Tools of the Trade: Expressive Brush Strokes

Several weeks ago I wrote a post about one of the tools of the trade -- the pallet knife.
Today I want to introduce you to two more tools, ones that I myself only recently discovered the brilliance of...

1. The soft bristle brush.

All brushes are not created equal, just like all products. The qualities vary, the sizes vary, the shape of the bristles vary and the rigidity of the bristle vary (just a few of the many facets of what makes a great brush).
I'm hear to talk about the bristles today.
The bristles of the brush can be synthetic  or natural. They can by "fine" or "course". They can be rigid or soft and supple.

I tend to be all over the map with the types of brushes I use. However, I recently purchase this wonderful tool:

A very soft natural bristle brush. It's about one inch wide and filbert shaped. Makes beautiful, poetic strokes as well as rugged and abrupt. I'm loving it.

If you paint, you must uses a variety of brushes. Using the same brush, your canvas and strokes start getting monotonous. Anyway, on to tool number 2.

2. Music. Namely classical flamenco guitar.

 I was not prepared for how much it would effect my painting. I'm telling you folks, it was fun. And I didn't even realize what was happening. My tree tops were having a fiesta. Take a look:

Tool #1 (soft bristle brush) is especially useful when combined with tool #2 (flamenco music).

I can't show you the final outcome of the painting on the internet until after the "Pathways" opening. You'll either have to (a) come see the painting in real life (info here) or (b) wait till after May 3. Hope you pick option (a)!

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