Detail Brushes

When you want to paint fine lines or work on smaller areas, it's time to bring out these detail brushes. These are the kind of brushes that you find in art stores. Depending on what you're doing, you may head for the watercolor brushes (soft, very supple) or for brushes meant for oils and acrylics (usually made of sterner stuff).

If you can, pick up a good basic set. Both the bristles and the shape of the brush can make a big difference between good results and pounding your head against the wall trying to get something to come out right. From our experience, it helps to have the following:

• At least one flat brush (for covering wide areas)
• Several angled "edge" or "shading" brushes (for thin lines and getting into corners)
• Several round brushes (general purpose), including one itty-bitty brush for touchups
• At least one stencil brush (for, surprise, stenciling lettering, etc.)