— How Do You Choose Brushes Based on Their Use and Materials?

The type of brushes you use depends on the paint and the purpose of your work.
At PIGMENT TOKYO, we mainly offer round, filbert and flat hake brushes suitable for water-based paints (Japanese painting, sumi ink painting, watercolor and acrylic), oil-based paints and Urauchi backing. For more details, please click the links below.

— What Materials Are Used for the Brush Bristles?

Brush bristles are mainly made from natural animal hair or synthetic nylon hair.

Natural Hair

Natural animal hair brushes are known for their excellent absorbability to hold ink, paint and water. Depending on the type of animal and the part of the hair used, each material has different characteristics in softness, firmness and resilience.

The most commonly used materials for paint brushes include weasel hair, which offers flexibility, moderate resilience and sharp tips, as well as goat hair, which is known for its soft and highly absorbent bristles.

Nylon

Nylon brushes are highly durable, making them suitable for a wide range of paints, including watercolor, acrylic and oil paints. They also deliver water easily and are simple to clean, allowing paint to be washed out with ease. Compared to natural hair brushes, nylon brushes are generally easier to maintain.

Moreover, because they are made from synthetic fibers, their production and pricing tend to be relatively stable, making them widely available and easy to obtain.

Nylon Brushes available at PIGMENT TOKYO (as of December 2025)

—  For Japanese Painting, Ink Painting and Watercolor, Which Brushes Should I Choose?

The paints used for Japanese painting, ink painting and watercolor such as mineral pigments, sumi ink and watercolor paints, can be washed away with water or lukewarm water, so almost any brush can be used. Brushes with good paint-holding capacity are very effective for drawing long, smooth lines or covering large areas without leaving brush marks. Below, we explain the different types of brushes according to their uses, so please use this as a reference if you are just starting out.

How to Choose Your First Brush

For those working on relatively small pieces, we recommend starting with the following three types of brushes. This combination allows you to handle everything from fine lines to large areas efficiently and maintain a balanced workflow.

The Three Basic Brushes (for small paintings):

・Menso-fude (Detail Round Brushes): For line work and fine details

・Medium size Saishiki-fude (Round Brushes): For coloring small details to moderately large areas

・Large size Saishiki-fude (Round Brushes) or Flat Brushes: For covering large areas

Brushes and Hake by Painting Styles (for Japanese Painting, Ink Painting and Watercolor)

The characteristics of a brush vary depending on the type of hair used.

Painting with Mineral Pigments

When painting coarse mineral pigments evenly on a surface, brushes made with soft goat hair are particularly easy to use and highly recommended.

Brushes that contain resilient weasel hair, on the other hand, offer greater control at the tips, making them ideal for detailed work.

Expressing Tones, Accents and Textures

For creating contrast between light and dark tones, as well as delicate lines and bold strokes with sumi ink or paint, brushes with long bristles and excellent paint-holding capacity are essential.

Umpitsu (Round Brushes) are ideal for achieving these expressive effects.

On the other hand, for creating blurred textures, brushes with short bristles or a firm texture that hold less paint or water are recommended. These include brushes made from bamboo, deer hair, horse hair or hog bristles.

Furthermore, using very soft bird feathers can create unique lines and subtle, blurred textures.

Blending Technique

Soft-haired brushes are ideal for creating smooth gradations and subtle blending without leaving brush marks.

Watercolor Expressions

Brushes made from squirrel hair, which have excellent paint-holding capacity, as well as soft nylon brushes designed to mimic squirrel hair, are well suited for creating bleeding and blurred effects.

— Which Brushes Are Suitable for Acrylic Paints?

As with Japanese painting and watercolor, it is convenient to have two to three brushes of different sizes to paint small details and large areas. Since acrylic paints become water-resistant once dry, it is recommended to use brushes with ferrules that securely hold the bristles, or nylon brushes that are more durable than natural hair. These options reduce the risk of losing hair and allow the brushes to last longer.

If you use natural hair brushes, be sure to wash out the paint thoroughly with water immediately after use.

— Recommendations for Oil Painting

Oil paint is highly viscous and hardens once it dries, so it is generally recommended to use brushes with ferrules that securely hold the bristles. In oil painting, where canvases are often positioned upright, brushes with long handles are also commonly used to allow easier adjustment of the distance between your hand and the canvas.

A stiff, resilient hog bristle is ideal for expressive brushwork and building up paint to create texture, while a smooth, flexible Kolinsky hair is better suited for fine details and blending.

Oil paint brushes can generally be categorized into three main shapes according to their use. Please also refer to the chart below: Brush Shapes According to Use (Oil Painting).

Brush Shapes According to Use (Oil Painting)

— Brushes Used for Different Purposes Other Than Painting and Mounting

There are also other specialized brushes for different techniques.

For example, a Surikomi or Sashi brush is used for Yuzen dyeing, a traditional Japanese dyeing technique. 

Other than that, we also offer a Kin Makie (Gold Lacquer) brush suitable for urushi lacquer work, as well as  Finger Brushes that can be worn on the fingers for direct application.

PIGMENT TOKYO

PIGMENT ARTICLES delivers a wide variety of information about art. You’ll find instructions on traditional painting techniques, art materials, and the latest updates on products, workshops, and events.
We invite you to explore our articles for creative inspiration and to deepen your knowledge.

PIGMENT ARTICLES delivers a wide variety of information about art. You’ll find instructions on traditional painting techniques, art materials, and the latest updates on products, workshops, and events.
We invite you to explore our articles for creative inspiration and to deepen your knowledge.