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Common Brushes
Most decorative painters have a variety of brush shapes in their painting supplies. But not everyone knows the name of each shape or what it was designed to do. Refer to these descriptions to identify brushes.

- Flats: They're ideal for blending, floating, and blocking in large areas of colors. You'll recognize flat brushes by their squared-off bristles. (See top photo.)
- Angular Flat: Because its bristles are trimmed at an angle, you'll find this special flat brush excellent for getting into tight corners. (See top photo.)

- Rounds: These full-bristled brushes work great for filling in small areas and for applying stroke work. With a little bit of practice, you can vary the pressure on the brush bristles to create both thick and thin strokes.

- Liners: For a fine, sharp point or for continuous lines of even thickness, you'll find the liner brush fills the bill.
- Spotter: This is a condensed version of the liner brush, with fewer and shorter bristles. Try it for the tiny details.
- Script Liners: The opposite of a spotter, this liner has extremely long bristles. It holds a lot of thinned paint for line work and script writing, but requires practice for accurate use.

Specialty Brushes

Some crafters consider these brushes a luxury, but once you've tried them, you won't be without them.

- Filbert: The softly rounded bristles of this brush resemble the petals of a daisy. With little effort and only one stroke, you can form perfect flower petals or feathers.
- Deerfoot Stippler: Here's a full-bristled brush cut at an angle and designed for pouncing on fur, trees, and foliage.
- One-Stroke: With a little practice, you'll depend on this long-bristled flat brush for applying lettering.

- Fan: Appropriately named, the fan brush works great for dry-brushing grass and foliage or for blending edges.
- Rake: The bristles of a rake (also called a comb) brush "finger" or split when loaded with paint. You'll find it the perfect tool for creating realistic fur, hair, beards, mustaches, etc.
- Mop: Similar in appearance to a cosmetic brush, this tool aids in blending and softening your shading and antiquing.
- Scruffy: Just when you thought a brush had outlived its usefulness -- it becomes an invaluable tool for stippling foliage, beards, and fur.

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