Types of Artist Brushes

This section outlines the basic terms and uses for artist brushes

Flat — long hair with a squared-off edge for long sweeping strokes; for oil, acrylic and alkyd.

Bright — much shorter hair than a Flat; squared-off edge used for short and controlled strokes; carries and manipulates heavy paint.

Round — can be used on its point for outlining and fine detail or for thick strokes when pressure is applied; bristle Rounds do not point sharply but can manipulate heavy paint with great control.

Filbert — versatile brush with a flat ferrule and oval-shaped top edge; there are fat-ferruled Filberts (for heavy paint manipulation) and thin ones; the flat side is used for wider stokes and the edge for more linear purposes.

Egbert — much longer and slimmer than Filbert; produces smooth, gliding strokes; bristle; for oil, acrylic and alkyd.

Cat’s Tongue — a Cat’s Tongue is usually a bit thinner than a Filbert; a Teardrop is a very small Cat’s Tongue that comes to a sharper point; both might be called “petal” brushes because of the smooth oval shape they can create; used for soft-edged strokes and blending acrylic, watercolor, oil, and alkyd.

Shader — a short-handled Flat used for blocking-in color, shading, blending and highlighting for acrylic, oil, alkyd and watercolor.

Blender — a short-handled Bright used for short, flat strokes and blending acrylic, oil, alkyd, watercolor.

Stroke — used flat to produce long, even lines in “one stroke” and on the edge for thin lines; flat and edge strokes are combined for lettering; used with tempera or water-based lettering paint and for watercolor color washes; for water-based media.

Wash — a flat brush with a sharp top edge; has shorter hair-out than a Stroke; for washes when used flat and for fine detail when used on its edge; a Wash brush may have a chiseled taper on the end of the handle used to create texture and special effects; for water-based media.

Angular — a flat-ferruled brush with an angled top edge; provides tight, curved strokes, blending and floating color; while this shape is most popular for decorative stroke work or “tole” painting, watercolorists are finding that it offers them a lot of control and flexibility; all media; long-handled, bristle angular brushes are used by sign painters and faux artists.

Liner — A long-haired Round used for long, thin strokes and detail; light to medium viscosity paint; a Liner may be called a Signature brush.

Script or Scroller — longer hair-out than a liner; may also be called a Long Liner.

Rigger or Shocard — the top of the brush is flat while the ferrule is round; named for its popularity with artists who painted sailing ships’ rigging; holds a lot of paint, allowing for uninterrupted strokes; a square tip gives both broad and fine lines; Shocard artists, sign painters who hand-letter with tempera, as well as calligraphers favor this brush.

Surface Blending Type Brushes:

Mop/Flat-Ferruled — flat-ferruled Mops have rounded tops and are also called Oval Mops; used for laying-in watercolor washes without any hard edges.

Mop/Round-Ferruled — round-ferruled Mops are used for surface blending and many faux techniques; full and bushy brushes resembling cosmetics brushes; Small or Mini-Mops are used by pastel artists for blending; rubber stampers use mops for color application and blending.

Fan — its specially designed flattened ferrule spreads hair like a fan; Fans are used for surface blending and smoothing, and special effects such as stippling to create foliage or texture; primarily used for oil, acrylic and alkyd.

Rake or Comb — available either as a Bright- or Filbert-shaped (shown here) brush with the tip hairs feathered for special techniques and textures such as hair and grass.

Cutter — a flat, full-bodied, wide-bristle brush with hair that may be tapered at the tip. Its name refers to a house painter’s technique of “cutting-in” or painting along a hard edge. These brushes may also be called Fresco or Scenery Brushes, and are used for final varnish applications.

Bamboo Brush — see Hake or Sumi

China Quill, Scroller and Mop — used primarily by porcelain painters. Mops are available in a full range of sizes. They are used for washes and detail in water-based media.

Deerfoot Stippler — looks like a stencil brush with the top cut off at an angle. It is primarily used to stipple, a dry-brush pouncing technique, to create textures such as fur or foliage. It is popular for decorative painting techniques.

Fitch — long-handled brush with a flat edge and chiseled sides. Sometimes the term Easel Brush is used for these durable brushes.

Flogger or Long Dragger — most commonly associated with faux techniques such as woodgraining. It is not used to apply paint, but is used dry and “dragged” through wet paint or glaze to break up the surface.

Grey Stroke — sign painter’s brush made with squirrel hair, the Grey Stroke is used for long, smooth strokes with heavy viscosity paint such as lettering enamel.

Gilders’ Tip — not a brush, but a “holder of static electricity; a lifter and mover” for gold and leafing materials.

Hake — unique, flat, wide brushes used to apply light viscosity media over large areas. They are also used to apply paste.

Mottler — used to create a mottled effect for faux techniques. Mottlers are flat, wide brushes with short hair-out. Short-handled Mottlers with soft hair can be used for watercolor washes or varnish application.

Pencil or Finger Grainer — has multiple round heads attached to a handle and is used to create graining textures for faux techniques or to paint multiple stripes.

Sash Brushes — hearty bristle brushes which are the perfect answer for the artist who works big. The thick handle makes manipulating heavy color loads easier. Sash brushes are available Round, with either a pointed tip or dome-shaped, and Flat.

Scumbler — short bristle brush used to “scumble.” That is, cover the surface with an opaque or semi-opaque layer of color.

Signwriters’ Quill — same design as a Rigger, but the ferrule is either a plastic or natural quill, and the hair is squirrel. Quill brushes are used for sign painting with thick viscosity paint such as enamel.

Spotter or Retouch Brush — round, fine-pointed sable or filament brushes. Their hair-out length is shorter compared to a Round of a comparable size, making a slightly stiffer brush. They’re used when the artist needs tight control or fine detail.

Stencil Brush — short-handled brush with a crew-cut top is used to pounce or stipple color over the surface of a stencil. This dry brush technique prevents paint from leaking under a stencil.

Sword Striper or Dagger — very short handle with long, tapered squirrel hair. Used on edge, it creates a narrow fine line. This brush style is used by detailers to pinstripe or customize vehicles. Decorative painters have also discovered the unique applications of this brush — flowing lines from thick to thin can produce effects like ribbon or vines.

Triangle or Triple Loader — designed for the decorative painter. It is made to carry multiple colors of paint at one time. In the course of the stroke, colors blend as they are applied to the surface.

Varnish Brush — a soft bristle, a Mottler or a soft hair Flat brush can be used to apply varnish.

Sumi or Bamboo — offers the artist a fine pointed brush with excellent fluid capacity and soft, flowing movement.