Which OAS Brush Should You Buy First?

Brush Sets

Over the years, we've realized that our OAS system of supplies and instruction is catered to people taking a class in Chinese Brush Painting or Calligraphy. After all OAS grew out of the need that Ning Yeh discovered in his own teaching practice for quality materials to facilitate a positive first experience in Chinese Brush Painting for his students.

To this end, we've have created two popular brush sets that are excellent for brand new people starting on their journey into Chinese Brush Painting. These are our Premium Artist Brush Set and our Pre Series Brush Set. Each has two hard brushes good for making lines and two combination brushes good for making shapes (one small and one medium).

Premium Artist Brush Set

This brush set includes four core brushes that are essential to Chinese brush painting. With these brushes you can paint a wide range of subjects - flowers, landscapes, calligraphy and more! Includes the following: OAS Large Flow, Orchid Bamboo, OAS Flow, and Happy Dot.

PBSET01: $70 reg $86


PRE Series Brush Set

This brush set is similar to our Premium Set in that it includes four essential brushes. We offer these brushes as an alternative for those who are on a budget but still want quality brushes. They deliver high performance for a value price.

HCPRE: $40 reg $48 

 

What if I Only Want to Start with One Brush?

What has become apparent to us is that the way people are exposed to and initially try to learn Chinese Brush Painting is changing. While we firmly believe working with an OAS affiliated teacher is the best way to start your journey into Chinese Brush Painting, we realize that many people are looking for a less formal way to start.

We also realize that investing in OAS materials particularly brushes, paper and instruction is the best thing that people can do if they want a fun, successful and authentic introduction to the world of Chinese Brush Painting.

So if people are looking for one brush to start with we would recommend choosing the between the Medium Flow Brush and the Large Orchid Bamboo Brush. These are two excellent quality, versatile sized brushes that are not included either of our intro sets. This means that in the likely scenario that your OAS intro to the world of Chinese Brush Painting goes well and you would like to invest in one of the sets, you can take advantage of the set discount and avoid receiving a duplicate brush.

Which One Should I Get?

The medium flow is fuller and therefore more versatile. It can create fuller shapes while still making good lines. The large orchid bamboo has slightly stiffer hairs, so it will be easier to control. Choose whichever you think you would prefer! You cannot go wrong with either.

C2B: Medium Flow Brush - $25

  • Versatile brush not duplicated in our Premium Artist Brush Set
  • Combination brush with soft hairs on the outside and stiffer hairs in the center
  • Excellent for fuller shape strokes but also competent for lines and finishing strokes with a point
  • "Goldilocks" size for most popular painting sizers
  • OAS Core Brush with time test reputation for quality, performance, and durability all at a very fair price

Add Medium Flow Brush to Cart

H2D: Large Orchid Bamboo Brush - $32

  • Versatile brush not duplicated in our Premium Artist Brush Set
  • Hard hair brush with uniform stiffer brown hairs traditionally called wolf hair but in reality made of rodent hair most often translated as "weasel"
  • Excellent for line strokes like orchid or bamboo leaves but also competent for shapes like flower leaves or even petals.
  • "Goldilocks" size for most popular painting sizes
  • OAS Core Brush with time tested reputation for quality, performance, and durability all at a very fair price

Add Large Orchid Bamboo Brush to Cart

Keep It Simple: Single Brush Started Packages

At the beginning we just like people to experience the feeling of stroking a quality Chinese Brush with ink onto rice paper. This is the essential component that opens the door to a world of joyful artistic expression in the world of Chinese Brush Painting.

To this end, we've put together two simple packages of essentials to get started. We've paired each of our recommended brushes with:

  • MP15: Magic Paper (13" x 15") This wonderful paper allows you to practice over and over again with just water to gain confidence in your strokes. Once the water dries, the strokes disappear and you paint on it all over again.  $10
  • P03A: Practice Roll (12" x 50' continuous) It is a great feeling to use ink and to paint simple strokes with a Chinese brush on good quality rice paper. This roll will give you a generous amount of paper so you can be free to practice strokes or paint compositions.  $8
  • I19A: Wu Chu Ink Our popular small student bottle of ink.  $5
  • A Free gift lesson that focuses on essential techniques for line strokes or shapes strokes matched to the strengths of the brush you choose.

Medium Flow Starter Set with Free Gift Lesson Common Elements of Brush Painting 2: Shapes. $48

Get Medium Flow Starter Set

Large Orchid Bamboo Starter Set with Free Gift Lesson Common Elements of Brush Painting 1: Lines. $55

Get Large Orchid Bamboo Starter Set

 

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