Correct Tools Make All the Difference

A few posts back I talked about a "learning curve" with my new Winsor Newton Artisan paints. They are great, oil based paints that can be mixed/thinned/cleaned with water instead of turp or chemical solvents. They are creamy and great to paint with but I was having major problems getting them to do what I wanted to do. Well, problem solved - I was using the wrong brushes. What a nut I was, I didn't know that using bristle brushes with water would wreck the brushes. Ok, I feel pretty dumb now but what are you 'gonna do?

When I saw the awful mess my brush had become the light blub finally went on and after some research I found out that Winsor Newton makes some "Artisan" brushes that go with the paint so I bought some and problem solved. Isn't it amazing what a difference using the correct tools can make. :o) I heard the voice of my favorite college art professor lecturing on the importance of using the best paint, brushes and ground that we could get. Which brought to mind my frustration with my watercolors (at the time) and my decision to splurge and buy some Series 7 Winsor Newton brushes and how my whole world opened up with those brushes. Why I didn't remember it until after I'd wrecked two perfectly good bristle brushes I don't know, but that's life.