thoughs from an artist

Anyone who has ever seen my kit will verify this; I have an obsession
with brushes. There I have confessed. Why you ask do I make this
confession? The answer is simple:

Since I have been working, and it’s been ten years, now, I have worked in a variety of things, ranging from:

Live event and fashion shows
Film and TV
Weddings

The list is endless, I now use an airbrush as part of my kit but in terms
of practicality it’s still sensible to have a lot of brushes.

I have worked with other artists, and my biggest annoyance is the classic
snatch out of my kit. I sit my brushes on the table in tool rolls, and
they run out of clean brushes so they just quickly pick up out of my
kit what they need.

Fortunately I am eagle eyed and know what is mine; I have a vast array of brands in my kit.

Here’s some basic advice that should be helpful:

Look after your brushes. I still have items in my kit from when I started training. Such as Charles fox eye brushes.
The bare minimum I think you should have if you work in fashion is 8 of any
brush, just in case. More if you can, you may be working a show and
need more, so build up your brush kit.
For film I say around 8-10 minimum, in this low budget age many of us are working solo and time is against us.
Weddings: I recommend a minimum of 6-8 brushes and keep some a la carte brushes
like eye contour and contour blush in your kit. Trust me you will not
regret it.

If you do effects work, and by this I can mean characterisation like bruising and wounds, theatre right up to full
scale effects. Keep these brushes separate. Buy cheap disposables for
glue, don’t wreck your brushes.

Here’s something that may seem like common sense, if you’re sensible you will shop around. Buying
particular brands at £200 a set for 8 brushes may look good but it is
expensive, if you can get 8-10 sets that way then kudos, do it. If not
look around.

I have in my kit a range including:

• Crown (www.crownbrush.co.uk)
• Mac (www.maccosmetics.co.uk)
• Gosh (available from Superdrug)
• Bare essentials (bought on eBay beware of fakes)
• Ruby and Millie (www.boots.com)
• Screenface (www.screenface.com)

This is just a sample of what I use and I have enough in my kit to do a shed load of work.

Have a basic collection you know you will use each time:

• Eye shadow
• Concealer
• Powder
• Blusher
• Foundation
• Lip

Anything over above this can be added, things like contour, duo fibre brushes and bronzer. Just have your basics.

This is just my advice having been around a long time I know that buying your kit can be daunting, but if you want to last be sensible. Run your
business well do it right and start with your basics ad you will be
fine.