MURAL TIP #12 | Paintbrushes to use for Acrylic Murals

As you start painting murals, you’ll begin accumulating a variety of brushes. If you’re just beginning, don’t worry about specific brushes so much, it’s not too big of deal. You’ll learn what you like as you go and it’ll become easier to choose your brushes.

In general, for acrylic murals, it's best to use synthetic brushes such as nylon or polyester as they are durable and hold their shape well with heavy-bodied paints. It's super helpful to have a variety of brush sizes on hand to accommodate different parts of the mural because typically your design will have large areas and some way smaller areas. The best brushes for you may depend on your personal preferences and painting style; however, here are the utensils I bring to my mural jobs.

Larger Brushes

Before starting to paint your mural, think about the largest areas you’ll need to fill. Should you use a large brush or a roller? For large areas and washes, flat or filbert brushes in various sizes are most useful. I’m a huge fan of Purdy brand brushes and have a range of sizes from .75” to 3”. If something is larger than 3”, I use a roller. Depending on the wall you’re painting is which type of roller you should get. Thick nap for outdoor and something thinner for nice, indoor walls.

Fine Art Brushes

For details and lines, round or liner brushes are recommended. For tinier details, bring along some fine art brushes. I like to always bring a small paintbrush even if I don’t think I’ll need it because it’s helpful for touchups. For smaller brushes, you can use brushes specified for watercolors or acrylics.

Wash Your Brushes Immediately

The most important part of this blog is this note: make sure to thoroughly clean your brushes!! If you are not near water once you’re done painting, or if you’re using multiple colors at the same time, always bring plastic wrap to cover your brushes, lest they harden. IF they do harden, all is not lost; wash them out in some paint thinner and bring them back to life!

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