Have you ever wondered why there are so many different types of paint brushes? So many types! Bristle, acrylic, sable? Which does what?!
BRISTLE
Bristle brushes tend to be the most affordable. They are made out of hog hair and are strong enough to easily push around heavy bodied, thick paint. This type of brush is great for children to use on children’s projects. I tend to avoid them for my paintings because they are often poorly made, and the bristles fall out. They also leave behind textured paint marks. I tend to prefer my paintings to have very little texture as far as the paint stroke goes. However, I DO like to use these for painting large, solid background layers. The cost of a very large brush of another type would be too much for my pocketbook. Those first layers are always painted over anyway.
SABLE
Sable brushes are quite expensive. The bristles are made from the very soft fur of an animal called a sable; it’s kind of like a weasel. The bristles tend to be very fine, soft, and flexible. The bristles retain a lot of liquid, so these tools are great for watercolor and very thin painting. I do not actually own any of these. When I paint with watercolors, which is rare, I use synthetic watercolor brushes.
ACRYLIC
These are my FAVORITE type of brushes. They are made of nylon and the bristles are springy and strong. They handle most types of paint, but they do not retain water for water coloring. I can always find these for a moderate price, they last a very long time, and they are easy to keep clean. I treat my brushes in a beastly manner and these hold up well to my abuse. These will stand up to the abuse of kids too!