I love my brushes. I think I have hoarded more than 50 brushes so far. Each of my brushes serves a specific purpose, depending on what I am painting. It is important to understand the usage of each type of brushes. Below are some of my favourite and frequently used brushes.
I have the Filbert and the Flats in all sizes. These are very useful for painting flowers and leaves. I have a super large Flat for painting backgrounds and large areas. This one is also very good for blending large areas. The Filberts are use for painting rounded edges, like flower petals, or anything that does not have defined edges. The flats are used for objects with sharp edges or to blend 2 colours to create a gradation effect. I use the Chinese round paint brushes a lot. I like these Chinese paint brushes because they can create fine lines and details. They are dense and can also hold water very well, for a wet-in-wet effect or to create a translucent effect. I like the small round brushes for doing very fine details. I use the fan brushes for painting grass and leaves on trees.
I use the palette knives for mixing colours and to do highly textured paintings. The feeling of using these are like spreading nutella on bread. I keep my old toothbrush and sponge to create textures like water splashes and sea foam.
The best and my most fun brushes are my super old brushes (see below). I use these a lot to create texture on paintings and to experiment on creating new textures. So Friends, do not throw away your old brushes..see I am truly a brush hoarder. These 2 brushes are at least 10 years old and I use them to death.
Lastly, taking care of your brushes is very important. Do not leave brushes in your water tub while painting. This is a sure way to destroy your brushes. Always place your brushes on a brush holder, never never leave them in your water tub. Secondly, makess sure you wash your brushes after every use. Gently wash your brushes with water and a bit of soap to remove ramnents of paint. Lastly, to keep your brushes in shape, ready for the next use, rub some soap on the brush bristles and leave it there. This will transform your out of shape brushes and keep them new and conditioned.
Take care of your brushes and they will last a long time. Hope you like my tips.