The Blick Ox Hair Scholastic brush is marketed for students, but it's going to be very difficult to paint with. It has a nice wooden handle and natural ox hair. It comes to a good point for an ox hair brush.
Ox hair flops instead of molding into the shape you want it, so the artist ends up scrubbing with the brush.
A video lesson comparing 4 different brush hairs in a #14 round brush.
Positives
This is a very cheap brush. It's natural hair with a wooden handle, not the plastic one you'd expect.I's perfectly possible to paint great paintings with this brush.
Negatives
While it can paint great paintings, it's going to be harder to paint with this brush than a better quality brush. I always find it depressing that "student" grade brushes are the most frustrating to paint with. How many potential artists are frustrated out of painting before they really start? Painting is difficult enough for beginners without adding an unmanagable brush.
The balance is poor, forcing you to clench it at the ferrule. This is where that bad habit gets started.
The hair sheds like crazy.
The brush doesn't hold it's shape, let alone a point for long. It splays out randomly.
Sizes Reviewed
14
Materials
Ox
Handle Materials
Lacquered Hardwood
Durability
brush[11]
Value (MSRP not sale)
$ 3.92
Level
Beginner
Overall Rating
F
Disclaimer: Jennifer Branch Gallery is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I receive a small rebate for your entire order (starting at 4%) if you choose to purchase through Amazon. Most items can be bought multiple places and I highly recommend local art stores if you have one! Any other recommendation links I receive no compensation for.
These referrals help me support this website, and I thank you for any purchase you make through them. I will never recommend a product I have not used frequently and believe is the best tool for the purpose!
Conclusion
Please don't buy this brush, except for a kid who destroys brushes. It's going to make painting so much more difficult than it needs to be and start a bunch of bad habits, like holding at the ferrule and reshaping mid stroke, that will be very difficult to unlearn.
Disclaimer
I bought all of the supplies reviewed on this page with my own money.
These reviews are to simplify the confusing world of non standard artist materials.
They are supported by Amazon affiliate links and selling my paintings.
Testing Criteria
Durability
Can I scrub the brush?
Is the sizing immediately gone?
Will it pull up on multiple washes?
Will masking come off easily?
Saturation
Will it resist or soak up water?
How quickly can I do another wash?
Overall Feel
This is my personal viewpoint on the brush. Do I like to paint on this brush?
How does the brush feel to work on? Does it respond well to
the brush or seem to resist it? Can I work quickly and easily or do I have to keep in mind the brush's quirks as
I go?
Brush feel is difficult to quantify but very important to the artist. Sometimes I work with difficult brushes just because I love how they respond to the paint and the overall affect.
Individual artists will have as many different opinions as painting styles!
Value
First, is this meant for students or professional artists?
Does the price reflect this?
In these days of super sales and discounts of 50% expected off a artifically high MSRP, it/'s impossible to give accurate prices. I am using MSRP for comparative cost. Please realize that 50% off the list price is very common! These are certainly NOT the prices I paid with a coupon!
