UNDERSTAND THE TECHNIQUE
A reservoir for the line
The liner combines a narrow head with long fibres. The Fleury film highlights its paint reservoir, long thin lines and brush lettering. This helps with branches, grasses, strands of hair and flowing lettering. The long fibres flex on contact. How much they bend also depends on the fibre, paint and your grip. Plan the line before touching down and begin with a simple, comfortably reachable path.
Aim for flow, not maximum dilution
Paint should flow from the head without spreading uncontrollably. A heavily diluted mixture is not automatically better. Test opacity and edges on a spare piece of the same surface. With acrylic, follow the paint manufacturer's thinning recommendation; with watercolour, use water. Conventional oil paint can be adjusted with a suitable painting medium if needed. Load the fibres evenly and avoid a drop at the base. The first test stroke shows whether the head releases paint continuously or the mixture is too stiff.
Pull rather than push the tip
Guide the handle so that the head can follow the movement. A steady pull is easier to control than pushing, which bunches up the long fibres. Use your hand and forearm together for longer lines. Look a little ahead of the tip along the planned path. Just before the end, lift the head slowly while continuing the movement. This lets the line taper rather than end in a thick blob of paint.
Branches with convincing direction
For a branch, lay in a main line first. Add smaller twigs at different points and slightly different angles. Their ends should become finer rather than heavier. Do not repeat the same fork everywhere. A similar principle helps with grass: varied heights and directions look more convincing than a uniform row. A few stronger lines can provide focus, while many finer ones remain subtle. Start with a few marks, pause to look, then add more.
Match line length to paint capacity
The liner's long head holds fluid paint for continuous strokes. For short, pinpoint accents, a spotter or small round brush may be easier to control. Choose the shape according to the planned movement: long lines with an even flow of paint, or short outlines with a precise beginning. Compare shapes using the same paint rather than assuming how they will behave from a small size number alone.
All sketches show shape and movement direction schematically. The actual paint mark also depends on paint, surface and moisture.