Brush recommendations please!

[JoceAndChris]

I need a tiny brush, 4mm wide, to apply oil eggshell to intricate mouldings. The ones I've bought from the local art shop are no good at all.

My Harris brushes have all had a very hard life too, any recommendations for replacements would be much appreciated.

 

[Flyfisher]

Could you cut a normal half-inch brush down to 4mm?

 

[JoceAndChris]

I'll try!

The reason I need it is because you see how in this picture there is a very sharp line between the green and the cream:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/3420888594_d513e640dd.jpg

It is so so hard to create that straight line and pure definition between two colours on very slender parts of the moulding. I tried masking tape to help me, but the green "bled" underneath the tape. Then I bought one of those straight line edging tools and that also shifted small amounts of green onto the cream. So then I bought an art shop brush which was too scratchy and blobbed the green and didn't create a smooth straight line.

All of which will probably lead you to conclude I am a bad workman blaming his tools; maybe by shutter number 18 I'll have got the hang of it!

 

[Moo]

Do signwriters use special brushes, or just develop a very steady hand?

 

[Flyfisher]

I've seen signwriters use a stick with a ball or rubber (or similar) on the end, which they use to steady their painting hand very close to the work in progress.

Just checked and, apparently, it's called a mahl stick: http://painting.about.com/od/artglossarym/g/defmahlstick.htm

Not sure if this would help Joce though.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I think that would help, though I don't need a metre length-12 inches would do!

I can just picture the bloke at B&Q's face when I go down and demand a 12 inch mahl stick. :shock:

 

[Flyfisher]

No need to confuse the poor B&Q people. You could probably make one quite easily from a bit of old stick and some old rag or, perhaps, a big lump of blu-tack.

 

[Penners]

The ones I've bought from the local art shop are no good at all.

Can you be a bit more specific about why art brushes are no good? What are they failing to do... or doing that they shouldn't?

Given the huge choice of art brush types, I would have thought that there must be something suitable. If you can give me a bit more information, I'll ask Mrs P (the artist of the family) what she suggests.

Mind you, according to the landlord of the local pub, I'm an artist too..... :?

 

[Nigel Watts]

You could try a fitch, but the problem with these, like any small brush, is that they dont hold much paint. Fitches are stiffer than aritists brushes so should work better.

I think I would be tempted to use a larger brush, sidewise on, but planning the sequence of painting to allow for the possibility of a certain amount going over one edge. For example if you do the mouldings first but get a bit on the panel by mistake this can be covered up when you subsequently paint the panel.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Fitches and mahls... the words you learn on this forum!

Can you be a bit more specific about why art brushes are no good? What are they failing to do... or doing that they shouldn't?

Given the huge choice of art brush types, I would have thought that there must be something suitable. If you can give me a bit more information, I'll ask Mrs P (the artist of the family) what she suggests.

I can be a lot more specific but was aiming at brevity! Thankyou again, Mr P, for your extraordinary generosity and ability to sit through the trivial details of this question. The misleadingly named "daVinci" brush in question is a scabby pig's ****hole of a thing but the best my local town can offer. The line it delivers is scratchy and uneven with brush strokes all too visible. You can see from this butchery of a fender what it has done:

(I was hoping to put this fender around the fire with the fallen cheeks but now I'm strongly tempted to put it on the fire itself, if we can get it functional again)

The perfect brush would be soft, 4mm width and possibly angled diagonally. Any recommendations of high quality art brushes will be gratefully followed up.

I think I would be tempted to use a larger brush, sidewise on, but planning the sequence of painting to allow for the possibility of a certain amount going over one edge. For example if you do the mouldings first but get a bit on the panel by mistake this can be covered up when you subsequently paint the panel.

Very perceptive, I learnt this the hard way. However, just as you don't want green on your cream panel neither do you want cream on your green moulding.

Maybe I should just drink more and then won't notice wavy lines and splodges.

 

[outlaw]

In my experience with intricate painting, I found the paint to be more the issue. It looks like the paint you are using is a bit runny causing it to spread.
I know it will take 3 times as long but for the perfect result let the paint thicken up a bit and paint it on thinly, maybe even doing it twice. The brush is merely the tool for applying it, it will only do what you to tell it, dont load it up too much and dont press down too hard.
You can tell me "sod off Outlaw, I am a pro painter" if you like, I just thought it might help.

Tony

 

[JoceAndChris]

"A pro painter!" Hardly!!

Thank you Outlaw, yes, the example in the photo is the work of not only a horrid brush and an unpractised artist but also what happens when you use water based eggshell on top of oil based eggshell. (Furthermore, F&B paints are notoriously difficult I understand.)

Thank you for your kind and helpful suggestions. I battle with the thickness of the paint, as well as the thickness in my own skull.

 

[outlaw]

:lol: You are trying which is the main thing. Dont give up mate.

Tony

 

[JoceAndChris]

Some on this forum find me very trying indeed. :lol:

 

[Penners]

Joce - Herself says exactly the same as Outlaw. The paint is much more important than the brush. And - as you've realised - water paint on top of oil paint is a very difficult combination for what you're trying to achieve.

Mrs P is a fan of acrylic paints. They come out of the container good and thick, but you can water them down if you want to. They flow well and are pretty resilient, once dry.

Don't dismiss Da Vinci brushes - they're apparently pretty good art brushes. If you feel you want a flat, diagonal cut brush, have a look here: http://www.greatart.co.uk/DAVINCIFORTEOILACRYLICBRUSHES-CHISEL-flat-fan-brushes-oil-acrylic.htm.

However, if you have a variety of patterns to paint, you may find a round, tapered brush a better bet, because you can vary the thickness of your line by increasing or decreasing pressure. For example: http://www.greatart.co.uk/JAXHAIR%20CRYL%20ROUND%20BRUSHES-round-brushes-oil-acrylic.htm

She recommends that you get a free catalogue from Great Art (it'll prop a door open, if nothing else), which has a huge choice of art materials. If you can't find what you need in there, you ain't tryin' (qv)!

Good luck.

http://www.greatart.co.uk/catalogue.html

 

[JoceAndChris]

Thank you to both yourself and artistic Mrs P! The websites are great, and will be invaluable when I come to my ceiling which will be a replica of this:
http://z.about.com/d/gouk/1/5/w/U/-/-/minsterchapterceiling.jpg

I think I need a bit more practice first though.

 

[Penners]

Wow! That'll keep you from thumb-twiddling for a while. And once you've finished it, perhaps you could move on to something more ambitious.

Oh, I dunno - maybe something like...

 

[Jon Maine]

I think that would help, 12 inches would do!

How do you expect me to not make smutty comments when you say things like that!

 

[JoceAndChris]

It was you who put the 12 inches in me, you know. In the thread "ledged doors". It's all your fault, I'm completely innocent of course! (see, didn't I tell you it's about 3 days between my Tourette's attacks)

Wow! That'll keep you from thumb-twiddling for a while. And once you've finished it, perhaps you could move on to something more ambitious.

Yes, a replica of the Sistine, a fine plan! It will go nicely with the window I have in mind for Biff's next project:

 

[Jon Maine]

It was you who put the 12 inches in me, you know.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: