My black velvets are some of my favorite brushes overall. They had a little bit of a learning curve for me, but that was just me going from cheap "all mediums" types of brushes to proper brushes. They may say the tools don't matter much, but it certainly helps to get in the general ballpark of the right tools lol. They make the best gradients! They blend the best in my opinion and that's probably because of how soft they are. They may be pricey, but they're well worth it! I also use brushes meant for makeup! I have yet to explore them too much since some brands can be expensive too, but I use them mostly as mop brushes (especially kabuki brushes) for wet-on-wet techniques because they're usually super soft and can hold an amazing amount of water! It allows me to save money for the more specialty brushes lol!
Hi Emily, first thank you for your tutorials, I have learned a lot with you. I just discovered THE brush for painting animal fur, it is a Sword brush from Rosemary and Co., in UK. These brushes are man handed and synthetic, and they are fabulous for painting long lines, like animal fur, without always recharged them. They are very affordable and it is a best value considering the price. Excuse my English, I hope you understand. But again, If you don’t know about these brushes, it’s worthed to go on the web to learn more about it. It’s a must !
Thanks! I've never heard of a grainer brush...what a nifty tool. I love my silver black velvet brushes, but have never used my half-inch brush in the manner you have mentioned. Great information.
I have what was sold as a flat comb brush. It is similar to the grainer brush you showed except that it’s a flat. I find it excellent for fur, and the tiny hairs on some stems and prickles on cactus,
Great video Emily! Thank you. You’ve shown me a few new brushes I’ve not seen before but like you, I still reach for my round silver black velvet brush! It’s really versatile for a wide range of different techniques!😊
Emily, you achieve such realism with water colour that is really amazing. watercolour is such a tricky medium but you achieve beautiful results no matter which brush you choose to use. You have taught me to celebrate my tatty old ruined brushes which become upgraded for fur, rain or grass instead of being thrown out. But I would still need to add colour pencil or pastel for details, what you achieve is on another level.
I am a total novice at painting fur, but when I do try, I have used a flat brush, actually holding and pinching the bristles apart. It's a little awkward, but I have, on occasion, gotten a really natural look from doing this. But it is a little hard to hold it like that for long. I'll try some of these ideas, though! Thank you!
Have you ever seen or tried these brushes? I can't attach a picture but they are flat brushes with wispy ends cut out of them. I bought them to try when painting a wolf. They are made by Royal & Langnickel and called Moderna all media filbert wisp brushes. I didn't have a lot of luck with them, but I'm nowhere near as skilled as you. They seemed like a good idea for painting fur so I'm curious what your opinion of them would be. Thank you!
Another amazing video! I am thinking of doing pet portrait commissions, what would you say are the main colours needed for fur? I have a set of primary's, black, white, and yellow ochre.
Your brushes are so confusing, I have spent 3 hours trying to find them, sometimes they are not available, sometimes you give numbers not on the link. Can you make it more simple especially for beginners.
So, I haven't even watched this yet, but +1000 for the Lebenzon brushes. I bought the "Small Diameter Popular Choice Watercolor And Ink Set". And just WOW. They are all EXCELLENT brushes with great capacity, are responsive AND springy, and have the teensy-tiniest finest points you can imagine. My only "complaint" is that the brush diameters are a little misleading. The actual measurements are accurate, but the super fine tips make them work like a much smaller brush. After comparing Lebenzon's specs to the Princeton size chart, I thought their small brush would be around a Princeton size 6 and the medium brushes would be like 12s and 14s. But because their tips are SO fine, the smalls work more like my 0s and 2s. I 100% recommend these (I ordered a medium siberian elk the next day!), but I'd recommend sizing up. Smalls are definitely only for detail work, even on small format paintings. Medium is the way to go for everyday use.
