Yes! I try to use the biggest brush that gets the job done. For a painting this size, I definitely didn't go above a #4 bristle. But in the larger paintings, sometimes a 10 or 12 comes in handy. For the tinfoil it is just a case of back and forth, constantly correcting. I never get it right in the first try, and I work wet-into-wet so the order doesn't matter much. Yes!! Thick paint can be great in the focal areas. More paint in the lights = More reflected light to the viewer = more powerful. Thanks for the great comment.