The Perfect Brushes

 

Having the perfect paintbrush is essential when it comes to painting Chinoiserie art, but finding brushes that are high quality, sustainable and reasonably priced can be fairly difficult.

 

My search for Chinoiserie brushes has been quite the rollercoaster, but after two years of trial and error I found the perfect set that I'm so proud to share with you. Luckily many of you agree too, check out the incredible reviews here.

 

They're perfect for painting Chinoiserie art as well as watercolour art, botanical art, Chinese brush painting, gongbi or sumi-e painting and much more. 

 

This blog post will give you more information about the brushes including paint techniques, brush properties and care as well as ethics and sustainability.

 

 

Why My Chinoiserie Brushes? 

 

Chinoiserie style art is traditionally painted using Chinese brushes. This type of paintbrush is also commonly used for calligraphy and Chinese brush painting. These brushes retain paint and liquid within the main body which helps create smooth and fluid strokes, as well as allowing the artist to paint for longer without reloading.

 

Traditionally three brushes are used for chinoiserie painting: one for applying the paint, one for blending out with water, and one for fine lines and details. 

 

 

Chinoiserie vs Chinese painting 

 

Chinoiserie style painting is quite systematic and intentional, generally a design is planned and marked out in pencil prior to painting. It differs to traditional Chinese brush painting in that the design is more considered and stylised, whereas brush painting is more freestyle or 'unconscious' as I've heard it called! 

 

To achieve the best results in both of these wonderful paint styles, using brushes made from high quality materials is key, and will make your painting experience more enjoyable! 

 

The brushes can be purchased individually, perfect for beginning or adding to your collection, or they come in a set of three which is all the brushes you'll need to create Chinoiserie art. My e-book will help you learn more about the techniques and is a wonderful resource to get you started on your Chinoiserie painting journey.

 

 

Sustainability And Ethics

 

Making sure these brushes are sustainable and ethically sourced is of the utmost importance to me. I tested many samples over my two year search for the perfect brush, and ran into many roadblocks surrounding production transparency.

 

I finally discovered a family run brush making company in Japan that took the time to provide information about the manufacture of these brushes. They are each handmade in very small batches, often taking many months to produce my orders. The brushes are natural and compostable, made using bamboo and animal hair. 

 

 

Animal Hair 

Animal hair provides the key properties needed to paint Chinoiserie or Chinese art, they allow for great absorption and release of liquid, allowing artists to create smooth and consistent strokes with varying thicknesses. The quality I love most is that they are flexible yet resilient and can retain their shape even after prolonged use. 

 

Animal hair brushes are highly durable and with proper care can last for many years, making them a worthwhile investment. I'll show you how to care for your brushes with my care guide, you'll find it at the bottom of this page.

 

Our brushes contain goat, deer and weasel hairs which are a byproduct and do not come from animals being farmed specifically for their fur.

 

  

 

Learn To Paint In The Chinoiserie Style

 

I use these brushes for all of my chinoiserie paintings and artworks, along with watercolour or gouache paints and silk paper. 

 

Typically chinoiserie paintings feature tropical birds, intertwining trees, and beautiful landscapes with repeating blossoms or flowers to fill the empty spaces. 

 

 

Paint a flower in 60 seconds!

I use a traditional Chinese painting technique for blossoms called 'unconscious' or 'freestyle' painting, where I create the shape using only a few brush strokes. Because these brushes retain so much liquid you can build up light to dark shades within the brush before you paint! It's especially helpful if you're having to paint many blossoms over and over. 

 

I'll show you exactly how to paint a flower using Chinoiserie brushes in just 60 seconds! Check out my free video tutorial! 

 

 

I hope you found this blog post useful and gained more insight into the paint brushes I offer. If you give these a try, do share with me as I love seeing your results! 

 

Shop all chinoiserie brushes here! 

 

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