Brushes and Painting Tools

Art Paint Brushes and Painting Tools


There are a variety of paint brushes to choose from, but they all have the same anatomy - a handle, ferrule, and bristles. The handle is the part you hold and is usually made from wood or plastic. Long handle paint brushes are best for large scale paintings and easel work, while shorter handles are great for close-up detail work. The bristles are the hair-like brush tips that hold the paint. Bristles can be made from natural or synthetic fibers. The ferrule is the metal clamp that connects the handle to the bristles and holds the bristles in place. All paint brushes have the same basic parts, but are unique to different paint mediums and techniques depending on the bristle fibers and shapes.


Brushes By Paint Medium

  • Acrylic Paint Brushes: Acrylic brushes are designed to handle the consistency of acrylics, which are thicker than watercolors, but not as thick as oil paint. Synthetic acrylic brushes are the most popular fiber type, consisting of nylon or polyester, and provide a more flexible springy brush fiber. Natural acrylic brushes can also be used, but have a stiffer bristle than synthetic. Bristle brushes will leave visible strokes and add texture to your painting. Lastly, acrylic brushes usually have a long handle that is helpful when painting on an easel.
  • Watercolor Paint Brushes: Watercolor brushes have soft absorbent bristles that are designed to hold a large amount of water. They can be made from natural hair fibers that consist of sable hair, squirrel hair, or goat hair. It can also be made from synthetic fibers that perform just as well as their natural counterparts. Lastly, watercolor brushes traditionally have short handles due to artist painting closely to the paper and work surface.
  • Oil Paint Brushes: These brushes have thicker bristles and are specifically designed to handle dense and heavy oil paints. The fibers can be made from natural bristles – such as hog hair or sable blends – or synthetic fibers that perform just as well. Oil brushes typically have long handles, since they are used with easel work. We don’t recommend using natural oil brushes with acrylic paint because the natural bristles can be ruined with the consistent moisture from the water used with acrylics.

Read more about Brush Fiber Differences in our guide.


Brush Shapes

Paint brushes come in various bristle shapes and widths. The shape of a brush can influence the texture, precision, and fluidity of the brush strokes it creates. Paint brush sets offer a variety of shapes to choose from. Understanding each shape’s individual characteristics is key to achieving your desired effect.


  • Round: Round or pointed bristle tip, available in a variety of sizes. Ideal for fine lines, details, and controlled washes. Used for a variety of mediums including acrylics, oils, and watercolors.
  • Flat: Flat ferrule, square ends, medium to long bristles. Perfect for bold, sweeping strokes. Great for all medium types.
  • Bright: Square bristles, shorter and denser than flat brushes. Useful for short, controlled strokes. Best for thick paint and impasto techniques.
  • Angular or Slanted: Angled tip ideal for easel painting. Good for making thin lines, precise edges, and curves. Used with acrylics and oils.
  • Filbert: Flat oval bristles, fuller than flat brushes. Ideal for creating soft, rounded edges and blending. Used with acrylics and oils.
  • Fan: Fan shaped bristles. Excellent for blending and creating natural textures in landscape paintings. Used with acrylics and oils.
  • Wash Brushes: Come in a variety of shapes including, flat wash, mop, and oval wash. Used for wetting large areas of paper with water or color. Some shapes can also be used to paint interesting shapes.

Read our guide on Brush Shape Differences for more information on the different brush shapes and their use cases.


Care and Maintenance

In order to make your brushes last, be sure to wash them immediately after use with the proper solvents. There are different types of brush cleaners to choose from depending on the medium you’re working with. Water is ideal for cleaning water-based paints, while specialized cleaners are more effective for removing oil paints or acrylics. You can also use brush washers and tubs to clean your brushes with ease. Reshape the bristles while wet and let them dry upright or horizontally. Once your brushes are cleaned, you can store and protect them with paint brush holders and organizers.


Our guide on Making Your Brushes Last goes into more detail on how to care for your brushes.


Other Popular Painting Tools

Brushes are the most commonly known painting tool, but there are other tools painters use to help elevate their painting process:

  • Painting Knives: Blunt flexible blade, usually made from metal or plastic. Blade can be rectangular, triangular, or diamond shaped. Used to apply paint directly onto the canvas for textured effects.
  • Palette Knives: Similar to a painting knife, but stiffer. Used for mixing colors on a palette.
  • Palettes: Surface designed for holding or mixing paint, commonly made from wood, glass, or plastic. While most palettes are flat, watercolor palettes have wells to contain the mixed colors.
  • Tube Wringers: Handy tools consisting of two rollers and a handle that lets you squeeze every last bit of paint from tubes.

Frequently Asked Questions