@judith What's the context of your question? Is it because you're trying to solve a problem?
I have never heard of them before in context of painting. This is the closest I can find from my favourite brushmaker Rosemary & Co - but i think it's slightly different:
"Having listened to renowned watercolourist, Sandra Strohschein we have
created a beautiful extended point brush. This acts as a rigger but with
a reservoir 'belly' to enable the retention of a good volume of liquid
thus allowing painting for a long time without the need to 're-load' the
brush. The body of the brush is made from a squirrel/synthetic sable
blend, while the needle point is synthetic."
The problem with most very fine brushes is that they don't hold sufficient paint, and you have to keep taking your eyes off the work to recharge the brush - then you lose your spot!
These are clearly designed for watercolour - and the synthetic needle-point will hold its form longer. I suspect not as good for oils unless you are thinning paint out as Michael James Smith sometimes does for very fine details. Interested to know if anyone has tried themwith oils.
Teeny tiny brush with a few bristles, the kind Mark Carder recommends not using, I believe.
This video, “Is It worthwhile for art students to copy the masters?”, is where Mark Carder mentions the needle brush while talking about loosening up brushwork.
ohhh thanks everyone such an effort you all made to help me...
ok....I was watching Emily Paints Figs and an Onion on YouTube (Emily Paints Figs and an Onion - wet in wet from life - YouTube)....and at one point (i tried to find the time stamp but couldnt) she has to do a tiny sliver of colour and says I should have used a needle brush....so I thought it must have been something recommended and I have never come across it before , both the name and never from Mark.
I personally have moved from painting with smaller brushes and moved onto larger pieces and larger brushes...amazing what you can do with them!!....so I'm glad to see all your comments...
@judith, As I recall using “needle brushes”, as Mark Carder has persuasively branded them , are not allowed to students in his class studio. Rigger brushes - banished too
As I want to stay within DMP beginner guidelines I purchased a very thin very long #45 Pastrello model pallette knife that has a needle fine edge just in case. Don’t tell him This is just between you and me.
Comments
Here is MJS’ video on making your own brush for long grasses in oils. I have made and used these to good effect.
https://youtu.be/SJplNni4XYU
https://youtu.be/akXDJhD-EmE
ok....I was watching Emily Paints Figs and an Onion on YouTube (Emily Paints Figs and an Onion - wet in wet from life - YouTube)....and at one point (i tried to find the time stamp but couldnt) she has to do a tiny sliver of colour and says I should have used a needle brush....so I thought it must have been something recommended and I have never come across it before , both the name and never from Mark.
I personally have moved from painting with smaller brushes and moved onto larger pieces and larger brushes...amazing what you can do with them!!....so I'm glad to see all your comments...
As I want to stay within DMP beginner guidelines I purchased a very thin very long #45 Pastrello model pallette knife that has a needle fine edge just in case.