ARTIST MATERIAL

If you are an artist, experienced or new you will want to try Curry's new Escoda brushes. If you're like me, you will be flicking, rolling and dancing colour onto your next painting. I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to new art materials and tools.

Before my recent painting trip to New Zealand, I bought four of Curry's new Escoda brushes from two of their new lines, both versatile and durable designs with seamless ferrules. Back home I tried another line from Escoda and I love them all.
I loved the size18 (#1482) round mongoose haired brush with the short grey perfectly balanced handle. I twirled it sideways in a number of colours to create trees on the far away mountain in my painting. I dabbed in moving clouds and galloping surf. It helped me loosen up and quickly became my favorite and basic brush.


It would hold lots of colour and keep its shape, even when I swathed heavy-bodied acrylics onto my canvas. Outside, I paint with energy and speed and when finished I throw my brushes into whatever water is left after drinking and back at my lodging I wash them all carefully with a little shampoo.
It was high summer in New Zealand - sometimes extremely hot, steamy, sandy, salty, windy, buggy or rainy but most of all beautiful - sometimes all in the same day. The brushes were certainly put to the test. The size 16 (#1481) grey handled filbert brush blended colour into colour.

The size10 (#3075) round red handled, a softer haired synthetic resilient brush allowed me to draw into the painting and the size10 (#3060) red handled filbert one allowed me to glaze over the under painting without disturbing any existing brush strokes. It was great when using the lighter consistency of my fluid acrylics or when I mixed in various mediums for glazing. They were both excellent for blending.
I know when I value something because I pack it in my carry on rather than checking it. There are some things you can't afford to lose.
Back in Toronto, in my studio I tried 2 new synthetic short dark green handled Escoda brushes - size 16 and a size 22 (1410).
With their perfect balance, they are wonderful for swishing on colour and yet at the same time allowing you to put in detail, as they have a fine tapered point. I'm going to have fun painting this spring.


...Artists select fine watercolor papers by finish and by weight. Manufacturers generally sell three or more finishes, usually labeled Rough, Cold Press, and Hot Press.