Throughout the month of May we asked three artists to test the mark making abilities, strength and spring of Jackson’s Synthetic Brushes. Made by some of the world’s leading brushmakers, they are chosen by our in house team of experienced painters and include brushes to use with oil, acrylic and watercolour. Here Julie Moss, Alyona’s Watercolour Creations and James Decent share their thoughts and experimentations with the brushes.
Above image: Small oil sketch of a greenhouse by Julie Moss using Jackson’s Akoya Synthetic Brushes
Julie Moss
I am quite fussy about my paint brushes, particularly for the finer details (although I do use household paint brushes for laying down grounds) so I was pleased to try Jackson’s Akoya synthetic brushes. I have been working on a series of sketches and ideas about climate change using the greenhouse as a metaphor for our need to preserve and protect our planet.
Initially I worked in inks and watercolours on paper using Jackson’s Akoya brush set that mimic natural hair.
I found they had just the right amount of softness and flexibility as my softer hog’s hair brushes that I usually use for water based paints and inks.
Then I moved to oils to complete a couple of small oil sketches of the greenhouse. I particularly liked the flat brushes to create defined edges and the larger pointed end brush.
The Jackson’s Marseille Soap non toxic brush cleaner worked really well, just remember it swells up when water is added so don’t overdo it like I did.
All in all I am very pleased with these brushes, they offer great value for money and would definitely buy them, although I would need to use much larger sizes for my big canvases.
About Julie Moss
Julie Moss’s work hints to a wider narrative, the subjects reflective of much larger social issues. The resulting paintings are a mix of a factual record of a moment in time and an emotional response to being in a particular place. It is in the shift between what is remembered and imagined that the works take shape, a dichotomy of fragility and preservation.
The immediacy and tactility, particularly of oil paints dictates her choice of materials, a factor that is clear throughout her subtle and poetic work. A long and deeply held interest in plants and flowers and love of colour informs her artistic practice, she strives for an ideal: to make her artwork a bridge to communicate deeply with her audience.
Julie Moss lives and works in Cornwall and studied Fine Art at Falmouth University, Previously She grew up in Lancashire and attended Bolton school of Art in 1973 -76, after training to become a florist and working as a textile designer she moved to Cornwall to raise her family.
She is a member of the Newlyn Society of Artists and has been a finalist in the John Ruskin Prize and exhibited in the 2019 Venice Biennale, RA summer /winter exhibition 2020. Her work is held in private collections including the Gallery of Modern Art in Malaysia.
Alyona from Alyona’s Watercolour Creations
About Alyona
Working in London in the largest fashion magazine publications with fashion and beauty departments allowed Alyona to fill the creative void she always had but, as it happened, motherhood changed everything. After moving to the countryside four years ago, she quickly realised that she was craving that creativity immensely. When her baby was down for day naps she would rush to her little studio and tried a bit of everything within the arts and crafts. She discovered that watercolour was where I felt most creative joy and excitement, and this is when she decided to start her YouTube channel and share her self-taught artistic journey.
Alyona’s Watercolour Creations YouTube Channel
James Decent
After some heavy duty gouache painting, Jackson’s Studio Synthetic brushes have kept their shape exceptionally well.
They hold water without dripping which has allowed for great control and a level of precision I’ve not experienced in most brushes. Highly recommended.
About James Decent
James Decent is an impressionist contemporary artist and architect based in south west London. His paintings capture ‘the moment’ of scenes and landscapes, expressing the energy of shifting colours and light. His work embodies a timeless quality in traditional oil and gouache paint while reflecting the vibrancy of contemporary life in everyday scenes.
https://www.jamesdecent.co.uk/
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thank you, makes great reading,live, and
learn
Thank you for your comment Terry, glad you find it useful.
All the best,
Christine