[TerryCurley]

I've been listening to some videos from Stephan Bauman and he says with oil painting the quality of the brush you use is much more important than quality of the paint. He said if you want to put your money into something put it into the brush and buy the cheaper paint.

Do you agree? I honestly don't. I think the quality of the paint is of most importance. Just curious what others think.

To be completely open I can not afford the really expensive paint but I get the best I can afford. Most of my paints are Winsor & Newton, but I do have M. Graham and Master Touch also.

My brushes I often get in those sets. Like a flat brush set would be 6 for $10. I have some I bought separately and are more expensive but I haven't found them to be any better.

 

[WFMartin]

Terry, whenever I leave an art store, it is generally with a new brush, rather than with new paint.

Being a color theorist, I find that I can easily do without some different, new color, because I usually can mix whatever color I want with the bare necessities of color--the primaries.

However, I can nearly always find a brush for some specific use, and I am usually attracted to them. And, some very decent, artist quality paint can be purchased for a lot less than might be believed. Among the less expensive, artist quality paints are Grumbacher Pretested Oils, and M. Graham (which I notice you use).

Two of the absolute best brushes I've bought in recent months are a #4, and a #2, Black Gold, by Dynasty. They are flats. I bought them from Jerry Yarnell's site, and they work wonderfully.

 

[TerryCurley]

I'm not very good at mixing colors yet. I do, do it but generally I keep adding colors to the mix to get it right and then I wind up with so much more than I need and it gets wasted and that drives me bonkers. I like to start with a color close to what I need and then just add a tiny bit of blue/red/yellow/white to make it right. I've come a lot further than when I started. It is a fun journey.

 

[WFMartin]

I'm not very good at mixing colors yet. I do, do it but generally I keep adding colors to the mix to get it right and then I wind up with so much more than I need and it gets wasted and that drives me bonkers. I like to start with a color close to what I need and then just add a tiny bit of blue/red/yellow/white to make it right. I've come a lot further than when I started. It is a fun journey.

Mark Carder has demonstrated one of the most practical ways of mixing color for students that I have ever experienced. He has many videos, and I sort of "borrowed" his method for teaching my oil painting students. It seems to work very well.

This example below is my version of his method, but it closely follows Carder's method and format. This "Red" is actually Permanent Alizarin Crimson. The "Brown" is Burnt Umber. The "Blue" is Ultramarine Blue.

Please realize that this is most definitely not a "scientific color wheel", because it doesn't even have two of the primary colors [Magenta, and Cyan] represented on it. However, it serves very well as a practical mixing guide.

 

[TerryCurley]

Cool Thanks.

 

[Liz]

I use the brushes that come in sets too. I've been thinking about buying one, maybe two better quality brushes in the $20-$30 range but I can't ever see myself spending $50+ on a single brush (to tell you the truth I'm having a hard time giving up $20 for a single brush, maybe that's why I don't have any yet, ha, ha).

What makes them so expensive anyway? In what way are the brushes better other than the hairs not sticking out after a few uses?

 

[WFMartin]

I use the brushes that come in sets too. I've been thinking about buying one, maybe two better quality brushes in the $20-$30 range but I can't ever see myself spending $50+ on a single brush (to tell you the truth I'm having a hard time giving up $20 for a single brush, maybe that's why I don't have any yet, ha, ha).

What makes them so expensive anyway? In what way are the brushes better other than the hairs not sticking out after a few uses?

Some of the better brushes are medium-priced, actually. There really is no need for spending money on top-notch, name brushes.

Brushes made by Loew Cornell, and Masters Touch are relatively inexpensive brushes, and they perform very well. If you prefer excellent, flat brushes, I recommend the Black Gold synthetics by Dynasty that Jerry Yarnell sells on his site. They cost a bit more, but they are also worth it.

 

[Sorin]

No golden rules there... Each brush has its goods/bads. One person's style may not be another's. Some folks paint thin, some thick. Some like soft, some stiff, some springy. I've got tupperware all over with all sortsa brushes. As for paints... If you like it, use it.Only word of wizdumm... Colorfast. And even that's up for grabs. I've seen paints by Windsor Newton & others fade out after a few years.

 

[Sorin]

In this line of thinking, note the thread just started in the art supplies portion - Favorite Brushes and Why's.