Hi Daniel -
There is an artforum post that talks about brushes - this is from the post:
Common Types of Paint Brushes
Different paint brushes are best for certain mediums and for certain applications.
Below you will find a list of different types of paint brushes as well as a brief explanation of how each one is used:
• Round – This type of brush is thin at the tip and wider where it connects to the ferrule – it is best used for sketching and outlining as well as detailed work. Depending on the size, you can use a round brush to create thin or thick lines.
• Pointed Round – This brush is similar to the round except it has a more sharply pointed tip – it is great for fine lines and details as well as spotting and retouching.
• Detail Round – This type of round brush has a shorter handle and shorter bristles that come to a point. It is great for short strokes and fine details.
• Flat – This brush usually has medium to long bristles with a square end and it is usually used for filling large spaces and making bold strokes and washes. You can also use the edge to create fine lines or straight edges.
• Angular Flat – Typically used as a shader, this type of brush is similar to the flat brush but is angled. You can use this brush for filling corners and curved strokes – the tip can also be used for small areas.
• Bright – This brush is similar to the flat brush but the edges curve inward - it is good for thick, heavy areas of color and for short controlled strokes.
• Filbert – This brush is almost a combination of the round brush and the flat brush, having a flat, oval-shaped end made up of medium to long bristles.
• Fan – This type of brush has flat, widely spread bristles that create a fan shape – it is good for feathering and blending.
There are certainly other kinds of paint brushes out there, but these are the most common and the ones you are most likely to use on a regular basis. Remember, each of these paint brush types comes in different sizes and may be made from different materials so don’t be afraid to experiment a little bit to find which ones you like best.
For acrylic, I might try the dry brush technique with a square brush or fan brush to create some fine scratchy lines.
