paintbrush

Paint brushes come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and bristles that produce different effects. They are generally good for:

Oil painting:
Filbert: Good for painting large areas, bleeding and smudging.
Round brush: Suitable for drawing fine and expressive lines.
Bright (short flat brush): Suitable for painting small areas and for a firm touch.
Watercolor:
Round brush: Holds paint well and is useful for expressing subtle details.
Flat: Ideal for painting large areas and can also be used to create gradients and blurs.
Oval (cat's tongue shaped): Holds paint very well and can be used for both line drawing and flat application.
Japanese painting:
Flat brush: Suitable for painting large areas. Also good for creating gradations and blurs.
Menso brush: Used for drawing fine lines, and a long tip is useful for drawing long lines.
Shaving brush: A typical all-purpose brush used in Japanese painting, suitable for detailed application and short line drawing.