foam brushes

Foam Brushes

Foam brushes are used for applying light-sensitive solutions and emulsions evenly by hand to paper and other surfaces used in historical and alternative photographic processes.

They work well in processes such as cyanotype, Van Dyke Brown, salted paper, platinum and palladium printing, as well as other techniques that require hand-coating or sensitizing a surface.

The soft foam helps spread the solution evenly while reducing visible brush marks. Unlike traditional bristle brushes, there is also no risk of loose hairs being left on the coated surface.

The brushes contain no metal parts, making them suitable for use with photographic solutions in processes where contact with metal is undesirable.

They are particularly convenient for small and medium formats and wherever a simple, quick and economical method of applying solution is needed.

How to choose the right foam brush size

Choose the brush width according to the size of the area you want to coat. A smaller brush gives greater control, while a wider brush allows larger sheets to be coated more quickly.

2" – approx. 5 cm – a good choice for small prints, test strips, smaller sheets and areas requiring greater precision.

3" – approx. 7.5 cm – a versatile size for small and medium prints; it allows the solution to be spread quickly while maintaining good control over the amount applied.

4" – approx. 10 cm – best suited to larger surfaces and larger sheets of paper, where a wider brush makes coating faster and more even.

When choosing a size, consider not only the paper format, but above all the size of the area that will actually be coated with emulsion or light-sensitive solution.