The Best Brushes You'll Ever Use

[Curryman]

The more experienced painters in the audience have no doubt heard of the excellent Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes already, but for the benefit of the uninitiated I have written a review on my blog. I rarely gush, but these are without doubt the finest brushes I've ever used. They're not inexpensive, but with proper care last practically forever. If you're using a cheap hobby store brush you should definitely read the article and find out what you've been missing!

http://thescreamingalpha.com/2009/09/02/review-winsor-newton-series-7-brushes/

[Jestor]

It is pretty much all I will use as well. They honestly aren't that expensive. You can usually find them online at art store websites for less then 10 dollars each. Seeing as they last for two plus years and 1000 plus models, I am all right with the price

[Malebolgia]

'The best brushes' is a big statement. It's all very personal. Quality wise they may be top product but in the end the type of brush must suit you. For example, Jérémie Bonamant uses the Raphael brushes which he prefers to the W&N brushes as they suit his painting style.

Until now I haven't been able to try the Raphaels as I can't get them cheap anywhere (many US websites charge $20-$30 for shipping of 2-3 brushes...). So I only have experience with W&N brushes as 'the' quality brushes and they are also my favorite so far. I have tried Rosemary's and although they are much cheaper, the hairs are too soft for my taste.

The review itself is very nice! Only detail I am missing is whether you're using the regular series 7 or the 'miniatures' version.

Maybe a nice addition for European painters who don't have a local art supply that stocks W&N:

http://www.artsupplies.co.uk/brushes-series-7-kolinsky-sable-watercolour-artists-brush.htm

http://www.artsupplies.co.uk/brushes-w&n-series-7-miniature-kolinsky-sable-watercolour-brush.htm

[Curryman]

@Jestor I completely agree with you about the price being very reasonable, but I hear complaints about the cost all the time from people who are used to spending $3-$4 for a brush. I personally don't think $8-$10 (which is what you can get 'em for online) is that much more money, but some evidently do.

@Malebolgia Obviously you're right that it's a sweeping statement, and I made it mostly in the name of cheap sensationalism to get people to read the article. Still, while I certainly acknowledge that there are other quality brush makers in the world (I think fairly well of Escoda, for example), I'll put W&N up against anybody else's product. Still, your point about the importance of personal style is well-taken.

I use the miniature version myself. Maybe I should have made that clearer. I did put a note at the end of the review explicitly recommending the miniature brushes, and the Dick Blick link goes to the brushes I use.

As for US shipping to Europe, I have no idea why it's so much more expensive than shipping equivalent goods the other way. It must cost US makers an awful lot of overseas sales.

Thanks for reading.

[Malebolgia]

I use the miniature version myself. Maybe I should have made that clearer. I did put a note at the end of the review explicitly recommending the miniature brushes, and the Dick Blick link goes to the brushes I use.

Aha. Then I think you should really try the regular versions. I think these are ten times as good as the miniatures version: the hairs are much longer and the 'body' is much thicker so it can contain much more moist. This makes blending and painting freehands a lot easier IMO. I really like them a lot more than the miniatures version. They also seem to keep their points even better.

As for US shipping to Europe, I have no idea why it's so much more expensive than shipping equivalent goods the other way. It must cost US makers an awful lot of overseas sales.

Yeah, I tried to order from several US websites and each time the order process stalled when shipping was calculated. I don't understand why it's so expensive...we're talking about 2-3 brushes which can be shipped in a simple bubble envelope! Total bollocks! Ah well, I am still looking out for Raphael brushes and will try them for sure once they are easily available.

[nerdelemental]

Aha. Then I think you should really try the regular versions. I think these are ten times as good as the miniatures version: the hairs are much longer and the 'body' is much thicker so it can contain much more moist. This makes blending and painting freehands a lot easier IMO. I really like them a lot more than the miniatures version. They also seem to keep their points even better.

I've been waiting for someone who's used both to discuss them!

Most important thread discovery since Malifaux dropped!

I'm now excited to try the regular brush, Mal. Those are great selling points you've brought up, but is there a downside to the longer bristles, specifically, too much bend? I like my miniature WN7 because they're short and controllable.

Holding more paint and medium would be really beneficial, too. It might be a case of needing to own both, but I feel I'd just get used to one brush and not really use the other or relegate the other to either basecoats or fine detail.

Thoughts?

[thetang22]

I'm glad this thread popped up. I've been painting for probably 5-10 years now, and I feel like I've hit a plateau in quality in certain respects. After going to Gencon this year and viewing and discussing some painting tips, I realized my brushes might be a HUGE reason I'm not getting better results. I've been using cheap-o hobby store brushes ever since I've been in the hobby. I'm interested to try something out with a finer quality brush.

I've also been using the miniature brushes (not this brand) and I found that even though they started out pretty thin, they always flayed out and didn't get near the fine tip as some of the larger brushes I saw being used at Gencon.

Very interesting.

[Malebolgia]

For me the regular W&N's are stiff enough...but I think that is mostly a matter of taste. I am using a size 2 for 90% of my work and I really love the bigger brushes. Glazing, blending is so much easier with them and their points are still so good you can do eyes with them without too much hassle.

I used two miniatures W&N's but I didn't like their short bristles. They split up a lot quicker than my regulars and I had to be much more careful with adding paint to them. I'm a bit of a "sloppy" painter as I tend to jab my brush around on the palette and in the pots and with smaller bristles they tend to drown with me. I like having a lot of paint in the hairs (not all the way to the ferrule, but enough to last me longer than 2-3 strokes).

That's one downside with the W&N's...they are a bit expensive to experiment with or do impulse buys

[Jestor]

When I first purchased these brushes my painting looked 100 times better. A quality brush means a TON. I personally don't use the "miniature" line. I use the regular W&N S7 size 1 and size 2 for most normal jobs.

[goblyn13]

I've been waiting for someone who's used both to discuss them!

Most important thread discovery since Malifaux dropped!

I'm now excited to try the regular brush, Mal. Those are great selling points you've brought up, but is there a downside to the longer bristles, specifically, too much bend? I like my miniature WN7 because they're short and controllable.

Holding more paint and medium would be really beneficial, too. It might be a case of needing to own both, but I feel I'd just get used to one brush and not really use the other or relegate the other to either basecoats or fine detail.

Thoughts?

Actually NE, I find that the WN7 Miniature 2 has more bend than the regular WN7 2, the series 7 has some of the springiest bristles that i've seen and the only time i've ever seen them flay is when you apply waaaaaaay too much pressure. the miniatures do have their use especially for exceptionally fine lines, however the problem with the miniatures is having to reload them so frequently.

[Ritual]

W&N series 7 used to be my favourite brushes. But, lately (the last couple of years) I feel their quality consistency, and above all, quality control has gone down considerably. So much that I feel the prices they charge is unwarranted, considering the number of good alternatives there are out there. The last three or four series 7 brushes I've bought have not been as good as they should be. I've heard plenty of similar reports from other painters, so it's not just me. A good series 7 brush is a really good brush, but if you can't rely on getting a good example when you pay that amount of money, I chose to go elsewhere. Even if you buy the brush in a store and have the opportunity to test it (which I have always done with these brushes) I've found that the brush has lost its shape much quicker than they used to.

I like the Rosemary & Co brushes mentioned above. They have excellent quality control and their brushes last as long as the W&N series 7 brushes used to. They're also cheaper. They don't have the exact same properties as the series 7 brushes, but it's a quality product and once you get used to them I think they're among the best brushes out there.

The miniature variety of brushes are NOT aimed at miniature painting like we do. They are meant for water colour miniature painting, i.e. small water colour paintings. They are not very suitable for the work we do, so I don't recommend anyone to buy those.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Ritual

[Malebolgia]

I like the Rosemary & Co brushes mentioned above. They have excellent quality control and their brushes last as long as the W&N series 7 brushes used to. They're also cheaper. They don't have the exact same properties as the series 7 brushes, but it's a quality product and once you get used to them I think they're among the best brushes out there.

Yes, I think this is one of the factors that's important: getting used to a new brush. I always dislike new brushes after using one for a long time. They don't feel the same, the hairs behave differently, the points may be behaving differently and sometimes the shaft is different so the way you're holding them is strange. So I think my current feeling towards Rosemary & co. may be because they're still too new for me.

But their prices are insanely cheap and really recommended for painters on a tight budget.

[Ritual]

Yeah, it took me a while to really start liking them, as well. And, IIRC, I had some problems getting used to the springyness of the W&N7 brushes compared to what I used prior to those. It's funny to see how much we are slaves to our own habits. You can see the same thing with paints. You'll find people say how difficult this or that paint brand is to blend with or feather with, but it's the very paint you use yourself and you think they're excellent for just those things.

[supervike]

Nothing like a good painting discussion to bring Anders back into the fold!

I need to find some of those Rosemary & Co brushes.

[AoM]

W&N7, Cheap Joe's Dragon's Tongue line, and Escoda are the brushes I use the most. My 1 and 2 from Cheap Joe's are awesome. they're a natural sable (of course), and have the same spring and length of my Series 7, but they don't puff out as much in the body. I like my Series 7, but my Dragon's Tongue gets to be my workhorse because I sometimes feel that the Series 7 holds too much paint.

Of course, there's no real difference in cost to me. I'll but whichever one is the better sale price in the catalogie when I need to replace it. Sometimes the Series 7 is at a better price, sometimes the Dragon's Tongue.

My Escoda 0 has been getting used for close to 3 years now. I had to cut down the handle (why they felt a 0 needed a 8+" handle is beyond me), but I've been very happy with it.

I tried a 2 from Isabey. I'd heard good things, and the price was about the same. I actually had two of them. Both of them constantly lost bristles, and they are now smaller than my 0, and are just ratty. I'll never buy an Isabey brush again.

Dick Blick is a great place to pic up brushes, but I always check Cheap Joe's Art Supply first. Joe is an artist and started the company. most of the workers there are artists. And the lines of brushes they make for each medium are really great. As I said above, I'll put my Dragon's Tongue up against my Series 7 any day.

[EricJ]

I think I use my W&N7 miniature size 1 for about 90% of what I do, and I just have a big old GW large drybrush for the rest, to put down primer or basecoat. I haven't really tried other brushes because I've had 2 good W&N ones for about 5 years now, and since they don't seem to wear out, I haven't had a need to go looking for other brushes! I'm sure it does help that I haven't painted much lately, since I am actually HORRIBLE on my brushes, but somehow, no matter how much abuse I give these 2, they end up perfect with a quick swish of water.

So I guess my contribution to this thread is minimal, since I actually don't have much experience with anything. I will say I like the miniature line of brushes because they are shorter and stiffer than the normal, and because they actually hold less paint. That is largely because I live near the ocean in a place that doesn't get to hot, so there is moisture in the air, and the brush really doesn't dry out in the time you're going to use the paint, even if you have very little paint in the brush.

[WEiRD sKeTCH]

Thanks for this thread! It's being incredibly informative!

Please continue.

[Breten]

I love mine, but I seem to reverting to a drybrushing style ately, so they`re awesome for that too, but don`t use your good ones.

[nerdelemental]

I think I use my W&N7 miniature size 1 for about 90% of what I do, and I just have a big old GW large drybrush for the rest, to put down primer or basecoat.

[...]

So I guess my contribution to this thread is minimal, since I actually don't have much experience with anything. I will say I like the miniature line of brushes because they are shorter and stiffer than the normal, and because they actually hold less paint.

Well it was good for me because I use the exact same brushes and I was starting to feel like a noob again!

I use Series 7 miniature 1 and 2 for everything (non-abusive to brushes) and I guess I'll keep going until I somehow burn one out. Also like Eric, I'm just over a year on the same brush and I don't see any indication of wear and tear even after that much time, cleaning paint out of the ferrule and all. But they're the *only* good/expensive/real brushes I've used after stepping up from the Michaels $2 hobby brushes.

[mathieu]

W&N series 7 used to be my favourite brushes. But, lately (the last couple of years) I feel their quality consistency, and above all, quality control has gone down considerably.

I couldn't agree more. I've used W&N7 (both standard and miniature series) and Raphaël 8404 over the years, and I have definitely observed a drop in quality for the former. To me there are still things that I like about the W&N7 better than on the Raphaël (I like the bristle response better, and the thicker handle is more comfortable to my hand), but I now tend to choose Raphaël over W&N because it is far less likely to reveal stray or broken hairs after a few sessions.

Here's an interesting read about brush quality.

Also as far as size goes, I believe I don't own anything else than size 2 brushes. Both W&N7 and R8404 in that size have fine enough a point to do any sort of fine detail on a miniature.

Edited September 3, 2009 by mathieu
the voices told me

[Silmarilias]

I have never used any W&N brushes so i have no idea what they are like but after seeing this same type of debate/discussion on OzPainters and CMON awhile back i thought i might follow the recommendation of the Rosemary & Co brushes based upon the price and quality factor and will say that that are excellent brushes after using them for a few months now.

I have brought 4 of the series 33 Kolinsky sables so far from R&Co and will be looking to purchase a few more in the near future as i like the quality and feel of them and they retain their shape and points well (i clean my brushes roughly once a week), that said though i also use Francheville 424 pure red sables as well and find these to be good quality as well for most types of work although they don`t quite retain their points as good, for rougher type work mostly dry brushing i generally use cheaper Taklon brushes although i may get a set of Sable brushes for this at some stage.

Just my 5 cents worth and i must say thanks to Ritual who i think was the person that i originally saw doing the R&Co recommending

Edited September 4, 2009 by Silmarilias

[PaintMinion]

I think the best thing to take out of this discussion for everyone is something I usually tell my students...sometimes it's not your skills holding you back, it's your brushes! I also use WN S7's #1, 0 and 00, though I have tried DaVinci and the series 7 miniatures. The Series 7 Miniatures I didn't like because they didn't hold enough paint and I found them difficult to take care of in terms of cleaning and conditioning. DaVinci just splayed after only a few months of use, and my WN usually last at least a couple years, so I'm happy. If I am given the opportunity I may try the others suggested as well, always on the look out for new products!

[Draykin]

I just got two of the W&N UNIVERSITY SERIES 233 brushes in size 0 &1. I got them for $10 each. Has anyone ever tried these ones? They are my first W&N brushes so I thought I would try them out.