larger muscles vs smaller muscles
Posted by Catherine Cartwright Jones on October 08, 1999 at 16:32:09:
In Reply to: Jaquard Bottles @ Castle Art have diff size tips! posted by MyST on October 08, 1999 at 15:27:05:
Early on learning the craft of painting and illustration, a teacher
pointed out to me that if you can use large muscles to control your
brush, you'll have more evenness and delicacy than if you use small
muscles. He was especially experience in sumi painting...and I hold
my carrot bag a bit like a sumi brush...working with the larger
muscles in my wrist and arm, not my fingers. I apply just the
slightest pressure from the palm of my hand (whish also warms the
henna and may be making the color darker) and move my whole hand
from the forearm. If I've got the paste just the way I want it, the
carrot bag lets me knock out a full Chinese dragon, scales, horns,
clouds, flaming pearl and all up a leg in about 20 minutes. It's as
fast as a pencil. I've tried the bottles, and wasn't thrilled with the
results. You've seen my henna work....and I've seen what's on the
web....with the carrot bags I can get up to 22 lines per inch. I
really haven't seen line quality as delicate and flexible as the
carrot bags happen with bottles. I'll grant you, they're not for
everyone, though.
Also...when arthritis kicks up...or those tacky little tremors...a
gentle hand pressure is a whole lot easier to manage than finger
pressure!