I always liked to paint, but I was not very happy with my brushes. I tried different types of brushes, from natural to synthetic, from round to flat, from fine to coarse. But none of them could create the lines I wanted. They were either too stiff or too soft, too thick or too thin, too smooth or too rough, all of which gave me a clearly defined cough that brought nothing new. I felt frustrated and limited by the tools I had.

One day, by mistake and out of laziness, I left some brushes in the bowl of water in which I usually wash them. After a rather long period of time, I remembered that I need a certain brush, more precisely the one that was left behind in that bowl resting on the top. For the moment the discovery was absolutely unpleasant, it was the only brush with which I managed to “understand” myself and to paint very close to what I wanted. In my anger, I took a sheet of paper and that feather which now had bent hair, I dipped it in black and started playing, the surprise was of great proportions, that defect helped enormously. That’s how I realized what kind of penson I need.

So I decided to make my own penson. I looked online for some tutorials and tips on how to make a brush

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paintbrush

https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/article/family-how-to-make-your-own-paintbrush-send-access

I learned that I could use any material that would hold paint for the tip of a brush, such as hair, plant fibers, foam, cardboard, or yarn. I also learned that I can use any stick or rod for the handle, such as bamboo, dowel or straw. And I learned that I could use glue and string to attach the tip of the brush to the handle.

I gathered some materials, long threads from older paint brushes, broken brushes from which I used the wooden part, sticks, thin wire, thin synthetic thread, transparent tubes, and superglue.
I can’t say that it came out from the first one, I was very disappointed with the first brush but by the fourth it was already almost perfect, so I’m still working on it, but it’s a very good brush that I use successfully.

I tested my brushes with Indian ink, Chinese ink, and thinned acrylic on paper. I was amazed at the variety of signs they could make. Depending on how I held the penson and the amount of paint retained, I created a great diversity of lines and marks, some fine, uniform delicacies, others irregular, bold and expressive. Then I felt free and inspired by the possibilities offered by this experiment.

I started using brash made for my paintings. I discovered new ways to express myself through line, form and movement. This helps me to develop and deepen my own style. I realized that making my own brushes was not only a fun and creative activity, but also a way to find my own identity and vision.

The photo below is not a generic one taken from the internet, it is made by me and it is the brushes I work with, arranged in the order in which they were made, the one in the foreground is the last.