Need to finall replace my old brushes.

Malakai

New member
Looking for something reasonable as I'm not that great a painter and I work on commissions. The just have to be non-synthetic and hopefully between $5-$15USD. Thanks
 

JohnLobster

New member
I think synthetic brushes can be great, they don't last very long though.
at $15 a W&N 7 brush is possible. They are really are that good, but you have to treat them kindly
Rosemary I would consider best value. Their best is very very close to a 7

John
 

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
Looking for something reasonable as I'm not that great a painter and I work on commissions. The just have to be non-synthetic and hopefully between $5-$15USD. Thanks
Hmmmmmn, you should always get the best tools you can and as your brushes are your tools skimping on them is a mistake.
Good brushes are an investment, So W&N, DaVinci and Raphael,s should be on your list.
Buy cheaper brushes for rougher work like bases.
 

Sicks

Active member
i had been wondering myself whether it was worth investing in the more expensive brushes, being at an intermediate level i've always assumed that there wasn't much point just yet but after reading i have been convinced to give them a go, i've got a birthday and christmas coming up and a family who never knows what to buy me :victory:

having said that on the cheaper end of the scale i've been using the army painter brushes, i really like that they have a triangular handle to hold on to which i find quite comfy and helps me avoid brush slippage a bit more, i use brush soap to help them last longer, the one i've got at the moment has lasted something like 4-5 months and i've used it for almost everything, only switching to older brushes for stuff like stippling or drybrushing
 

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
Yeah, never been overly impressed with the Army Painter brushes, and my W&N's well some are several years old and still going.
 

Sicks

Active member
i've found them to be decent enough, but that could equally be due to my brush care habits improving too, though i wouldn't recommend the insane and psycho detail sizes, at first i thought they were good but they dont have many bristles and are very thin to start with (the psycho also has shorter bristles) i found them harder to clean and they didnt last very long either, even with only occasional use

sounds like the w&n's are a good investment then, if it means spending more up front but saving in the long run, means more to spend on minis :)
 

oistene

Active member
I liked the Army Painter brushes when I started out, then I got a W&N and now I don't like the AP brushes anymore. :p I use them for glue and bases and the like.

I recently got some Wamp brushes - I've barely used them, but first impression is that they are good for the price, nothing beats my W&N though. Unlike DR, I haven't been kind to mine, so the point isn't as good anymore, and restoring it only lasts for a day or two.
 

MAXXxxx

Well-known member
sounds like the w&n's are a good investment then, if it means spending more up front but saving in the long run, means more to spend on minis :)

yep. I'm quite rough on my brushes, but still a WnN lasts for a year or two even if I use it constantly (from basecoating to small details, sometimes even taking out paint and mixing (this is what really kills them)). If I'd be more careful it's take more time to ruin them.

Similar experiences with Raphaell 8404.
 

Sicks

Active member
the main reason i tried AP brushes was to tip an order over the threshold to qualify for free shipping :D found they were an improvement over old GW brushes at the time and have stuck with them for the last 8 months or so, i am terrible at using my brushes for paint mixing too instead of using an older brush, but thats something i'll be more mindful of if i had some fancy brushes i guess, my birthday is christmas eve so i'm pretty much banned from buying myself too much else my partner and kids dont know what to get me but at least now i can tell them i want fancy brushes and the scale75 metallic sets
 

AndyG

Active member
I mix and base coat etc with my W&N series seven kolinsky seriously the best and still going strong after a couple of years. At £11 money well spent as them really are the best and do make a difference in the quality of your painting for sure.
 

Legacy Account

Active member
Cheaper and equally good (IMO) alternatives to W&N S7

Rosemary & Co. Series 33
Pro Arte Renaissance
Pro Arte Series 100 sable/prolene blend (surprisingly excellent and very similar to a pure kolinsky brush...)
 
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Fentible

New member
Cheaper and equally good (IMO) alternatives to W&N S7

Rosemary & Co. Series 33
Pro Arte Renaissance
Pro Arte Series 100 sable/prolene blend (surprisingly excellent and very similar to a pure kolinsky brush...)

No love for the R&Co. Series 22? They only cost a little bit more and I love them.

I'm genuinely curious about your opinion. I've never had a new series 22 and a new series 33 at the same time, so I've not done a proper like-for-like comparison!
 

MrJim

New member
I ordered some Rosemary & Co Series 33 brushes back in January after reading a thread here and I love them. The handles are thinner than W&N or Raphael, so they felt a little awkward at first but now I am used to them. I am on month 9 and they are still in great condition.
 

Legacy Account

Active member
No love for the R&Co. Series 22? They only cost a little bit more and I love them.

I'm genuinely curious about your opinion. I've never had a new series 22 and a new series 33 at the same time, so I've not done a proper like-for-like comparison!

They're both kolinsky - essentially the same brush. The 22s bristles are slightly longer and slimmer. It's just preference :)

Last time I ordered I got a load of their really cheap sable brushes. Almost all of them are useable, but for a couple of quid extra you may as well stick to their kolinsky brushes.

The Pro Arte prolene/sable blend is a cracking detail brush - worth a try.
 

oistene

Active member
There might be differences to Kolinsky - there is a certain part of the hair that is better than the rest. Other parts have different quality. So the brushes might be the same brand, made on the same factory (or even different brands and made at the same factory!) but use different parts of the hair, and thus, one might be superior. That said, I know nothing about the R&Co, so it their case, it might be that you are right, same hair, just different.
 

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Staff member
I'd also add to Spacemunkie point that individual preferences need to be taken into account, for example I really like Rosemary & Co for my water colours but not as happy with them for miniatures.
My Raphael 8404 2/0 is my 'go to' brush for detail as I consider that superior to my W&N 7's and while Spacemunkie likes the pro-arte I've never been able to 'get comfortable' with them.

As with a lot of things it will take time to find the right tool for the task, but it's not something to scrimp pennies on, consider them an investment in quality.
 

Avelorn

Sven Jonsson
I got a bunch of Rosemary series 33 from a competition but I don't think they got enough spring. At least not in the smaller sizes I have.
 

Tjomball

New member
GW brushes are a bit meh in my opinion..
likewise can be said about my AP brushes.
my W&N S7's on the other hand.. Superb brushes.. Just care for them properly..
 

Grosvenor

New member
Just echoing others advice. Get the best you can afford and look after them. Use brush cleaner and restorer religiously[FONT=arial, sans-serif].[/FONT]
 

poison_

New member
We at warcolours have released a really good range of kolinsky brushes that are incredibly priced. They are perfect tools for miniature painting. Users have loved them.

You can also get advantage of the FREE shipping deal which is ongoing now.

check them out here:
www.warcolours.com
 
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