suitable for applying thinned paint, and stiff brushes work well for thick paint applications. Acrylics are tougher on animal hair brushes, which can expand and become less springy when placed in water.

The majority of brush makers offer synthetic brushes specially designed for painting with acrylics. These brushes are springier and more durable than those designed for watercolor. They can withstand more use and maintain their shape nicely, making them an excellent option for novices.

While you are in an art supply shop, pick up the brushes and bend their tips using your thumb. They ought to feel firm, similar to hogs hair brushes (some synthetics do feel like this). If a brush lacks sufficient resistance, thicker acrylics will be hard to maneuver on your canvas surface.

Paint brushes have varying bristle shapes that affect the marks they make. Flat bristles are rectangular and long. They have flat 'toes' and can produce flat strokes. Also, they can be used to produce controlled lines and defined edges.

Filbert brushes have curved 'toes'.  These brushes can hold a decent quantity of paint and produce a broad range of marks. For this reason, they are commonly used by acrylic and oil painters alike. Round brushes are the most useful types of brushes. They have round 'toes' and can create controlled, intricate marks along with thicker ones.

Brushes can be rather costly. To reduce the expense, you could consider purchasing a set of paint brushes. These sets come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some sets are not particularly high quality, however they are still a helpful option for novice painters. They enable you to become accustomed with the different sizes and kinds of brushes, without making a huge investment.

After you have determined the best paint brushes for acrylic painting, you can grow your collection of brushes and purchase higher priced, better quality brushes of your choosing. There's no rush, so take the time to learn and let your creative juices flow.

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How To Choose The Best Watercolor Brushes

When planning for a painting project one of the things you need to do is choose the best brush. However, the process of choosing can be challenging because of the variety of options available in the market today. With the right information, you can be able to narrow down your search for the best watercolor brushes and achieve exceptional results after your project.

Consider the bristles

There are different types of brushes with some featuring natural hairs while others are made of synthetic bristles. Professional painters prefer those made of natural hairs because of the advantages associated with them. A particular advantage is that natural hairs have ridges that work effectively in holding more watercolor. Individuals that choose synthetic brushes must compensate by picking brushes that are larger. A job that is done by a natural hair brush number 8 requires that the painter uses a synthetic brush number 10.

Shape is key

Brushes are available in a lot of shapes. However, few are designed to provide exceptional results when using watercolors. Individuals with extensive experience can attest to the efficiency of using round or flat brushes when using watercolors. A coated brass ferrule or seamless nickel ferrule ensures that no bristles are lost during use. The material used to make the ferrule also ensures that the brush does not get damaged due to rust. A ferrule is the part of the brush that joins the bristles and the handle.

The size matters

The size of the brush you choose for your watercolor painting project plays a huge role on the final outcome. If you want something that will create finer details it may be prudent to use a small brush. A large painting that does not necessarily pay attention to finer details can be done using a larger brush to ensure you cover large areas within a short time. Natural brushes hold more watercolor than synthetic colors meaning the choice of materials can also play a role in determining appropriate size. It is equally important for you to choose a size that you feel comfortable with.

The brand

Before settling on any of the best watercolor brushes it may be wise to consider the brand. Keep in mind that a lot of brushes in the market do not conform to the highest standards of quality and may start getting worn out a few days after initial use. Choose brushes that are manufactured by trustworthy brands to guarantee you enjoy the benefits of good quality products.

The cost of the best watercolor brushes

Take some time to find out the cost of the various brushes in the market. The best watercolor brushes are not necessarily expensive. Choose products that are sold at reasonable costs.

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How To Transfer Your Drawing Onto A Canvas Using Charcoal For Drawing

Before plunging into the steps of how to transfer your drawing onto a canvas using charcoal for drawing,  it is important to understand why this needs to be done. The main thing is you have just completed a work of art which in terms of size is but a replica of the final artwork that you have in mind. Without utilizing charcoal for drawing, you will have to recreate your masterpiece part by part and line by line.

No exquisite artist wants to do that. That's like repeating the creative process unnecessarily.  Besides, there is a huge chance that you might not be able to replicate the images in the drawing as faithfully as the original composition. Charcoal drawing to the rescue.

Charcoal drawing takes time, but it's the artist's first choice when enlarging his or her composition. Even Michelangelo did not start by painting his masterpieces on the incredibly large ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. There had to be a small version of the images before they could be exploited to gigantic proportions. However, it's not clear if the genius utilized charcoal for drawing at all in order to complete his monumental task.

Nevertheless, modern painters are beholden to charcoal for drawing especially when it's time to transfer their works to a piece of canvas. Chances are, you have seen street painters compose their drawings from scratch. Still, in most cases, these unsung artists use either a model or a view.

That model could be you. But let's say that you want that painting of you to be transformed into a fresco for display in your home or room? Charcoal for drawing is the modern solution. 

Depending on the size of the painting that needs to be blown up, it could take a few hours to finish a charcoal for drawing task. Skipping the all-important task can result in a haphazard piece of work that lacks the proportion as well as the perspective of the original material.

The quintessential artist's trick to transfer his or her creative vision to a large piece of canvas involves heading to the commercial copying machine, which can enlarge any image to the desired size. Of course, artists of centuries past did not have this luxury, so modern painters beat them when it comes to maintaining the aspect ratio of their creative works.

Life is unfair, but charcoal for drawing is here to stay.  This approach involves turning over the enlarged paper copy of the original artwork and practically charcoal painting the surface of the images.  But before doing this, the artist has to underline sections that do not have any images. This way, the charcoal for drawing is applied only on portions of the painting with objects.

Thus, charcoal for drawing is a preparatory period for accomplishing the task of rendering the original concept into its final and much bigger format. With ratios and proportions intact and accurate to specifications, the artist proceeds with completing the creative task with oil paints.

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How To Prepare Your Canvas For Painting With Oil Paints

Before painting on a blank painting canvas, it is necessary to properly prepare it. Artists differ in their preferred method of preparation, but there are some basic steps that need to be followed.

Canvases for painting consist of fabric, usually either cotton or linen, stretched upon a frame. In their initial state, the fabric is not primed, which would cause paint to seep through the fabric. Not only would this make it difficult to paint, but over time, the oil paint would deteriorate the fabric. As such, proper priming is necessary when starting out with a blank canvas.

If the stretched canvas consists of only the raw fabric, the first step is to size it. Sizing is necessary to protect the fabric itself, as it acts as a sealant. Sizing generally consists of a thin animal glue solution. The front surface of the canvas should be primed, as well as the corners and sides.

Once the sizing has dried, the ground coat is applied. The ground coat gives the canvas surface a uniform texture, degree of absorbency, and color. It provides a good base for the oil paints that will be applied, and also adds more protection to the canvas.

Gesso is the most common material used for the ground coat when a canvas is being prepared for oil painting. Basically, gesso is a material that combines a white pigment with oil. It can either be prepared by the artist, or purchased ready to be applied to the canvas. It comes in a variety of different consistencies so that the artist can choose the one that best suits his or her needs and painting style. Although a cream style consistency is often used, some gesso has a paste-like consistency that can be used to add more texture to the blank painting canvas. It is also possible to obtain gesso in colors other than white. Water-based gesso products are also available, but these are more commonly used for acrylic painting.

If a smooth painting surface is needed, gesso is best applied to the blank painting canvas using several thinner coats. If a rougher and more textured surface is desired, one coat may suffice. Smoother surfaces work best for paintings that involve fine detail.

The gesso should be stirred before applying it to the blank painting canvas. If a smooth painting surface is desired, brush the gesso onto the canvas in a single direction. Clean the brush used to apply the gesso so that it does not harden. After the first coat is dry, sandpaper can gently be used to smooth the surface. After sanding, thoroughly remove the dust from the canvas surface with a soft, dry cloth. Apply the second coat of gesso, brushing it on in the opposite direction of the first coat. As with the sizing, the ground coat should be applied to the corners and sides of a stretched canvas, as these areas also require protection. Once the ground coat is dry, the canvas can be used for painting.

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How To Prepare Your Canvas For Painting With Acrylic Paints

The common types of canvas used for painting are cotton and linen. Painters often buy unprimed canvases and prepare them themselves as they can play around with the primers to achieve the effect they wish. However, primed canvases are also available at the stores. If you are using acrylic paint, it is always important to prime your blank painting canvas to avoid using up too much paint as the unprimed canvas is usually very absorbent. You need to know the right type of primer to use as some are only suitable for oil paint. The most common type of primer used for acrylic paint is acrylic gesso.

The steps involved

You will need water, a sponge, acrylic gesso, a stirrer which can be either metal or plastic, some paper towels, a plastic container and stretched canvas. You will also need a flat brush with 1"-2" bristles. Start by dipping the sponge in water then use it to wet the blank painting canvas. Using the stirrer, stir the acrylic gesso in the jar then pour some of it into the plastic container.

Add some water to the acrylic gesso in the plastic container to make it thinner. This makes it more viscous and it will therefore spread with more ease and penetrate the blank painting canvas more easily. You can also add acrylic paint of any color you want if you wish to achieve a different effect from the usual white. Use the paper towel to wipe any spills and clean the stirrer.

Using the brush, apply the gesso on the fabric in parallel horizontal strokes. You should then leave the gesso to dry. You can give it an hour, but the longer you let it sit, the better. If the fabric feels cold, the gesso is still wet and you need to give it more time. Depending on the level of detail you wish to achieve, you can have more than one layer of gesso. But you should always let one layer dry before laying another and lay them perpendicular to each other.

Final Thoughts

You need to be very careful when working with acrylic gesso as it dries up very fast. Therefore, keep the jar closed when you are not using it and pour just enough gesso for the job to avoid having too much leftover gesso. You should also wipe any spills as soon as they occur because when the gesso dries, it is not water-soluble and can therefore be very difficult to wipe off. Do not pour any leftover gesso down the drain as it can cause serious blockage in your pipes.You should only start painting when you are positive that the blank painting canvas is dry.

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How To Make Homemade Gesso

Painting is an enjoyable hobby whether you do it for show or personal reasons. However, the materials required to paint can become expensive, especially gesso. Gesso is used to prepare surfaces for painting, including canvases. It's considered a primer that helps to smooth out your work surface and ensure that the paint doesn't soak into your canvas. Likewise, it can be used as a glue for collages and creating thicker canvases from cardboard, etc.

The Gesso Recipe

The gesso recipe featured can be used for both acrylic and oil paints, as well as any other paint. This gesso recipe makes approximately two quarts, which can be stored for up to six weeks if not needed immediately.

The homemade gesso recipe starts with a plaster mix. You'll need one cup of hot water, one cup of glue (white or PVA), and one cup of plaster powder or Plaster of Paris.

You will also require three cups of acrylic or oil paint for this gesso recipe. White is usually the most common color, but you can choose any that will complement your work. You'll also need a container to hold the gesso recipe, a cup that can be discarded, and something with which to mix the concoction. You may also want a dust mask for safety reasons.

Get all of your ingredients together for the gesso recipe and put on your dust mask. Place the hot water in your container (that can hold at least three quarts). Then, you can add the plaster (but do not add the water to the plaster because it could blow up in the face). Next, measure out and add the glue, stirring to combine.

Once the gesso recipe is mixed, you can add the white paint and mix once more.

The Results

While this homemade gesso recipe may not be an exact match to a commercial gesso recipe, it should produce similar results. Likewise, you may only require one coat with this gesso recipe, though you can add as many layers as necessary.

After applying the gesso recipe, you will wait until it dries. Then, you can sand down the dried gesso recipe, wipe it off and apply more of the gesso recipe until the canvas looks right. However, it's important to remember to let the gesso dry on the canvas before sanding and priming again. You will finish up with a slightly chalky, ready-to-paint canvas. 

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How To Get Started With Pastels Artwork

Painting with pastels provides an exceptional method of creating artwork with the same advantages of conventional paints and acrylic or watercolor pigments.  Pastels are essentially an artistic medium that is available in stick form.  They contain a binder and pure powdered pigment. 

Oil pastels and soft pastels are the two types available.  The best oil pastels are harder to clean and often require solvents; however, they do not leave powdered pigment behind.  Soft pastels are easier to clean and can be easily blended with your fingertips. However, they produce dust.  Below are some of the supplies needed to get started with pastels:

Pastels

A number of different brands of pastels are available.  If you are not certain about what to choose, going to an art supply store might be a very good idea.  This way you could get to test them out on paper.  Additionally, you will be able to get a feel for the quality of each pastel.

Surface

Either board or paper will be needed to draw on.  Paper is most commonly used with pastels; however, wooden boards are now available.  Personal taste will ultimately determine your preference for paper or board.  Therefore, it is important to try out a few different types of boards and papers to determine your preference. 

Drawing Table

If you already have a drawing board that can be angled in certain directions, your pastel board or paper can simply be placed on the table to work.  Otherwise, your paper can be attached to a well-made drawing board.

Colored Pencil

These are remarkable for laying out a composition prior to drawing.  Use colored pencils that match or are the same as the color as what is going over them when your underdrawing is being created.  For example, use a light sienna or umber pencil to outline trees or golden fields.

Tape

Get an easily-removable, acid-free tape.  The purpose of this tape is to attach your artwork paper to the drawing table.  Good artist tape has a moderate to low tack adhesive that can be removed or re-positioned without damaging paper surfaces or leaving behind a sticky residue.

Blending Tools

Your fingers can be used for blending or you can invest in some blending tools if you so desire.  One tool commonly used is a pastel shaper.  Shaped like a paint brush, many of these have a silicon tip which does not absorb the material and are easy to clean.  Of course, brushes will do the trick as well.  Fan and blender brushes can be used for feathering and scrubbing pigments.

Fixative

The best oil pastels are constantly in danger of being smudged.  As such, there are some pastel artists who use spray fixatives to keep the particles in place.  However, many artists will not use any fixatives.  Fixatives typically have a dulling or darkening effect on the vibrancy of pastels; therefore, they should be used with caution.

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