Studio Essentials : Chinese Brush Gift Set : 5 Mixed Hair Brushes : Wooden Box

A set of five brushes for Chinese brush painting. In a 32x12cm coated wooden presentation box with a nice clasp, inside a fabric covered outer gift box.

The brushes are from 25 to 27 cm long overall and have a cord attached at the ends for hanging from a brush rack. All the brushes come with a protective cover for the bristles that can be used again. These brushes are very absorbent, they hold a lot of ink.

Chinese Brush Painting is the art of using simple and effortless brush strokes to depict the essence of a figure or scene, an ancient art that continues to fascinate contemporary artists. A distinguishing feature of Chinese Brush Painting is that each brush stroke is a defining move that is not changed or corrected. The vivid and varied calligraphic style of Chinese brush or pen work comes from the combination of three things: a soft absorbent brush soaked in strong Chinese or Indian ink and the permeability of Chinese paper. The Chinese do not differentiate between brushes that are used for calligraphy and those used for painting.

Chinese brushes are heavily starched to protect them until they are purchased. Before use, the starch should be removed by soaking for a few minutes in room-temperature water and then washing the brush until the working length of the brush is fully loosened.

The set contains:

1. A large soft pure goat hair brush (the white one). 10mm hair diameter at the ferrule, 43mm hair length. Goat brushes are popular in China. Goat hair is long, at least 2 inches in length. It is very absorbent and can be shaped into a fine point when wet. Goat hair has a natural inclination to stay together when wet and will, therefore, make it possible to maintain excellent control (after some practice). Few types of hair will hold up well or make good control possible when the direction of a brush stroke is changed 180 degrees without stopping, or without lifting the tip of the brush off the working surface. Goat hair is very elastic and is one of the few hairs that will survive this type of treatment. They can be difficult for beginners to control but soft brushes used skillfully will deliver very interesting and unpredictable lines.

2. A medium-sized brush of weasel hair (the brown one). 7mm hair diameter at the ferrule, 37mm hair length. Weasel hair is at the opposite end of the hardness spectrum in the Chinese brush scale from a goat hair brush. Called a 'hard' brush it is still absorbent and relatively soft but the hairs are stiffer and yet very flexible. Even if fully loaded with ink the brush’s tip will move fast and with accuracy.

3. A medium/large-sized black rabbit hair brush. 8mm hair diameter at the ferrule. 45mm hair length. Called a 'hard' brush it is still absorbent and relatively soft but the hairs are stiffer. More absorbent than weasel hair.

4. & 5. A medium-sized (7mm hair diameter at the ferrule. 37mm hair length) and a small brush (6mm hair diameter at the ferrule. 20mm hair length) of mixed hairs: black rabbit hair in the centre and tip and goat hair on the outside. Medium soft. The small brush is useful for small calligraphic script.

Note: sizes are approximate and may vary slightly as brushes are handmade.