Description

The Zen paint brush by Pro Hart Swagger

Supple and Resilient Equals Performance

Sumi-e paintbrush; let this BIG stunning brush work for you. Beautifully weighted and packed full of hair, this brush will soak up water and ink with its extra-long thick bristles.

You will be amazed by the painting performance of the Zen Chinese traditional calligraphy brush. It holds an outstanding amount of water or ink in its belly whilst maintaining a point. 

Use a firm hand pressure to create thick, broad strokes or adjust the pressure to portray sweeping brushwork.

Why use the Zen paint brush for watercolour?

Some of the best paint brushes for watercolour are made with natural hair. Natural hair is porous, which allows the bristles to hold a vast amount of liquid.

The size of the Zen paint brush lends itself well to loose giant mop-slushy brush strokes and will give you the ability to have excellent covering power. 

This brush is all about holding lots of fluid. Therefore, it has a limited amount of spring or snap. The Zen paint brush is for a looser painting style. 

More controlled, thinner strokes can be made when just the point of the paintbrush is used.

It is all about the hand pressure

You can quickly achieve washes and a range of mark-making strokes by changing the simple movement of your wrist and hand pressure. The Zen brush won’t spring back to shape after it is used. It will simply hold in the direction of when you last dragged it across your working surface.

What isn’t to love about a round paintbrush

Round brushes are the most versatile and widely used paintbrushes for watercolour painting. Their shape makes them ideal for a whole range of brush strokes. They are perfect for wide strokes and are great for washes. The Zen brush will easily cover large surface areas such as canvas and a full sheet of watercolour paper. 

The long handle of the Zen paint brush allows you to stand back and look at your artwork from a distance while painting. The heaviness of the brush handle is carefully weighted to enable you to achieve long, graceful sweeps or fast background washes with ease. This brush can truly inspire both traditional and abstract painters and calligraphers.

Load your paintbrush with water and use it with your favourite watercolour paint. And if watercolour is not your go-to medium, grab a bottle of ink.

Get your Zen on

It is the perfect brush for modern-day mark-making.

“I frequently use this paintbrush in my studio. I am a mark-maker and use Sumi-e ink with it. The Pro Hart Swagger large Zen paint brushes are permanently in my brush collection.” Australian abstract artist Nicki Comelli 

The floppy hair of these brushes allows her to create a range of brush strokes and shapes over the top of predominately acrylic paint. They help to add an element of controlled randomness to her painting style. 

Use the Zen paint brush to create skies and horizons in traditional landscapes. Or use it to make a light wash or transparent glaze behind a portrait. This brush has unlimited uses and can accommodate many painting genres.

Hot tip

Did you know that potters favour this paintbrush to apply glazes with no brush retention marks?

The art of the Sumi-e paintbrush

Traditionally, these paintbrushes have been used in Chinese calligraphy and Chinese brush painting known as Sumi-e. The Zen paint brush is excellent for creating fluid, mindful brushwork on rice paper.

What other brushes can I use with my Zen paint brush?

If you are painting with watercolours or inks, use the Zen paint brush combined with hake paintbrushes or any synthetic style of paintbrushes: angle, filbert or round to create a range of brush strokes to your painting repertoire.

How to maintain your Zen Sumi-e paintbrush

There is no need to tackle rust, as there will be none. The ferrule, generally the copper or silver part of your paintbrush, between the bristles and the handle doesn’t exist. 

This doesn’t mean you can leave your paintbrush in water. If you do, the fibres holding the hair in the paintbrush will disintegrate. Never leave your brush in a glass jar, as the bristles will bend and won’t retain their shape. 

Clean your paintbrushes before you store them away. To maintain the unique shape of the brush head, you are best to leave your brush flat on some paper towel or an absorbent cloth to draw out any excess liquid. 

When properly cared for, the Zen paint brush will maintain its shape and texture for many years.

Why does my brush look bushy?

The hairs on these unique brushes are hand-cut and shaped.

When dry, these brushes can look bushy and out of shape. This is completely normal. Once you re-wet it, you will notice that the hair will return to its pointed, original shape, as the bristles have an incredible holding capacity that can mould into various forms.

The Zen paint brush is a true head-turner for fast, loose, and large-scale painting. You will love it.

VIPurpose Pro Hart Swagger Zen Sumi-e paintbrush rewards

With competitive prices and dedication towards customer satisfaction, we at Art Materials Australia pride ourselves on providing you with the best Pro Hart Swagger Zen Sumi-e paintbrush rewards. Sign up for our VIPurpose points program today and get even better discounts through our store and online purchases on all the art materials you need.  

Contact us

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact an Art Materials Australia creative member.

Text: 0411248217

E: info@artmaterialsaustralia.com.au

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