To perform best, the head of the brush needs a good support system. This is the function of the handle and ferrule.

Traditionally, manufacturers have provided artists with two lengths and tapers of brush handles. Short-handled brushes are the choice when holding the brush close to the tip as you would manipulate a writing nstrument. Watercolor, tole and decorative, and craft and hobby brushes all have short handles, as paint is generally applied while working on a table or on a slightly slantedtable, such as a drawing board. Long-handled brushes are usually reserved for easel work, so the artist may distance himself from his work.

Traditionally, manufacturers have provided artists with two lengths and tapers of brush handles. Short-handled brushes are the choice when holding the brush close to the tip as you would manipulate a writing instrument. Watercolor, tole and decorative, and craft and hobby brushes all have short handles, as paint is generally applied while working on a table or on a slightly slanted table, such as a drawing board. Long-handled brushes are usually reserved for easel work, so the artist may distance himself from his work.

The ferrule of a brush is a metal tube designed for the basic shape and size of the brush. It is the connecting unit between the brush head which is glued in one end, and the handle which is crimped andlor glued in the other.

Metal ferrules are either copper, brass or aluminum. Brass, an alloy metal, is the strongest of the three. Though sometimes left plain or with a clear or gold colored coating, copper and brass ferrules are usually nickel-plated for appearance and corrosion resistance.

Aluminum ferrules are much weaker but cheaper to produce and appear on lesser quality brushes.

Quality brushes will feature a seamless ferrule, regardless of the metal type. Ferrules with seams tend to pull apart and allow paint, solvents, and water to accumulate, thereby causing loosening or damage to the handle.

In some brushes, a flexible natural or plastic quill is used in place of a metal ferrule. Quills from bird feathers were used in the first brushes ever made and their use today quite often is only in the interest of tradition and appearance. In china painting, however, a quill is sometimes necessary as contact with metal on particular types of china can cause black marks to appear after the piece is fired.

SIZES OF BRUSHES

Copyright 1990 Loew-Cornell, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3rd Edition 1998