Paper is a great surface to paint on.
It's lighter, can take different types of paint, and is less expensive than stretched canvas. These qualities make paper an ideal surface to make quick artworks or experiment with new techniques or paints.
Best Brushes for Painting on Paper
If you're looking to paint your next masterpiece on paper then this article is for you. Read through the end to learn what factors you need to consider to find the best brushes for painting on paper.
1. Material
The first thing you have to consider when choosing your brush is the material your brush bristles are made of. The two main materials used for brush bristles are natural and synthetic.
Natural brushes have bristles made out of natural animal hair. This hair usually comes from hogs, squirrels, badgers, or sables.
If you're painting with oil paints, alkyd, watercolors, or poster paint then natural brushes are your best choice. Natural brushes absorb and keep these paints very well and are easy to clean off after use. Acrylic paint is the only paint you can't use with natural brushes as it tends to damage the brush's delicate hairs.
If you're painting with acrylic paints, it's better to get a synthetic brush instead.
Synthetic brushes have bristles made of man-made fibers like polyester, nylon, or a combination of both. This type of brush works best with water-based latex and acrylic paints since they absorb and release these paints very well and leave a smooth finish.
The great thing about synthetic brushes is that they can also be used with oil paints and watercolors. This means synthetic brushes are great if you're still learning to use different types of paint since getting just one set of brushes will be more affordable. Speaking of being affordable, synthetic brushes are also easier to manufacture than natural brushes so they're usually less expensive compared to their natural hair counterparts.
2. Shape
Paintbrushes come in all sorts of shapes. The brush shapes you'll need will depend on what you're painting and your skill level.
Here's a rundown on some brush shapes you can use regardless of your skill level:
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3. Size
Another consideration when it comes to brushes is their size. The brush sizes you'll need will depend on the size of paper you're painting on.
Entering a poster-making contest? You'll need to get bigger brushes to help you fill in shapes in less time.
Are you using acrylic artist's pads or a drawing book? You'll want to get small-medium-sized brushes to help you produce details faster.
If you're painting on a postcard, your best choice will be to get small brushes to produce fine details.
4. Quality
When it comes to brushes, you often get what you pay for, as long as you know how to care for them after use.
That said:
The quality of your brushes will depend on what you're using them for. If you're still a beginner experimenting with different paints and paper, you can get away with cheaper brushes. But if you're a professional artist looking to create masterpieces for commissions, you'll need the best brushes you can afford.
If you're looking for high-quality synthetic brushes, Nova Color offers a line of Jack Richeson artist brushes in our shop. Join the Nova Color Paint affiliate program which helps artists monetize their love of art and top-quality acrylic paint. Browse our FAQ page to find answers to all the questions related to our complete product range.