Caroline Linscott

A MEDIUM ROUND will hold a lot of paint, which makes it a good all-around brush.

A SMALL ROUND with a pointed tip is used for fine details.

A BRIGHT is rectangular, with short, stiff bristles—the chisel edge and sharp corners can be used to paint details and straight lines.

A ONE-INCH FLAT is perfect for applying washes, backgrounds, and gradations.

A FAN is great for adding textures, painting grasses, or creating feathered edges

ANALYZING THE COLOR Sometimes I do a tight rendering with light shading to study the subject in terms of light and dark areas. This helps me decide how much of which colors to apply to each area