BRUSHSTUFF #3

"THE BIG SWEEP"

BRUSHES FOR LARGE COVERAGE

MOPS, FUDES, DAMI-FUDES, MULTIPLE STEM AND HAKEME BRUSHES

THIS IS MY THIRD AND LAST BLOG ON THE TOPIC OF BRUSHES AND BRUSHWORK. IT DEALS WITH THE VARIETY OF LARGE BRUSHES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR LAYING DOWN LARGE SWEEPS, OR WASHES OF COLOR. AS WITH MOST OTHER BRUSHES, EACH HAS BASICALLY THREE VARIATIONS OF MARK - TIP OR STIPPLE, 
FULL-STROKE AND SIDE-STROKE.

DIFFERENT BRUSH TYPES HOLD A DIFFERENT
 DEGREE OF CHARGE OF LIQUID.  THE LARGER THE CHARGE, THE LONGER ONE CAN STROKE.  YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF WHATEVER THE LIQUID MIGHT BE HALFWAY THROUGH A STROKE, SO PICK THE BRUSH SIZE THAT ALLOWS A COMPLETE SWEEP. REPEATED BRUSHMARKS OVER A PREVIOUS ONE LOOK MESSY AND  USUALLY CAN'T BE REMOVED. USING BRUSHES TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE IN GAUGING THE AMOUNT OF LIQUID, THE CORRECT DEGREE OF PRESSURE AND THE SPEED OF MARK. WHEN APPLYING LIQUIDS TO CERAMIC SURFACES BY BRUSH, EACH STAGE - GREENWARE, BISQUE, UNDERGLAZE AND ON-GLAZE - 
HAS ITS OWN PARTICULAR IDIOSYNCRASIES THAT TAKE TIME TO MASTER OR EVEN GAIN BASIC CONTROL OVER. IT IS A LITTLE LIKE LEARNING TO DANCE 
 WITH ONE'S HANDS. WHEN IT IS DONE WELL IT IS SPIRITED AND BEAUTIFUL AND LIFTS THE MUNDANE TO MAKE MAGIC. WHEN DONE CLUMSILY, BAD BRUSHWORK CAN WRECK THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FORM.






ABOVE - 
BRUSHSTROKES FROM DIFFERENT BRUSHES

THREE SIZES OF JAPANESE FUDE FOR BROAD STROKES.
SMALLER FUDES ARE USED FOR MID-SIZED BROAD STROKES

 JAPANESE BROAD AND CHINESE MULTI-STEM FUDES FOR WASHES

A RANGE OF LARGE BRUSHES FOR VARIATIONS OF LARGE APPLICATION

MOPS 

HAKE BRUSH FOR WORKING WITH SLIPS IN A JAPANESE STYLE CALLED HAKEME.  THIS IS ONE OF MANY VARIATIONS OF BRUSHES THAT MAKE COARSE OR TEXTURED MARKS. THEY ARE OFTEN JUST A HANDFUL OF TWIGS, PINE OR CEDAR BRANCHLETS. WITH THE COARSE SWEEPING MARKS AS BACKGROUND THEY ARE OFTEN OVERPAINTED WITH FINE BRUSHWORK.

BRUSH MATERIAL.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF BRUSHES ARE MADE WITH FRAGILE ANIMAL HAIR OR FUR. ITS CARE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE BRUSH WORKING AT ITS BEST.  UNFORTUNATELY, MOST CERAMIC SURFACES ARE FAIRLY ABRASIVE AND WEAR DOWN THE FINE TIPS OF HIGH QUALITY BRUSHES. WHEN NEW. THEY SHOULD BE CAREFULLY WASHED WITH WARM WATER TO REMOVE THE STARCH THAT HOLDS THEM TO A FINE POINT. THEY ARE BEST LEFT HANGING TO DRY.  AFTER USE, THEY ARE BEST CLEANED DIRECTLY WITH A WARM SOAPY WATER SOLUTION AND THE COLOR OR GLAZE GENTLY MASSAGED OUT FROM THE BRUSH FERRULE TO THE TIP. ONCE CLEANED THEY SHOULD BE WASHED WITH TEPID WATER TO REMOVE ANY REMAINING SOAP RESIDUE. WHEN THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY, THEY WILL NORMALLY LAST FOR AN EXTENSIVE TIME, BUT CERTAINLY WILL DETERIORATE WITH TIME AND USAGE. THINK OF THEM AS AN INVESTMENT, AS THE BEST AMONG THEM COST QUITE A LOT OF MONEY, AND ARE OFTEN IRREPLACEABLE.

MY FAVORITE BRUSHES ARE THOSE THAT ARE HANDMADE, USING ROOSEVELT ELK HAIR AND MADE BY THE LATE KEITH LEBENZON FROM OREGON. THE BOB HOVEY BRUSH COMPANY ALSO MAKE HIGH QUALITY HANDMADE BRUSHES. IN MY OPINION, THE BEST PRODUCERS OF COMMERCIAL BRUSHES IS THE ROYAL BRUSH COMPANY OF MUNSTER, INDIANA. INFORMATION ON THESE PRODUCTS CAN EASILY BE FOUND ONLINE. WHEN BUYING HIGH QUALITY BRUSHES IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO TRY THEM BEFORE PURCHASING.
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SPRINGTIME IS ON THE WAY ON VANCOUVER ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

 PRIMULA

SNOWDROPS

HELLEBORE

I STARTED THIS BLOG ON LAST NEW YEAR'S EVE. IT HAS KEPT ME VERY BUSY FOR THE INTERIM TIME ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T MATCH MY PERSONAL EXPECTATIONS WITH IT. THIS IS POSTING #93.

MICKEY, MY ALTER-EGO, WISHES YOU ALL THE VERY BEST FOR THE COMING YEAR. IF I CAN MUSTER UP THE ENERGY, I HOPE TO BE BACK IN 2013 IN A SLIGHTLY REDUCED FORMAT. TUNE IN TO CHECK.