Art Star Supply - Brush Shapes

Brush Shapes

Each filament in an artist’s brush is professionally arranged, tapered, or cut to create a shape to suit a particular medium or function. The most common shapes for all filaments are round, flat, bright, filbert, and fan.

Below is a list of various brush shapes, their functions, the medium they are most often used with, and the filaments that comprise them.

Angle (Flat)

Short filament in a flat ferrule. A diagonal shape with hairs longer at one end than the other. Used for precise curved strokes, lines and tight shading.

Filament: Bristle, Synthetic
Media: Watercolor, Acrylic, Decorative

Flat

The length of this filament varies. Hairs are always set in a flat ferrule. Hair is often slightly tapered to a blunt, square edge. This shape is excellent for covering large areas quickly and with bold strokes. Turning the brush to the narrow edge creates thin, precise brush strokes. The amount of paint a flat brush carries is dependent upon the filament and its length. A long-haired hog bristle or similarly thick and stiff filament will carry more paint than a short-hair brush with a thin, soft, or too-smooth filament.

Filament: Sable, Mongoose, Bristle, Badger, Synthetic
Media: All Media

Bright

A short-haired version of a flat brush. Like the flat, the hair is usually tapered to its flat edge. Features a “square” shape the width and length of hair often similar . Useful for pushing paint into the canvas. Holds less paint than a flat brush, so brush-marks are generally shorter but more precise and controlled. Carries heavy-bodied paints and impasto well.

Filament: Sable, Mongoose, Bristle, Ox, Badger, Synthetic
Media: Oil, Acrylic, Decorative

Round

Hair may be long or short, but is set in a round ferrule. Tip of filament may be round or shaped to a finely pointed tip. In a standard round watercolor brush the length is generally 4 times the belly diameter when wet. There is also a slight flaring of width at the belly. Excellent for precise detail work, and creating a varied line. May be used on its point with light pressure for extremely thin lines, or at an angle and with greater pressure for thicker lines. Also used for wash, filling in areas, and for creating long, unbroken strokes.

Filament: All Filaments
Media: All Media

Pointed Round

Usually narrower than a standard round. Hairs set in a round ferrule and come to a sharp, fine point. May have a full or thin belly. In a watercolor brush, the hair length is usually 5 times the diameter of the belly when wet. Used for precise and fine detail work, thin lines, stippling, and retouching.

Filament: Sable, Synthetic
Media: All media

Rigger/Script

A round brush with an extremely long, thin filament set in a round ferrule. Hairs usually taper to a sharp point. Named for its traditional use of painting the rigging on ships. Used to create exceptionally long, continuous, and fine lines. Excellent for painting branches, pin stripes, hairs, whiskers, boat masts, lettering, highlights, and outlining. Often used by artists to sign their paintings.

Filament: Sable, Ox, Synthetic
Media: Watercolor, Decorative, Ink, Sign Paint.

Filbert

Medium to long filament set in a thick and flat ferrule. Looks like a flat brush with an oval-shaped dome at its edge. Sometimes the middle of the dome tapers to a fine point. When this is the case, the shape may be referred to as a Cat’s Tongue. Both filbert and cat’s tongue provide excellent paint coverage, and more control and precision for detail work than a flat. Also used for blending and shaped washes. Often preferred by figurative painters.

Filament: Sable, Mongoose, Bristle, Squirrel, Badger, Fitch, Synthetic
Media: Oil, Acrylic, Decorative

Fan

Long, thin filament splayed out in a fan shape around a flat ferrule. Used mostly for blending wet paint, softening edges, and thin applications of paint. Also excellent for textural and special effects. Creates feathery strokes that can be used for clouds, grass, branches, hair, and other natural forms. May be used with the wide curved edge for broad strokes, or along the narrow edge for thin lines.

Filament: Bristle, Badger, Synthetic
Media: Oil, Acrylic, Decorative

Round/Oval Wash

Rounded hair in a round or flat ferrule. May have a soft, or pointed edge. Usually made with soft, absorbent animal hair. Used in watercolor for wetting the surface, spreading or absorbing large areas of color or water. Also good for blending and softening.

Filament: Squirrel, Ox, Synthetic
Media: Watercolor

Sash

A thick, long, and tapered round filament in a round ferrule. Used for laying in large applications of medium, or heavy bodied paint. Excellent for an under-painting, backgrounds, and decorative work.