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BRUSHES AND BRUSHWORK.  PAINTING UTAH CLIFFS & SYNTHETIC FLATS. After the cliff is blocked-in and some distinctive detail is desired, consider getting a set of Winsor Newton Series 985. I lean toward abstract expression and look of stylistic touches. In stylized cliffwork, one affect that's sought after is a solid low-texture, clean straight-edged blocky touch. It can be produced by a brush which doesn't plough into wet underlayers. Synthetics work. A Synthetic Bristle has more spring than Sable or Squirrel and thus can cut a cleaner line.  A hog bristle  digs up the underlayers and leaves tracks. A Mop can't deliver enough paint and is for washes without edges.  A springy, fine, tapered fiber works for "laying-on" viscous, "edgy", solid, top-layer color. Other Flats might also work, but I've discovered that Synthetics do the trick. The best I've found is the  Winsor Newton University Series 985 Flats. "Stiff enough to use with fluid oils and acrylics, yet soft enough to use with watercolors. The polyester fibers make smooth marks compared to hog hair." ,,,,Definitely true! Mix a viscous, slimey color, and lay it on the painting with the W/N 985 held almost horizonal to the canvas! / The W/N 985 delivers a clean line! The brush is nicely "tapered", and has very fine hair, yet, has some muscle, some spring; it can leave a solid, beautiful stripe of paint without digging up the underpaint!.   Utrect also has some short-handle synthetics: the "Utrecht Series Sablette 230 and 231 Flat, One-Stroke series" which are similar to the W/N 985, however they don't have the "spring-back", aren't as fine-haired, and aren't as tapered, but are cheaper. Doug Braithwait uses the Utrecht 230 to great effect. They are OK and work with juicy, viscous, paint consistency, as what could be created with Liquin or NeoMeglip. I think Braithwait uses Liquin. I use Neo-Meglip because I think it doesn't yellow. / Regarding the Utrecht Sablette 230, after a year my 230's bloomed and lost their spring; they became flacid, almost like a Flat Mop! From my limited experience and my painting style, for Synthetic Flats I prefer the Winsor Newton Series 985. The springy taperred end creates a tight paint-edge off the flat-front, square-end of the brush! The Synthetic Flat's calligraphy adds painterly "abstraction" and "style". / The Cotman Series 666 is similar to Utrecht 230 and 231, and, it has a little more spring, still overall, it doesn't match up to the the W/N 985 in terms of spring, fine hair and taper. ! My W/N 985 brush is holding up for years. I cannot remember when I purchased it, but it's still as good as new.  Wonderful calligraphic effect! The W/N 985 seems superior to the Utrecht 230, the Cotman 666. Yes, the W/N 985 is more expensive than other look-alike brushes, they cost $10-18 per brush, but for my money, they're worth the extra $5!