Windsor Newton Cirrus 110 Brushes

[Cerridwyn1st]

I\'ve been trying to find WN S7 brushes locally. I\'m in Jacksonville, FL. Absolutely no luck. Last night, I came across something called a \"Cirrus 110\". According to some research I\'ve done this morning, the Cirrus 110 is a pure Kolinsky sable brush, manufactured to very high standards. It is intended to be a less costly alternative to the famous Windsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sables.

Well, I broke down and bought one last night. Since I only had a little while to paint with it, I can\'t really give a good review yet. But I really liked it last night. Anyone else tried these brushes? What were the results?

 

[Corvus]

I also use Kollinsky brushes, from a brand called \"JR Productions\". Don\'t know if there\'s a difference with the W&N ones, but they work fine for me :bouncy:

 

[Beelzebrush]

I have a couple of these brushes and I rate them. They keep their points well and are relatively inexpensive compared to Series 7. I\'ve also started using Pro Arte brushes... both sable and prolene... these are also very good value for money and are a good alternative to W&N.

 

[Chrispy]

Well, I HAVE ound W&N Series 7.. and cheaper than people have said! This is a good place for us in the south of America, but you Europeans and people up north might have to wait longer/ pay more for shipping:

Dixie Art Supplies sells the elusive brushes for under $10 for brushes under size 2 (more fibers mean more expense, obviously) I\'ve done business with them and my only complaint is their backorder policy: any other store that does not have all of your order online will usually ship what they have and send the rest out when they get it.. Dixie sent me most of my brushes, but then said they didn\'t have a no. 1 in and I would have to try and buy it again.. So let me get this straight, THEY screwed up and I have to pay for it? Egh....

Anyways, as I said I have the brushes and if they were females I\'d want each of them to have my children! They are watercolor brushes, which helps in painting with watred down colors. However, the same thing that makes them wonderful makes them a slight hazard: they will soak up paint into the brush handle if they are not cleaned well, so be sure to take care of them and they should last quite a while...

I\'m so obsessed with them, I\'m making a Japanese Katana-Style rack to keep them when not in use!

 

[Aryanun]

To buy or not...

The Series 7 the only art store here in town had looked like someone had used them for erasers. Bleh. :flame:

So I got myself the Vallejo Kolinsky\'s instead. Half the cost and they\'re great brushes.

I\'ve used the Cirrus 110, but for some reason they haven\'t withstood as well as the Vallejo\'s have.

*sigh* To own a good and decent Series 7. Chrispy, you\'re so lucky.

 

[Cerridwyn1st]

Finally got one

Well, I broke down and bought a Series 7 today. Not as cheap as you could get it at Dixie, more like about twice as much. Even the sales clerk had sticker shock. But, hey, there\'s always the value of instant gratification.

Figured I\'d support my local retailer to get my first brush, and get others online later if I REALLY like it.

For $15.00 US for a 2/0 I bloody well better like it.

lol

 

[t_haye2]

i use the Series 7 almost exclusively, together with series 5 flat brushes(for drybrushing), and Citadel brushes(mostly for aplying inks, basecoats and mixing). Funny actually, I got my hands on some of the new ones(Citadel) with the blue handles, and they\'re surely an improvement on the red handled ones!

 

[Beelzebrush]

Originally posted by t_haye2
i use the Series 7 almost exclusively, together with series 5 flat brushes(for drybrushing), and Citadel brushes(mostly for aplying inks, basecoats and mixing). Funny actually, I got my hands on some of the new ones(Citadel) with the blue handles, and they\'re surely an improvement on the red handled ones!

I always wondered if the GW staff painters actually used the GW brushes .... thought not

 

[Daan]

I use Da Vinci maestro kolinski brushes, they are made from male winter Siberian Kolinsky Red Sable fur. These are really excellent, and not too expensive (7 euro a piece, about $7.80). I really, really like these brushes.
It\'\'s a good thing I only need the really smal ones, I just saw they also come in size 50 for $975,-

Before I started using these, I used the blue fine detail brush from GW, but only 1 in 3 of those was any good, the other 2 had stray hairs or a few hairs that were too short etc.

 

[Aschul]

I bought one of those Cirrus brushes once and it was absolutely the worst brush I ever had. It fishtailed as soon as I got it wet and I could not get it to hold a point to save my life. It wasn\'t cheap either (though it was half the price of a Series 7). So if you\'re using those, test it before you buy it, as evidently they\'re not all the same!

On the other hand, I bought a fairly cheap W&N Cottman brush the other day and am very impressed with it. Seems to perform as well as a Series 7 and it\'s not as \"limp\" either. I guess I just prefer synthetic hairs.

 

[Garyo]

I\'ve been using the W&N 300 series Sceptre Gold and W&N 200 series Cotman brushes for years. Never had to spend more than $4 to $5 for the most expensive brush at a retail art stores. They have very long bristles and hold moisture very well. They keep their points well and resist splaying even when you get paint up in the ferel. I love em

Garyo

 

[Beelzebrush]

As mentioned... you definitely need to test a brush before you buy it to make sure it makes a good point. Don\'t just pick one up out of the display and go pay for it. A lot of art shops will have a small container of water next to the brushes for just this reason.

 

[supervike]

that explains a lot....

Originally posted by Beelzebrush
... A lot of art shops will have a small container of water next to the brushes for just this reason.

Oh that is what the water is for.

I took a little sip, because I was very thirsty.

I was wondering why the clerk kept giving me dirty looks!!lollol

 

[aon14]

I use kolinsky sable by A.J. Handover ltd.
These are good.
Having said this, most work I do on 28mil figures is with very cheap size 2+ humbrol which are something like 30p to 80p.

 

[ZeCorto]

In the US, you can get series 7 from www.misterart.com, they have great service and prices ($11.39 for the mini 0, or $9.72 if you get a vip membership). They also have a great selection of art products, well worth a visit.
And, to agree with Chrispy on their quality, I would say that my wife is jealous of them...

 

[Daan]

Originally posted by Chrispy
I\'m so obsessed with them, I\'m making a Japanese Katana-Style rack to keep them when not in use!

Hmmmm, I have seen a picture of such a rack with WN no.7 brushes, let me think...
Ooops, must have been JH

 

[Tuubje]

All my brushes are cheap ones I find everywhere. No brush has lasted more than a couple of weeks with me, I abuse \'em

 

[Chrispy]

Originally posted by Daan

Originally posted by Chrispy
I\'m so obsessed with them, I\'m making a Japanese Katana-Style rack to keep them when not in use!

Hmmmm, I have seen a picture of such a rack with WN no.7 brushes, let me think...
Ooops, must have been JH

Actually, her\'s is sterling silver... but then if I could spit on a mini and sell it for $100 then maybe I could afford one, too..

 

[t_haye2]

there we go again....