{"id":1501896,"date":"2022-08-08T17:05:12","date_gmt":"2022-08-08T16:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=1501896"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:56:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T14:56:15","slug":"willow-wolfe-callia-brushes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2022\/08\/08\/willow-wolfe-callia-brushes\/","title":{"rendered":"Testing the Willow Wolfe Callia Brushes for Mixed Media"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Callia range of mixed media brushes by Willow Wolfe are designed with adaptability in mind: to be used for watercolour, acrylic, and oil paints. Instead of having a different brush range for each medium, Willow Wolfe handily combines them all into one. This makes them very versatile and adds to their value, particularly for mixed media artists or those who enjoy switching from one medium to another. They are also ideal for artists who are just beginning their creative journey, and are experimenting with a variety of styles and mediums. I am primarily a watercolorist, but I also dabble in acrylics and water-mixable oils when the mood takes me. So, I was looking forward to putting these brushes to the test.<\/p>\n

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What Makes Willow Wolfe Callia Brushes Special?<\/h2>\n

Made by a Canadian company called Willow Wolfe<\/a>, the Callia Brushes<\/a> are fully synthetic. One of the company\u2019s main objectives was to create high quality, affordable brush lines containing no animal hair or products. Their innovative synthetic blends with modified filaments are designed to hold and distribute pigment with an even and consistent flow, as well as enhancing performance and durability. They are also designed to be more affordable than traditional animal hair watercolour brushes. This makes the Callia range very relevant in today\u2019s art market, where there is considerable interest and a growing demand for affordable vegan art materials.<\/p>\n

A lot of attention to detail has gone into the design of these brushes. Using solid brass ferrules which are securely crimped to glossy black handles, Willow Wolfe produces durable-looking and stylish brushes which come in an intriguing range of shapes and sizes. According to their website, they also apply a six-step process to their creations, which involves various coats of filler, primer and paint to protect the brush handles from cracking, usually caused by the wood core swelling when it comes into contact with water. I\u2019m sure we\u2019ve all had a favourite brush that has served us well for years before suddenly the handle begins to crack, and the finish flakes away\u2026 and all at once, the brush becomes almost unusable! So, reading about the careful manufacturing process that these brushes go through is a huge plus point.<\/p>\n

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Specifications of Willow Wolfe Callia Brushes<\/h2>\n

I decided to try out the Willow Wolfe versions of a few familiar brushes: <\/p>\n