When you’re itching to paint outdoors with watercolors,
but don’t want to juggle cups of water around,
the best solution is a water brush.
In this video, we’ll show you our favorite water brushes as well as how to use them.
Let’s jump right in!
A water brush is a type of brush pen that has an empty barrel you can fill with water,
and a cap to protect its bristles.
It eliminates the need for a separate source of water,
which is extremely handy while painting outside.
Water brushes are not perfect substitutes for regular brushes.
They feature nylon bristles and come in fewer brush shapes.
However, their affordability and convenience makes them a worthy tool
for any artist or hobbyist who paints on the go.
Our favorite water brush is the Pentel Vistage, formerly known as the Aquash Water Brush.
It has resilient bristles that hold their points well
and are more springy than most water brushes we’ve tried.
Pentel offers several tip sizes, but we recommend medium if you only want one brush.
It’s large enough to fill in areas of color,
but still capable of creating fine details.
Besides the standard length, you can also get the medium tip with a Compact or Slim barrel.
For more recommendations, click the card above to read our guide on the Best Water Brushes.
Now let’s talk about how to use water brushes.
First, fill the barrel.
Depending on your water brush, it can be as easy as unscrewing the barrel
and pouring water in through the opening.
If you have a squeeze water brush, you can remove the cap on the barrel,
or just put it into a cup and squeeze to draw water in.
If you have a piston water brush, unscrew the tip of the pen,
dip the barrel in water, and pull back on the piston.
Next, wet the tip by squeezing the barrel to saturate the bristles with water.
If you have a rigid water brush, it may have buttons that you press to add water to the bristles.
Now you can start painting!
Let’s take a look at what supplies you can use with water brushes.
Water brushes pair perfectly with small watercolor sets.
Just a couple of water drops will quickly activate dry pans.
Watch our Watercolor Techniques video in the card above
to learn more about how to paint with watercolors.
Watercolor pencils are another travel-friendly tool.
Use the pencils to draw, then spread and blend the colors with a water brush.
You can also lift color directly from the pencil tips and paint that way.
Read our guide in the card above to see more techniques.
Another portable solution, water-soluble brush pens contain vivid dyes that work like watercolor paints.
Lay the color down directly on your surface,
then use the water brush to blend it out.
You can also deposit color onto a mixing palette or lift it directly from the brush tip.
Many fountain pen inks are water soluble.
Try drawing with them and then using a water brush to create ink washes.
Read our dedicated guide to see our favorite inks and tips on how to use them.
We also tested various media that can potentially clog water brush bristles.
You can see the results in the column on the right-most side.
Use these types of media cautiously and only in a water brush you don’t mind ruining.
To keep your water brush in tip top shape, we recommend cleaning it regularly.
Don’t worry if you can’t get every trace of color out of the bristles, as they’re prone to staining.
This will not affect the paint color.
For a basic cleaning, simply squeeze water through the bristles
and dab the tip on a paper towel until the water comes out clean.
You should store your brush empty if you will not be using it for a while.
This prevents algae and mold from growing in the barrel and grip section.
If your brush is clogged, water isn’t flowing well, or you used an ink that might have clog your brush,
you can disassemble it for a more in-depth cleaning.
This method works for most water brushes.
1
Unscrew the grip section,
grab the bristles at the base of the tip,
and push them in until they pop out.
This might take some force.
Remove the plug at the base of the bristles.
3.
For an especially thorough clean, remove the white stopper from the plug.
You can remove it by pushing a paper clip through the hole on the side of the plug that sticks out.
Be very careful not to lose it!
4.
Remove the bristles from their tube.
Do not remove the sponge as it's pretty easy to tear.
You can still rinse it without removing it though.
5.
Rinse all of the parts thoroughly.
If you find algae or mold,
wash the parts with dishwashing soap,
a mild bleach solution,
or a vinegar solution.
But not all three!
Use a cotton swab to scrub residue from the barrel.
6.
Reinsert the bristles while they are still damp.
Gently smooth the bristles into a point and carefully insert them into their tube.
7.
After all of the other parts are dry, reassemble the water brush.
When you reinsert the white stopper into the plug,
only push the stopper in until it's flush with the top of the plug.
Don't push it in too far or it may block the flow of water.
Insert the plug into the top of the bristles’ tube.
The white stopper should face down towards the bristles,
and the part that sticks out should face up towards the barrel.
And that’s it!
You have a clean water brush again.
Have you tried a water brush before?
Let us know any of your tips and tricks in the comments below.
You can shop all of the items mentioned and more at JetPens.com.