(Part 3) Best artists paintbrushes according to redditors
We found 386 Reddit comments discussing the best artists paintbrushes. We ranked the 166 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 41-60. You can also go back to the previous section.
45. Pentel Japan Aquash Waterbrush Water Brush Pen, Fine
2 mentions
A unique brush that's easy to use.
So this is what I found. Don't waste your time. Buy 3 Windsor Newton Series 7 brushes from Amazon(#00, #1, #2 for $40 bucks, just $10 dollars more than these) instead. You'll get much much much more mileage out of them. I have pictures of base coating 2 ork minis but honestly I was so disappointed in the Siberian Kolonski's that I just stopped. Out of the package they had dirt/dust/something in the bristles and I had to pick the fluff off the mini. No spring in the bristles, they never returned to the starting position. As I applied pressure to the tip the bristles would look like \ and would stay like that. The WNS7 popped right back into place. The bristles splayed and I had to trim some errant hairs. I had to clean and condition every brush I used.
I have lots of hobbies mini painting is just one of them. I have found that if you really enjoy your hobby one of the best things you can do is spend the money on quality tools. Sure I understand buying a $20 dollar grinder to grind something once in awhile but if you do it everyday you go out and spend the money. This is no exception. I try to paint every day, both minis and canvas. The brushes that OP linked are not worth the trouble.
The one redeeming factor for these (as I always like to say something positive) is after conditioning the size "8" brush will be used to lay down washes and glazes.
I think it depends on her age / level of knowledge about painting; can she be responsible with tube paints, for instance?
The Cotman set mentioned already would be a good bet, it's once of the nicer student grade paints. Just a warning that you can get it on Amazon for significantly cheaper than michaels / hobby lobby etc. Just search for Cotman - theres several different styles (tiny travel size, bigger pans, etc).
My recommendation however if she is as you say not quite a beginner, and can be responsible with tube colors, would be to get her some artist quality paints. These are expensive to jump into; about $10-12 per tube of paint. However, each tube should last her a very long time. You'll also want to get her a palette of sorts to put them in, she'll squeeze out paint to the wells and allow them to dry, that way all the colors are easy to access. Watercolors can be reactivated with a dab of water.
There are many brands, but I love Daniel Smith, M. Graham, and Holbein. You'll want to buy these from dickblick.com, cheapjoes.com, or jerrysartarama.com - these places are a few dollars cheaper per tube and that really adds up over time. The exception is usually 'sets' - some brands sell sets of paints that compliment each other, and these seem to be cheaper on amazon.
As for what colors you should grab if you choose to buy tubes, there are A LOT, you'll at least want to get the basic colors that will allow her to mix most other colors. This however can be a really personal choice (what colors you want in your palette) All Daniel Smith unless stated otherwise:
Essential shades:
Nice to have:
M. Graham has some really nice sets:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_asi_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Am.+graham&keywords=m.+graham&ie=UTF8&qid=1483228508
Have a look here to see what she could mix with the essential shades only:
http://janeblundellart.blogspot.com/2014/06/just-6-colours-lovely-limited-palette.html
She may feel really limited if she's not sure how to mix colors yet.
And so she has somewhere to put them:
https://www.amazon.com/Martin-Mijello-Airtight-Watercolor-18-Well/dp/B002664868/ref=pd_bxgy_201_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B002664868&pd_rd_r=KGKTV5R413WMN7JM49ED&pd_rd_w=27A37&pd_rd_wg=coxt7&psc=1&refRID=KGKTV5R413WMN7JM49ED
And, incase you wanted to get her a whole "Artist Quality" set to get going with, maybe grab some paper:
http://www.dickblick.com/products/fabriano-artistico-extra-white-watercolor-blocks/
(I'd recommend cold press, and whatever size she tends to like to paint at - 9x12 feels not too big, not too small to me, personally)
Brush recommendations:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00512C1VS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BN7R9E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00409JAEY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.dickblick.com/products/escoda-versatil-brushes/
$100 will get you pretty far! obligatory ymmv, a lot of supplies depend on what and how you paint (do you paint large or small? do you paint outside a lot and need a travel kit? and so on), etc, etc, but here is how i would spend the money:
kuretake gansai tanbi, 36 color set - the best set of watercolors i have used and relatively cheap, the colors are vibrant, mix well, and set beautifully.
probably where most of the money should go after upgrading your paints. i like the strathmore 500 series and the canson papers for sketching and learning. other higher end brands that are recommended a lot are arches, bee paper, and fluid 100. definitely try out both hot press and cold press, people usually develop a preference but one is not necessarily better than the other.
honestly, brushes are not that important as long as they are not frayed or shedding. i've seen tons of professionals use and recommend this cheap set by grace art. i also like the princeton neptune brushes.
if you still have money left, i would suggest trying something cool like metallic and pearlescent paints if it interests you. or use the money towards other mediums if you want to branch out.
I use these brushes for detail work.
Dollar store for wash and dry brushing.
Holotap Detail Paint Brush Set, 10 Sizes Miniature Art Painting Brushes Micro Detail Brush Set for Spray Watercolor Oil Acrylic Craft Models Painting https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07H6Y37P7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eonjDb3TVPHZ1
As for paint, Vallejo starter set is the best starter set value and quality.
Dollar store "deco art" metallics are imho phenomenal.
Awesome! I’ll look into the paper for sure. I’ve been eyeing Arches, but it seems like an extravagance for someone who has no idea what they’re doing LOL!
I am using Winsor & Newton pans at the moment and Strathmore 140# cold press paper and just bought these brushes . I have no idea whether they’re actually any good, but they’re a damn site better than the water brushes I bought and the one that came with my pan set! 😊
Edit: a word
I can get a pic of some samples tonight for you. I did swatches when I got them. I'm not sure exactly where my old notebook is, and I've been testing out a cheap field kit lately, so I don't have any paintings easily available.
https://www.amazon.com/Watercolor-Paint-Set-Professional-Christmas/dp/B07DNPYF3J
This is what I'm trying right now. They're surprisingly decent! I mean, they're not the quality of the Kuretake, but they're super portable, and the sponge for cleaning the brush is connected by velcro, so it's easy to clean.
I use these for all dry-brushing, washes, and larger surface area basecoats. Keep the fancy brushes for actual detailed paint work.
https://www.amazon.com/Miniature-Paint-Brushes-Set-Hobbyists/dp/B004V4UFP6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=army+painter+brush&qid=1559070612&s=gateway&sr=8-3
They're half decent brushes. A cheap square shaped brush is good for the very light over all dry brush.
However if there's a games workshop near you their brushes are decent for the cost if you don't want to break the bank on brushes.
Games workshop gold paints are awesome too. But for silvers I use Vallejo model air as they coat really well.
Precision will come with practice and having fine detail brushes. You can by the GW ones, but there are other sets that give you more bang for your buck. Below are two links for some brushes, I have both and use a mix of the brushes. You want a nice range of larger brushes for the (eventual) larger models, and the smaller ones obviously for finer details.
For help with precision, there are youtube videos to help teach techniques, but again, comes with practice.
https://www.amazon.com/Transon-Detail-Weasel-Triangular-Painting/dp/B06XWPDMSR/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=transon+brushes&qid=1562736152&s=gateway&sr=8-5
https://www.amazon.com/Miniature-Paint-Brushes-Detailing-Watercolor/dp/B07JL9X2ZV/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=fire+in+me+brushes&qid=1562736082&s=gateway&sr=8-4
​
That is a great first model though, next step would be picking out some of the smaller details.
So these are some of my earlier ones, and I've improved my process a lot while making them. I'll post my next batch in a few days, it's noticeable how much cleaner they are.
I'm working on some super-basic black cotton fabric I got at a craft store. I just picked out something thin and not-stretchy. All color is applied with liquitex acrylic paint. Other than that you'd need a craft knife, scissors, push pins (thumbtacks), paint brushes, foam brushes, and your patch designs printed onto paper.
First, I cut the patch shape out of the fabric, and paint the entire surface black with a wide brush. This evens out the gradient of the fabric, gives you a much nicer surface to paint on, and seals the edges against fraying.
While this dries, I cut the stencil with a sharp craft knife and affix it to the painted fabric. I use push-pins for this, but if you'd mind the holes, temporary adhesive spray would probably also work.
I apply the first coat of un-thinned paint with a foam brush. Just load the foam brush up and press firmly straight down onto the stencil. Between the foam brush and tacking the stencil down, I've been able to get a very sharp first coat that requires minimal touchups.
Let the design dry a bit, then touch up the edges with black and white paint as needed, applied with a normal paint brush. Let dry, and (optional) spray it with an acrylic sealant and you're good to go.
Paint brush. like [THESE] (https://www.amazon.com/Art-Geeks-Miniature-Brushes-Painting/dp/B07SW7CQJQ/ref=sr_1_30?keywords=fine+tip+paint+brush&qid=1567229976&s=gateway&sr=8-30)
Doesn't have to be those exact ones. Walmart & many hobby shops carry em. You'll want one that is small enough to fit between the pins without damaging them but with bristles long enough to absorb alcohol to clean any residue (if there is any) on the chip.
Is there a specific pack you'd recommend on Amazon? I see this one for five bucks, but I have no idea how to tell if brushes are any good.
I use these and masters conditioning soap for all my brushes
Hi - kind of depends on what you are going to paint. In my experience I've needed a LOT more brushes than I thought I would, so tend to go for lots of cheaper sets - something like this as a basic set but then buying different sized sets with just round, filbert, flat, angled types of brushes. I would recommend getting some BIG brushes, and I've had teachers recommend the type of paintbrushes you can get at hardware/DIY stores etc.
A paint set is also good but the alternative is to look into limited pallettes - for example if you are doing portraits you might find it helpful just to buy the zorn pallette, but for landscapes etc you will need more varied colours. If you buy a set I've found it usual to buy another larger tube of white (either the same type of white in the set or a different one) as you will probably use a lot of white. I wouldn't buy the cheapest paint sets, Windsor and Newton is good.
I use this for eyes... super tiny brush.
Everyone touts the W&N line and natural hair brushes but I've been having no problems with my synthetic brushes. You dont need to pay an arm and a leg for brushes if you dont need to, if you are looking for a decent set here is one on amazon for 26 bucks that has a great selection of sizes. Heck a lot of the reviews for this specific set came from warhammer painters. Here is a set with a few more brushes and costs less, reviews seem good too.
You can save up over time for W&N if you want, look up basic brush maintenance and keep your brushes in good shape and you will rarely have issues. In the end the best brushes are the ones that have good quality while being comfortable to use. W&N is just really good quality hair, but I dont find them comfortable to use so it didn't matter.
I paint on my primer due to living in a complex that doesnt allow aerosol paints on site, so I can really help much there, sorry.
Happy painting.
Do a search on Amazon for "Miniature Painting Brushes" something like this set is very workable:
https://www.amazon.com/Fuumuui-Transparent-Profession-Miniature-Watercolour/dp/B07FPCT64N/ref=sr_1_59?keywords=Miniature+Brushes&qid=1571846309&sr=8-59
Read reviews, avoid those super bright orange taklon bristles, they tend to be more stiff that you'll want, better suited for painting with thicker mediums.
Reaper has a couple of great starter kits to get you started that not only contain paints, brushes, and some minis to practice on, they come with an instructional booklet packed in a handy case. They're honestly a great starting point and their paints are just as good as Vallejo or Citadel.
https://www.reapermini.com/paints#LearnToPaintKits
Army Painter and Vallejo also sell basic color sets that are just fine to start with. Search on Amazon and pick one you can afford - or check out your FLGS.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714QL55V/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_VccMDbHF0F90Y
If you need to buy brushes b/c you didn't get a reaper kit, 1-2 cheap sets of miniature detail brushes will be fine. You will ruin your first brushes, but nontheless look up brush care and when you've progressed you can decide if you want fancy brushes.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CJ7MBD1/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_iacMDbMBJJPAK
Get yourself some brush soap too:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AEANE/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_0bcMDb4S2QDPN
You don't need a million paints to start. All the primary colors (you know: red, blue, yellow, white, black, etc.) will let you mix your own colors to start. Just go slow and thin your paint with droplets of water.
Army Painter's 3 brush starter set is like $11 on Amazon and some of the best brushes I've used. There's a medium base coating/wash brush, a pretty solid dry brush, and a detail brush fine enough to do eyes.
https://www.amazon.com/Army-Painter-Hobby-Brush-Starter/dp/B004V4UFP6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479448484&sr=8-1&keywords=army+painter+brush
I would pick a simple color scheme and work on washes/edge lighting. I would avoid white or yellow as they're typically harder to make look decent.
Schmad on my add on
You guys got me hooked.
And paint brushes!.
paint brushes!
but wait, there's more!
Snerdle
[I love art :P] (http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Paint-Brushes-Acrylic-Watercolors/dp/B0035XKDJM/ref=sr_1_3?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1376003888&sr=1-3&keywords=paint+brushes)
It’s a 9x12 paper, and I used a Pentel Aqua Pen for the little details. It took a lot of patience and letting me not trying to be a perfectionist to work with that brush tho. I’m sure smaller brushes would have worked better.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0017OLHNM/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1525728870&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=pentel+water+brush
I don't ;-;
The entire thing became super messy.
But
I have a super fine paintbrush that makes things easy to control.
Try a wet palette so your paint doesn't start to gum up. And try a larger brush (it holds more moisture so the paint on tip doesn't dry as quick)
I personally bought a wet palette on amazon and a winsor & newton series 7 size 3 brush and it's really helped smooth my paint out. The clumps are coming from paint drying.
People who say "expensive" brushes aren't worth it and that you should be Michelangelo before buying anything nice are pretentious.
Yes, I used brush cleaner. I was even able to restore some old red citadel brushes with the soap. So, I’m going to place the blame on the quality of army painter brushes being sub standard.
https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Kolinsky-Sable-Watercolor/dp/B000YQI89K?th=1&psc=1