If anyone lives in the Newcastle area, there is a great arts and crafts shop just opened downstairs in the Monument Mall (next to Monument Metro) called Image-e-nation, they stack loads of good quality brushes from hog hair to sable, acrylic paints and inks (apparently, though i havent tried them yet) suitable for minature painting, brass etchings in various patterns/symbols, and hundreds of other handy little arty things that can come in useful. And most importantly of all its very reasonable priced! (and it has a little cafe which sells great choc muffins!)