Ask Ali: My current favourite brushes

I do change my mind about what equipment I like to work with, not because I’m trying to be obtuse but because new products get developed and new technology is discovered.

If you regularly follow my demonstrations then you will know that in the last five years I have switched my brushes from actual natural animal hair to synthetic equivalents, for all sorts of reasons both financial and ecological and still love my SAA Imitation Sables but I do love a mop brush for loose and sloshy washes.

A couple of years ago, a dear client of mine passed away and her amazing family gifted some of her materials to me, most of which I already had and donated to our school’s art department, but there was a brush in there that intrigued me.

I did a bit of homework on these brushes and found them to be described as a ‘Synthetic Squirrel’ and I imagined a new breed of superhero but it was a revelation to me that a synthetic hair had been developed that gave the look and feel of a more traditional mop brush, and what’s more they really do work.

They hold huge quantities of water and colour so that impressionistic effects can be achieved and it stops me from being too careful with the marks I make on the paper, even though they also come to a beautiful point. They are sized by number in the same way as standard brushes but don’t be fooled by the grading, a size 6 is HUGE and while I own a 6, 4, 2 and 0, the 2 and the 4 are the ones I use most often.

They have been a bit of a revelation in my work, allowing me to be more expressive and while I wouldn’t say they are cheap, they are certainly nowhere near the price of their natural hair equivalent, making them reachable if you are on a budget or adding them to a gift wish list.

Do you use a mop? If you do let us know the brand and sizes that you prefer in the comments below, it’s always good to share our collective knowledge. See you next week, Ali