What are the best paint brushes for oil and acrylic painting?
Melanie Cambridge Artist brushes
I have painted with oils since my teens and, while I loved the buttery nature of oil paint, I often struggled with traditional hog-hair brushes, which tended to split when worn so that the sharp edges of the flats and filberts were compromised, or those with a fine point seemed to lose their tips quickly. Some years ago, I had the opportunity to talk directly to brush manufacturers; it was a fantastic chance to see if one of them might produce a bespoke range of brushes for me.
Most manufacturers I spoke to preferred synthetic fibres, explaining that consistency in quality of natural fibres depended to a fair degree on the health of the animals involved, whereas synthetic fibres were far more reliable. I also wanted to create a vegan friendly brush that did not use animal hair.
Having found a brush manufacturer based in Germany, various samples were produced until we found a lovely creamy fibre that is ideal for both oil and acrylic painting, and a softer dark brown fibre that is great for round brushes where keeping a sharp point is essential. I was also able to select the colour for the handles – a lovely deep green that looks classic and yet is different to most other brands. I hope you like it.
Why are the Melanie Cambridge brushes special?
The creamy fibres of the oil and acrylic brushes are extremely hard wearing and keep their shape, even when worn with use. This means artists can use them for years; they just gradually become shorter over time.
All these brushes have long handles. This is to enable you to hold the brush further back, more like a conductor’s wand, and paint from the shoulder using the whole of your arm to create lively and loose brushwork, especially when working on an upright surface (which I always recommend for painting with either oils or acrylics).
The standard filberts
The filbert shape is different to the UK version, being more like a flattened oval. It performs like a flat brush, but makes a slightly softer mark that I find better for painterly brushwork and blending, and great for skies and clouds. There are three standard filberts in a choice of sizes.
Long filbert No. 4
The long filbert offers more spring simply because its fibres are longer than standard. The extra flexibility makes it useful for painting water and ripples, as it’s soft enough to work wet on wet with little pressure. While the No. 4 round works best for sparkles on water, the long filbert can do most of the work.
Flat No. 2
A brush of this size works well as a flat with a sharp edge, being a little too small for an effective filbert shape. It’s great for painting simple boats and buildings, especially when you’re adding windows or other details where its sharp edge is useful.
Round No. 4
This is a great standard round brush, the sort of workhorse brush for general detail work. It’s particularly good for painting figures or winter trees, as it holds plenty of paint and yet retains a sharp point.
Extra fine round No. 0
This fine brush has fibres that are longer than standard size (15mm rather than the standard 10mm) so holds more paint for its size, and the longer fibres keep a sharp point for fine
Why you will love the Melanie Cambridge Artist brushes
- 'Direct feel' of the brush tips
- They keep a great edge, even when worn
- There's a lovely spring to the filbert brushes, enabling a variety of brush marks
- The round brushes keep an excellent point, the No. 0 being extra long to hold more paint for detailed work
- Long handles encourage lively brush work and painting from the shoulder
- Quality finish and well-balanced handle
How do I clean Melanie Cambridge brushes?
If using the brushes the next day, I recommend a quick wash in solvent (see the ‘you will need’ panel, below left). Ensure all the pigment has been removed from the brushes, then give them a wipe dry and leave them standing upright in a jar overnight. If you leave brushes in solvent for any length of time, they tend to lose shape or bend.
If you aren’t painting again for a few days, after cleaning with solvent, work liquid soap into the fibres – any liquid soap will do but there are specific brush cleaning soaps available if you prefer. Work the soap into the brushes in the palm of your hand then rinse thoroughly again before standing them upright in a jar to dry.
