A waterbrush is unlike any other type of paintbrush you have ever used. It has bristles, just like a regular paintbrush, but the handle is not solid. Instead, the handle is a reservoir that is used to hold the water you will need for watercolor painting.
A watercolor brush is made in two pieces. One piece has the bristles (usually synthetic) and the other is the reservoir.
The two pieces, both made of plastic, screw together, and there is a cap that prevents the water from leaking when the brush is not in use.
There are many different brands of waterbrushes, but they all work on the same principle. They may come in various sizes and shapes, but they are all used in the same manner.
I only recently began using waterbrushes, and I love them! They are ideal to use when I am on the go and don’t want to have to carry around a bottle of water for watercolor painting.
Today we are going to talk about waterbrushes and how they are used. I think you will find this very interesting, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you decide to run right out and buy yourself a waterbrush to try.
How Does a Waterbrush Work?
I already mentioned that a waterbrush has a reservoir that holds the water you will be using for watercolor painting. As you use the brush, the water will seep out of the reservoir and onto the brush bristles.
There will not be a time when the bristles are not damp. So, you will never have to worry about dipping the brush into water. You can continue painting without having to stop for dipping.
Control the Water Flow
It is relatively easy to control the flow of water that goes to the waterbrush bristles. All you have to do is squeeze the plastic reservoir to get the water to flow.
This is likely going to feel a bit unusual at first since you don’t have to squeeze a normal paintbrush. But, it won’t be long before you are fully used to it and loving how these brushes work.
The trick is learning how to control the flow of water because depending on the brand, the water could seep out quickly or slowly. When you squeeze the reservoir, you will notice a drop of water on the bristles. The harder you squeeze, the larger the water drop will be.
Don’t worry about this water drop creating a puddle on your paper. Just make sure that you are moving the brush when you squeeze the reservoir to prevent this from happening.
To ensure that the bristles always have enough water, all you have to do is keep on pressing on the reservoir. In the beginning, you may want to keep a bottle of water nearby.
It will likely take a bit of practice to get used to how the water flows. Do not squeeze the reservoir too hard, or for too long, because you will end up with too much water on your paper.
In the beginning, you will likely have this happen, but it is an easy fix. All you have to do is use a dry brush or even a piece of cloth to soak up the excess water. As you become more experienced with using waterbrushes you will find that you can easily judge how hard and long to squeeze the reservoir.
As you get into your painting you may not notice how much water you have used until the waterbrush reservoir is empty. Then you will need to refill it.
Refilling a Waterbrush
There is one thing I would like to mention about using a waterbrush. When I got my first one, I could not for the life of me figure out how to open it to get the water into the reservoir!
After all, when you are screwing or unscrewing something, it’s always “lefty-loosie, rightie-tightie”, right? It took me several minutes to figure out that this is backward with most waterbrushes.
Once I had that figured out, using it was no problem. I also went on to Amazon and left a review explaining to others how to open their waterbrushes to add water.
Refilling a waterbrush is easy. Some people like to hold the reservoir under a running tap. My preference is to place the empty reservoir into a container of water. I squeeze the reservoir and then let it go, and it fills with water. It’s as simple as that!
How to Use a Waterbrush with Watercolor Paints
I love the fact that I don’t have to use a container filled with water to clean my watercolor brushes. With a waterbrush, the water is always there when I need it, at least until it runs out and I have to refill it.
Waterbrushes are great for plein air painting, or in other words, painting on location. All I need to take with me are a few of these brushes (I always like to have at least two or three on hand) and a set of pan watercolor paints.
Painting with a waterbrush is pretty much the same as using regular watercolor brushes. If you only want a small amount of color, you simply touch the brush against the paint.
Because the bristles are always moist, the water will activate the paint in the pan and you will have that small amount of color you need.
If you want a lot of color, squeeze the reservoir so a few drops of clean water drip onto the pan paint. The more you move the brush around, the more of the paint will dissolve into the water.
Then, all you have to do is dip the brush into the paint as normal. One thing to keep in mind is that because waterbrushes have synthetic bristles, they will not hold as much paint as a traditional brush that has natural bristles.
Waterbrushes Work for Flat and Graded Watercolor Washes
As I have mentioned, waterbrushes are used in the same manner as traditional watercolor brushes. Waterbrushes can easily be used to create flat and graded washes.
#1. Use a Waterbrush for Flat Washes
When creating a flat wash with a waterbrush, be sure to not squeeze the reservoir too much and pick up new paint regularly. Begin by picking up some of the paint and laying it on the paper.
You can now continue painting without the need to add more paint or water. You don’t even have to worry about rinsing the brush.
#2. Use a Waterbrush for Graded Washes
The water that is in the reservoir is added to the paint as you go. This will lighten the color as you paint, and you will notice that the color gets lighter as you work, creating the graded wash you are trying to achieve.
One thing to keep in mind is to not squeeze too hard on the reservoir. If you do, you will wind up with water puddling on the paper.
Use Waterbrushes to Lift Color From Water-Soluble Pencils
Here is something that I find really cool about waterbrushes. You can use them to lift color from water-soluble pencils and crayons.
All you need to do is squeeze some water onto the bristles and then press the bristles against the pencil or crayon. Move the bristles back and forth until you have the right amount of paint on the bristles.
This is something that will take a bit of practice. If you do happen to lift too much paint from the pencil, just add a bit more water as you are painting.
Cleaning Your Waterbrush
Finally, we come to cleaning the waterbrush. This is so easy to do, and you won’t need to bother with a container of water.
Wipe away any excess paint with a clean cloth. Squeeze the reservoir so the water runs out onto the bristles, and wipe the bristles with the cloth.
Repeat this process once or twice and you will be left with a clean waterbrush.
Conclusion
As I said, I haven’t been using waterbrushes for very long, but I’m already finding that they are my go-to brushes, especially if I am painting on location. These brushes are handy to have around for just this reason alone.
You can find waterbrushes on Amazon for less than $10 each. There are also sets of waterbrushes so you can have a few sizes to work with.
I definitely recommend giving waterbrushes a try. Once you get used to how they work you will likely find that you are using them all the time.
Sari Green is a semi-professional artist and professional writer. She has been hosting paint & sip parties for the past couple of years, and truly enjoys helping other people to create their very own masterpieces. She loves to create, and you never know what she’s going to come up with next!