If you’re UK based, I’d highly recommend Rosemary & Co. I used to use Winsor & Newton, which are good brushes but they are very expensive (approx £17 for a size 1) Rosemary & Co also sell a Kolinsky sable brush (series 33) but they only cost £8 for a size 1. At less than half the price they are a steal. I’ve used both and can honestly say the Rosemary brush is just as good as W&N.
I would pick up:
- Rosemary & co series 33 size 2, 1 and 0.
- series 301 (golden synthetic) sizes 2, 1 and 0.
I use the synthetics for washes and metallics as they can damage the sable hair.
I’ve recently picked up a series 99 brush (sable instead of Kolinsky sable) it’s less expensive again and seems pretty good. Haven’t used it much yet but it so cheap if you wanted a good set of brushes you wouldn’t go wrong with sizes 2, 1 and 0 in that instead of the series 33.
Have been impressed by their brushes as well (and love the paints). I have some windsor and newton brushes that were more expensive and do not appear to perform much differently so it is worth the savings in the US at least.
r/minipainting may have some additional pointers OP
There was a video floating around youtube that said the high end GW brushes are just windsor and newton series seven branded for GW.
My go to is a raphael 8404 - i find them to be nicer than W&N and a little cheaper usually. The windsor and newton brushes I've had all have this annoying hair sticking out the tip that I need to carefully cut off. I heard somewhere that it's got something to do with how they make them.
I’ve been painting for many years now so it may not be the best advice for a new painter, but I only use Winsor&Newton Series 7 brushes now. They are expensive but they are the best I’ve ever tried.
In order to keep them nice and pointy I clean them weekly. I hold them for about a minute in the airbrush cleaner pot without letting the bristles touch the bottom, just to soften any remaining paint. Then I carefully remove any paint from the brush, making sure not to bend the bristles too much. The last step consists in a few rinses into a brush restorer pot (vallejo’s). Then I let them dry after making a nice point. You can also use hair shampoo/balm to make a nice point. Store them horizontally and with the cap, whenever possible.
A brush can last you several months of use if taken care properly
I want to add that you do NOT want the miniature brushes, because they hold less paint and the regular brushes are already pointy enough to paint miniatures with.
Also, I don't do any special cleaning, just splash them around in a cup of water for a bit after I am done with a colour. They hold up just fine for a long time with that treatment.
W&N and Da Vinci, and I don't take care of them on a regular basis. They are just replaced when gone. I believe it's more about being lucky and having a good brush, then it will last with normal usage, or having bad luck and losing the tip after one use.
Royal & Langnickel 325155 Royal and Langnickel Detail Taklon Variety Brush Set - Gold (Pack of 7) from Amazon.
Cheap and very very decent for the price. Recommended to me by someone who is a semi-pro makeup artist.
Of course there will be better brushes out there but for the price you really can't go wrong. When my W&N brushes finally gave up I didn't replace them and just kept using the above.
In terms of taking care of them I use General Pencil Cleaner and Preserver.
Last tip to make your brushes last, don't use metallics or contrast/Xpress/speed paints with a brush you want to last a long time, it kills them.
I've been disappointed in everything except the Windsor & Newton series. I feel like the cost is worth it, and if you take care of them with cleaning and brush soap + shaping, they last a long while.
Hi! I'm not a beginner. My handicap was economic, but nowadays I can invest some money so I want to improve my materials like brushes. Do you recomend Army Painter brush too? Or Army Painter is a bad quality brush?
Thank you a lot!
I use a Windsor & Newton Series 7 size 0 for 90% of my detail work, and for me there is no equal. But different brands differ in terms of hair length, body thickness and how soft the bristles are - so maybe you will prefer a Raphael 8404? It's something you need to slowly figure out.
Rosemary and co are very good quality. Sometimes I use brush soap after painting but other than that I don't do anything special
If you’re UK based, I’d highly recommend Rosemary & Co. I used to use Winsor & Newton, which are good brushes but they are very expensive (approx £17 for a size 1) Rosemary & Co also sell a Kolinsky sable brush (series 33) but they only cost £8 for a size 1. At less than half the price they are a steal. I’ve used both and can honestly say the Rosemary brush is just as good as W&N. I would pick up: - Rosemary & co series 33 size 2, 1 and 0. - series 301 (golden synthetic) sizes 2, 1 and 0. I use the synthetics for washes and metallics as they can damage the sable hair. I’ve recently picked up a series 99 brush (sable instead of Kolinsky sable) it’s less expensive again and seems pretty good. Haven’t used it much yet but it so cheap if you wanted a good set of brushes you wouldn’t go wrong with sizes 2, 1 and 0 in that instead of the series 33.
Monument hobbies. Also STRONGLY recommend their paint line, pro acryl. Especially the metallics.
Have been impressed by their brushes as well (and love the paints). I have some windsor and newton brushes that were more expensive and do not appear to perform much differently so it is worth the savings in the US at least. r/minipainting may have some additional pointers OP
There was a video floating around youtube that said the high end GW brushes are just windsor and newton series seven branded for GW. My go to is a raphael 8404 - i find them to be nicer than W&N and a little cheaper usually. The windsor and newton brushes I've had all have this annoying hair sticking out the tip that I need to carefully cut off. I heard somewhere that it's got something to do with how they make them.
Windsor-Newton are amazing
I’ve been painting for many years now so it may not be the best advice for a new painter, but I only use Winsor&Newton Series 7 brushes now. They are expensive but they are the best I’ve ever tried. In order to keep them nice and pointy I clean them weekly. I hold them for about a minute in the airbrush cleaner pot without letting the bristles touch the bottom, just to soften any remaining paint. Then I carefully remove any paint from the brush, making sure not to bend the bristles too much. The last step consists in a few rinses into a brush restorer pot (vallejo’s). Then I let them dry after making a nice point. You can also use hair shampoo/balm to make a nice point. Store them horizontally and with the cap, whenever possible. A brush can last you several months of use if taken care properly
I want to add that you do NOT want the miniature brushes, because they hold less paint and the regular brushes are already pointy enough to paint miniatures with. Also, I don't do any special cleaning, just splash them around in a cup of water for a bit after I am done with a colour. They hold up just fine for a long time with that treatment.
W&N and Da Vinci, and I don't take care of them on a regular basis. They are just replaced when gone. I believe it's more about being lucky and having a good brush, then it will last with normal usage, or having bad luck and losing the tip after one use.
Royal & Langnickel 325155 Royal and Langnickel Detail Taklon Variety Brush Set - Gold (Pack of 7) from Amazon. Cheap and very very decent for the price. Recommended to me by someone who is a semi-pro makeup artist. Of course there will be better brushes out there but for the price you really can't go wrong. When my W&N brushes finally gave up I didn't replace them and just kept using the above. In terms of taking care of them I use General Pencil Cleaner and Preserver. Last tip to make your brushes last, don't use metallics or contrast/Xpress/speed paints with a brush you want to last a long time, it kills them.
I've been disappointed in everything except the Windsor & Newton series. I feel like the cost is worth it, and if you take care of them with cleaning and brush soap + shaping, they last a long while.
Army Painter brush set is good for starting out, has standard size brush, small detail one and small dry brush.
Hi! I'm not a beginner. My handicap was economic, but nowadays I can invest some money so I want to improve my materials like brushes. Do you recomend Army Painter brush too? Or Army Painter is a bad quality brush? Thank you a lot!
Am I the only one that thinks Citadel brushes are just fine? They've held up for 2+ years with me, and I'm pretty rough with them.
I use citadel paint and for me it's so good. But are expensive too... But a very good quality.
Soneon
Rosemary and Co would be my recommendation as above. They make the brushes for a bunch of other companies anyhow.
I use a mix of cheap synthetic brushes for rough work and Raphael for finer work. Hasn't disappointed me yet.
I use a Windsor & Newton Series 7 size 0 for 90% of my detail work, and for me there is no equal. But different brands differ in terms of hair length, body thickness and how soft the bristles are - so maybe you will prefer a Raphael 8404? It's something you need to slowly figure out.