Mottlers, Spalters, Gesso, and Varnish
Mottlers and Spalters are large, flat
brushes with long or short handles and
long or short bristles. Available in both
natural fiber and synthetic varieties,
they are used for faux finishing
techniques, murals, washes, varnishing,
and priming. These brushes hold a large
amount of paint and cover large
surfaces.
Spalters have long handles to permit working from a greater distance without sacrificing
control and finesse. Traditionally they were used by fresco painters on abrasive surfaces where the brushes were subject to wear and tear. Great for background painting.
A mottler is the artist’s brush that most resembles a typical decorators brush. Great for preparation, varnishing, and achieving many of the effects typically associated with other flat brush
types, commonly used on a larger scale or to cover more of a surface.