Black Horsehair Sumi-e Paint Brush with Wormwood Handle

This brush was made with wormwood and my premium black horsehair. One of the things I enjoy when I make a brush is that I really get to pay close attention to every aspect of the materials I am working with. As was polishing the wormwood, I carefully look at every area of the brush. I am amazed by how beautiful the markings can be. This piece of wormwood in particular is really incredible. The marks are balanced, beautiful, and intriguing. Nature is pretty amazing!

The brush ferrule was made with birch bark and bamboo, which I shape and form so as to create a nicely shaped ferrule. The super-soft black horsehair has great flex, strong spring, and will make a wide variety of marks, from wide/dynamic to very fine. 

The brush has:

• A leather hanging strap
• The ferrule is porcelain 

Traditional Sumi-e style bristle head:

• The black horsehair is 4" in length and has a rounded shape
• The wormwood handle is 12" in length

My brushes are made to create a vast array of marks. When I make a brush I think about all aspects of the tool: how it looks, how it feels in the hand, and how it paints - to ensure that the end product is a true "fine art tool".