A sword brush draws a line that changes width while you draw it. The head is cut on a long slant, so the amount of hair touching the surface depends on how you tilt and turn the handle — start on the point for a hairline, roll the brush down onto its belly to swell the stroke, lift back onto the point to taper it away. One stroke, three widths, no lifting off the paper.

That is a different job from every other brush in this range. A rigger keeps a thin line constant for as long as possible. A flat gives you its width and nothing else. A sword gives you a stroke with a beginning, a middle and an end — which is exactly what a leaf, a blade of grass, a wave, a curl of hair or a calligraphic flourish actually looks like.

It is the traditional pinstriper's and signwriter's brush for the same reason. Long tapering lines down the side of a vehicle, or the swelling strokes inside a hand-painted letter, are drawn with the brush dragged sideways rather than pushed forward. If you have ever wondered how a painted sign gets its confident thick-to-thin lettering, this shape is most of the answer.

It rewards practice more than most brushes, and it is worth knowing that before ordering. Load the whole head, rest your little finger on the surface as a pivot, and pull the brush sideways rather than dragging it point-first. The first dozen strokes will wobble. The stroke after that is usually the one that sells the brush.

This is the 1/4 size from Daler-Rowney's Graduate range. The handle is white pearl-finish with a black ferrule, printed GRADUATE with DALER ROWNEY and the word Sword along its length, and the size marked 1/4.

The price is Rs. 1,950 with Cash on Delivery across Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. Stock, city and delivery charges are confirmed on WhatsApp before dispatch.

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