Paintbrush – Shape
There are a huge variety of brush shapes available on the market and each one has a different purpose. We will cover the ones best suited for watercolor painting. This means good paint holding capacity and ability to create texture and fine details.
Round brush – come in a variety of different shapes such as pointed round, full-bellied round and detail round. These brushes have large paint carrying capacity and can be rounded tipped or have a fine point. A large variety of marks and even washes can be created dependant on the shape. In general, a good versatile brush.
Flat brush – Flat, square shaped and good paint holding capacity. Great to use for big bold brush marks, washes, and sharp edges.
Liner – A long narrow brush that has a good paint holding capacity. Used for fine details, long and fine continuous lines and lettering.
Fan – Fan shaped, narrow at the ferrule and wide at the end. Used for smoothing and blending and textural effect.
Wash/Mop – Come in a variety of shapes, such as oval and flat. These brushes are used for large areas of watercolor or wash.
Now let’s demonstrate how each brush can be used effectively: