Comparing Squirrel Mop Brushes
Much as some folks love to buy different types of pigment (and I do too- I have my own special purgatory bag where all the tubes I bought but rarely use go! ;P ), I also love to experiment with different brushes. I’ve always been very entranced by the calligraphic, mark-making nature of watercolors. A brush is the extension of your mind. Almost nothing is more important, IMO, if that’s something that’s important to your style. I love squirrel mops, but I’ve never been able to find one I’m totally satisfied with. Fortunately, as I’ve sold work over the years, I’ve felt no qualms about reinvesting my money into supplies! LOL.
The Big Four-
Below, we have the 4 big mops I’ve bought over the last 7 or 8 years, in their dry state. Of course, they’re all completely adequate. They all hold a ton of water, and make great washes. They’re all constructed similarly with the wires around the ferrule, and they have similarly long handles and such. That’s not what differentiates them. The real differences are in the head and how the hairs act. And what went wrong with each, ironically.
From top to bottom- an Alvaro CAstagnet MOp, a DaVinci Petit Gris, a Rekab Kazan Squirrel, and a Davinci Casaneo
I bought these in the sequence you seem them arranged, top to bottom. Each had their issues- all of the Alvaro brushes shed hair like crazy. Maybe I got a bad batch, but it was a consistent problem even long after I’d broken them in, and I had some pristine skies ruined by them. That bugged me for the price point. But they had a lovely long point and a stiffness to them that I liked. The DaVinci didn’t come to as nice of a point, but the hair stayed in it. The Rekab was 1/2 the price of the others, but it never came to as good of a long delicious point. However, that fat body made textural dry brushwork with a rounded edge much easier. And now I’m currently trying the synthetic Casaneos, which come to a superb point, but are sort of “springy” and tend to hold their shape more. Is that good? Is that bad? I’m not sure yet, but they don’t act exactly like other mops.
When the Bristles Are Wet-
Here you can see them all wet. The difference in the shape and size of the bristles is clearer now. Years later, and the Alvaro still holds a sharp point. the DaVinci Petit Gris and the Rekab Kazan both have less of a point, and always have. The Rekab is noticeably shorter than the rest, and perhaps it’s that which makes it “stiffer”. I’m sure that could be seen as a negative for some, but it also means that it has a kind of resistance I like when painting- similar to the Alvaro. The Casaneo is newer. It has an exceptional, long point. I can’t yet tell what I think of it’s “springiness”, but reviews suggest it’s similar in feel to a Kolinsky. Whatever the case about it’s differences, when I was first introduced to it, I used it as a loner (I had forgotten my own brushes) and thought it was lovely. I never in a million years would have thought it was synthetic. That floored me.
Do They Hold Their Shape?
Here I’ve smooshed them all to the side while wet. You can see how they respond differently. They’re all moppish- which to me means that they hold their shape when smooshed around, rather than bouncing back like a typical stiff round. But it’s easy to see how the Casaneo holds it’s shape more, like a smooth, wet seal. Sometimes, a bit of scruffiness can be helpful, if you want a rough edge, or to take advantage of the splaying of the bristles when painting natural shapes, and that’s why brushes like the Rekab have their place.
Problems With Mops-
First, for sure, all mops I’ve had shed hair when new. That’s a consistent problem. But only the Alvaro brushes consistently shed hair over the duration of their life. Additionally, I’ve had the entire head come loose and fall out in 3 or 4 over the years (not the Alvaros- but other companies). This is a real pain. I abuse my brushes, no doubt, but I don’t leave them sitting in the water, so I’m not sure why this is happening, but it’s consistent across brands. The Isabey I own, the Davinci, the Rekabs too. I’ve had to get good at repair work- gorilla glue and tightening new wires from the hardware store. You can see that my wires don’t always match in all my photos. I’ve also had problems with the paint/lacquer chipping off (my smallest Casaneo, which I got a few years ago), and my Isabey both exhibit this. Which brings me back around to the Alvaros. I have to give them credit- the head has always stayed in, the red paint never chipped for me.
My Thoughts?
Having said all this, what are my thoughts? I’m still up in the air.
I don’t know if I’d get another Alvaro personally, since so many others are available in the US. If they didn’t lose so much hair, perhaps my opinion would be different, because that was my major gripe. I also wish they weren’t so red. That’s a matter of taste, but I hate feeling like an advertisement when painting.
Nor do I think I’d get another Isabey or DaVinci Petit Gris. They were always too soft and floppy for my tastes, particularly the Isabey.
I like my Rekabs. They’re cheaper and still get the job done, and I like their stiffness, like the Alvaros. They are an easy recommendation if you’re on a budget or are a student or just learning and diving into expensive mops. Having said that, do I wish they came to a finer point? Yes. It makes stretching the functionality of a big mop much easier- the breadth of shapes you can do with a single brush expands when you have a finer point. Additionally, as far as I can tell they’re only available in the US from one seller on the east coast. The Italian Art Store- https://italianartstore.com/product-category/brushes-knives/rekab/
Verdict is still out on the Casaneos. I love the point, for sure. And they easily hold enough water (often a sore point with synethtics). But I’ve been painting small for months, and so I’ve not been using these big mops much. When I grow some of the pieces for my next release, I’ll be better able to speak with some authority on them. But if buying something synthetic, instead of a brush made from a real squirrel, is important to you, they’re by far the best synthetics I’ve ever used. So good I didn’t know they were synethic. You also pay for the privilege- they’re the same price as the “real” thing. I got the Casaneos from Dick Blick. They’re not available through Cheap Joes. https://www.dickblick.com/products/da-vinci-casaneo-synthetic-squirrel-watercolor-brushes/
What are your guys’ opinions on mops? Do you use a particular brand? Share in the comments please. Maybe it’ll affect my next splurge! :D