Capital City Carvers

Carving Shows in Florida

January 11-12 Punta Gorda, FL: Southwest Florida Wood Art Expo and Competition flwoodartexpo.com

January 13 Port Orange, FL: Carving Show hosted by Friends Carving Club. Contact Connie Teeters 386-624-2334; connieteeters49@gmail.com

January 19 Port Charlotte, FL: exhibition for the Cultural Center Woodcarvers and Woodburners. Contact Bev Bacon at 941-764-6452 ; Ken Hill 802-497-4908

February 9 Sebring, FL: Highlands Woodcarvers annual show, sale and competition. Contact Eric Maron 863-273-6136, efmaron@centurvlink.net

PAINT BRUSHES AND THEIR CARE

When selecting the best brush (hair and shapes to be used) for a project, you will want to consider:
The properties of your paint/media
The properties of your surface
Your technique and style, and the desired final effect

There are three basic kinds of brushes available; Natural soft hair, Natural Bristle and Synthetic hair/bristle.

Natural Soft Hair brushes are used with watercolor and oil-based products. Natural hair is more absorbent than synthetic hair. Kolensky brushes are made of the finest red sable. They have fine points and have superb strength and absorbency. Red Sable is made of hair from the weasel family. It is well suited to smooth strokes and blending in oils and watercolors. Ox is strong, silky hair but lacks the fine tip of sable. Squirrel is highly absorbent and finely pointed. Camel is an all-encompassing term for brushes made from a variety of hairs, none of which are camel.

Natural Bristle is a coarse, strong hair that is well suited to work with heavier mediums like oils, acrylics and tempera. White bristle comes in many grades. Black bristle is a stiffer, economically-priced hair.

Synthetic Hair is suitable for all media, easy to clean and ideal for use with acrylics. Fibers are manufactured in various thicknesses, each tapering to a fine point. Taklon is softer and more absorbent with varying performance and durability. The best synthetic brushes combine filaments of 3 or more thicknesses.

Knowing the painting job you wish to do will help determine the shape that will work best. For carvers' use, the common shapes are round, filbert (cat's tongue), stencil and mop. It's good to have a selection.

To keep your brushes in top working condition:
When loading, using, or cleaning, work hairs in their natural direction.
Do not leave a brush soaking in liquid for long periods, especially resting on its bristles.
Never allow paint to dry on your brush or work its way into the ferrule.
Clean your brushes thoroughly and promptly with a cleaning solution suited to the media used.
Store brushes lying flat or with heads upright so there is no pressure on the hair.