Shop Craft and Specialty Brushes by Category
Water Brushes
Faux Finish Brushes and Tools
Mixed Media Brushes
Varnish and Gesso Brushes
Decorative and Miniature Brushes
Calligraphy and Sumi Brushes
Travel and Pocket Paint Brushes
Ceramic and Glazing Brushes
Lettering Brushes
Mural and Large Scale Paint Brushes
Stencil Brushes
Pinstriping Brushes and Tools
Makeup Brushes and Accessories
Encaustic Brushes
Foam and Sponge Brushes
Specialty Brushes
When is a brush not just a brush? When it’s a specialty brush! Blick offers a wide variety of art and craft brushes for specialty work. Find foam and sponge brushes for stenciling, staining, printing, classroom projects, and painting hard-to-reach areas. For working with encaustic paints, shop for naturally heat-resistant bristle or fitch brushes and silicone tools. Choose natural and synthetic mottler brushes and texture tools for faux finishing projects.
Into theatre or cosplay? Blick carries individual makeup brushes, sets, and accessories for professional results. Shop stencil brushes, lettering brushes, and pinstriping brushes for fine details, and mural and oversized brushes for big projects. Water brushes, pocket brushes, and travel brushes are great for artists on the go. For any application or technique, Blick has the brush.
Access our Brush Charts for more information on types of paintbrushes, including brush shapes, fiber types, and measurements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences between brush shapes?
How do I choose between Long Handle and Short Handle brushes?
Long handled brushes are recommended for easel style painting giving the artist additional length to stand back from the canvas. Short handled brushes are often used for table-top painting where the artwork is closer to the artist, and lies flat, such as with watercolor painting. Either type of handle that is most comfortable to the artist can be used.
What are the differences between brushes
Free Brush Charts Download our free brush charts in pdf format.
Brush Hair Types Brush Shapes and Usage Brush Size and Measuring
Brush Shape Fiber Description Angular 
Bristle, Synthetic Flat ferrule, short-length hairs, set with longer hairs at one end. Useful for precise strokes, and for lines and curves, with thick or heavy color. Media - watercolor, acrylic, decorative Brush Shape Fiber Description Bright sable, synthetic, mongoose, bristle, badger, synthetic Flat ferrule, short-length hairs, set with longer hairs at one end. Useful for precise strokes, and for lines and curves, with thick or heavy color. Media - oil, acrylic, decorative What brushes should I use for watercolor painting?
Three characteristics are used to evaluate the performance of a watercolor brush: how much water/color does the brush hold; does the brush have and maintain a sharp point or edge; and does the brush snap back to its original shape.
Traditionally, the best watercolor brushes are made with Kolinsky Sable. Kolinsky is regarded as the best grade of sable hair. Another option is squirrel, which holds more color than sable but has less snap. Camel hair (which is really pony or goat) is a more economical choice.
Today, better quality synthetic-hair brushes and synthetic-sable combinations can be as good, if not better, than many natural-hair brushes. Synthetics are a more durable, and sometimes a more affordable, alternative to natural hair and still provide a high-quality performance.
How do I clean oil paint from my brushes?
Cleaning your brushes is a very important step in ensuring a longer life for your brush. In the case of oil paints, the brush should be cleaned off thoroughly starting with solvent and rags or tissue. Once the brush is fairly clean from the solvent, rub the bristles in a glass or plastic jar with either a brush conditioner or a human hair shampoo. Give the brush a good final rinse and squeeze out any water. Dry the brush with its hair end lower than the handle end to prevent water from loosening the handle and the ferrule. Dry brushes can be stored bristle up in a jar, or laid flat. Protective storage containers are available too.
What brushes should I use with oil paints?
A wide range of brushes may be used. From natural to synthetic bristles, the brush can be left largely up to the artist. By experimenting with different brushes, each individual artist can find ones that suit their needs.
Traditional oil painting brushes have long handles, so that the artist can work at some distance from the canvas. The hair is generally firmer and stiffer than for a watercolor brush.
Palette knives can also be a very useful tool for mixing and/or applying oil paints to paintings.
