Five Basic Brushes for Chinese Brush Painting and Calligraphy

Discover the essential tools for Chinese brush painting and calligraphy with our set of Five Basic Brushes. This carefully curated collection includes a variety of brushes, each designed for specific techniques and styles in Chinese painting or Sumi-e. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, these brushes offer versatility and precision for your artistic needs.

1. Refined Soft Goat Hair Brush
   Crafted from 100% goat or sheep hair, this brush features excellent loading capability and a naturally pointed tip. With a bristle length of 1-1/2" and a diameter of 3/8", this brush is perfect for painting spontaneous strokes such as flower petals and leaves. The bamboo handle adds a traditional touch, bringing the total brush length to 11".

2. Wolf Hair Stiff Brush
   Known for its stiffness and precision, the wolf hair brush has a bristle length of 1-1/4" and a diameter of 5/16", with a total length of 10". This brush is ideal for calligraphic strokes, commonly used for bamboo and orchid painting. It is one of the three fundamental brushes in Chinese painting.

3. Small Weasel Hair Stiff Brush
   Also known as the "Ye Jing" or "Leaf Vein" brush, this small liner has a bristle length of 3/4" and a diameter of 1/8", with a total length of 8". It excels in defining leaf veins and other intricate details. It's also referred to as the "Happy Dot" brush, making it suitable for signing paintings, drawing landscapes, flower stems, and veins, as well as for calligraphy.

4. Rat Whisker Landscape Brush
   This stiff brush, made from weasel hair, features a size of 1" (2.5cm) in length and 5/16" (0.8cm) in diameter, with a handle length of 9-1/8" (23.5cm). Known for its sharp-pointed tip and spring back, it is perfect for calligraphic strokes and fine lines. Inspired by the legendary rat whisker brush favored by fourth-century calligrapher Wang Xizhi, this brush is specially crafted by Master Xu and included in this value pack for its historical significance.

5. Goat or Sheep Hair Super Wash Brush
   This soft calligraphy brush, made from goat or sheep hair with a synthetic core, has a long bristle length of 2" and a diameter of 7/8". The ox-horn ferrule and bamboo handle add durability and elegance. It offers a wide range for multiple color loading, making it an excellent choice for washing flower petals or creating landscape backgrounds. The handle length is 9-1/2" (24cm).

Elevate your artistic creations with this comprehensive set of brushes, each designed to bring out the best in your Chinese brush painting and calligraphy.