Pens, Brushes161BRUSHES
To put washes down on the paper when
working with ink usually means the use of
brushes. On the other hand, we can use the
brush for what we call brush drawings.
The Chinese and the Japanese still use
brushes as drawing and writing imple -
ments. The brush is also still used in these
cultures for ceremonial purposes. Brushes
are very versatile, and they are usually made
of sable. Sable hair is very consistent and
doesn’t lose its tension in the mark making
process, springing back to its shape and
form and remaining very firm when
pressure is exerted. It is essentially a brush
that keeps its body and can be relied upon
for consistency when you are working with
it. Sable brushes are expensive to buy, so it
is wise to look after them. Never leave them
standing in ink or water for any length of
time and always clean them after use in the
appropriate solution; for the inks we are
using that solution would be water. Make
sure you dry them and that you store them
carefully so as not to damage the bristles. If
you cannot afford sable brushes there are
other less expensive alternatives. These
brushes are usually made from ox hair,
squirrel hair or some form of synthetic
material. I would also suggest that you try
any brushes you already have, just to see
what effects you can create with them.
Brushes that we have tired of and put to
one side can often be very useful for mark
making.
Between pages 172 and 176 we look at
examples of mark making with three
different types of brush: an Oriental brush,
a flat head brush; and a round head brush,
which is a Western version of the Oriental
brush.