Comparing Synthetic Watercolour brushes part 3

[@saral.1933]

Hey Lizzie! I have watched all of your brush reviews, and I have a couple of suggestions that might be useful: 1. Have you tried a long round? I don’t usually work in small as a size one, but in the four and above the long rounds are quite lovely and Princeton provides them as well as a Winsor & Newton and several others. I personally like the Princeton velvet touch and the elite in the long round. You can try a size up as they are thinner, obviously, and longer than the usual of each size. So maybe a 1 or 2 might work well for you. 2. With a synthetic brush, you would think they would take more abuse however, I noticed that they frizz after a certain amount of time & friction, and seem in many ways, more delicate than the natural’s that I prefer. With that in mind, you may find more brushes useful if you can train yourself to use a separate brush for mixing, as I can see you are rigorous mixing your paints and many times the hairs on your brushes, fall off or are hanging off the side after such a mixing. 😆Just an observation. And if the 7 series works for you I see no reason why you should change. I was told that animals are not killed for the hairs used for brushes, but that they are secondary to the animal being used for other reasons. In addition there are always concerns about damage to the environment in any production of a large scale nature & that includes synthetic brushes. The world is not perfect. Which is worse I can not judge. I thank you for showing us ( well me really😊) how a professional works. I like that you have found your own way of painting. If you find that synthetics are not quite yet workable for you, wait & look again in a couple years. Keep your beloved 7’s until you find something equal or better. Until the next one! SARA

[@creativecolours2022]

Hi Sara. I'm Marialena. I agree 100% on what you've said about mixing with the brushes and that is what I've suggested as well to Lizzie. To keep using the Series 7 but stop mixing with these brushes because generally speaking and aside from Lizzie's brush needs the expensive painting brushes are not for mixing and there is no chance to retain the points of any kind of brushes if these are used for mixing. I personally have whole sets of natural hair brushes for decades, I have a set of Raphael 832 ( don't look for this model it doesn't exist anywhere online! ) that are still in perfect condition because I've never used them for mixing my colours,. Another thing that destroys in the long run the points of the natural hair brushes is the pans that we store our watercolor paints, particularly the half pans. These are so small that crash in the long run the points of the brushes, even if we prewet/spray the paints. So it is better to store the paints in palette boxes with slant wells or in blobs of colour into a tray or something similar.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hi Sara, thanks for this. And yes, you are SO right about the mixing, youre not the first to point out that mixing with the same brush you paint with is a guaranteed way of trashing brushes super fast. Maybe Ill try and change my ways, but it'll be hard! I'm got Princeton Velvet touch lined up to test, actually, so Im glad thats a second reccomendation for that one. And Im beginning to agree re the synthetic vs sable series 7. Interesting what you say about the animals not being killed specifically for the brushes, if thats true then I can throw these plastic brushes away and paint on with my series 7 s with a clear conscience! Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and for your suggestions and feedback X Lizzie

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hadnt even thought of the pan edges damaging the bristles. Oh man, who new painting pretty pictures of flowers was so darned technical!

[@creativecolours2022]

@@LizzieHarperillustrator They do spoil the edges of the brushes because they are very small and you forced to pick up the paint with the point of the brush. The best palette boxes are those with the slanted wells where you have enough space to pick up the paint with the sides of your brush. Plastic or metal ones. If at some point you need to replace your current watercolor box then consider to get one with slant wells like the Holbein folding one or similar. I'll send you links to see what I'm talking about because here I can't send a thing. Check your email later on.

[@gardengirl6636]

Thank you for your continuing synthetic brush quest! I’m following closely! 🎨

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Aww thanks. Hope its not getting too confusing, Im having to label everything really clearly so I dont test the same brush over and over again!

[@fionarae8365]

Thank you dear Lizzie - this has been so helpful and informative. 😀

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Im so pleased, Fiona

[@mikipiwonka4311]

Your Technik of such fine accurate stroke give it structure.I must learn to be patient.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

I'm not at all patient in any other areas of my life! It's also helpful that the more you do, the faster you get. x

[@cindrarauh2551]

As a fellow committed vegetarian, I, too, look for quality synthetic brushes. I adore your work and would like to be like you one day. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Thanks Cindra, and thanks for following the quest!

[@ankejacobs4649]

Hi Lizzie, I was chuckling along as you painted…. So funny! I really love your work ❤

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Aww thanks Jellyfish. You cant take these things too seriously, right? Glad you appreciate it. x

[@meowmeow1stgen668]

I have the Rosemary brushes too and I’m excited to try them.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

I hope they work beautifully for you. There are so many options! Id love to have a day trying all their ranges at their headquarters one day, I have no doubt at least some would be perfect...there are just too many to buy and try, though! Enjoy them.

[@inekedusseljee3093]

I agree with everything you mentioned about the brushes. They way you made the comments had me in stitches with laughter. I bet if you would ask Rosemary and Co. I am sure they would love to show you around. And maybe make brushes to your specs!

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Lovely Ineke, now wouldnt THAT be a treat. Ive been in contact with them before, I think theyre innundated with illustrators a bit like me, but thanks for flattering me that they'd make brushes to my specs. Thats a lovely dream, isnt it? And it also had ME in stitches with laughter, the idea of waltzing in and telling them to get engineering the perfect prush for me. Ah daydreams... 😅

[@inekedusseljee3093]

@@LizzieHarperillustrator they make special brushes for Anna Mason and Billy Showell, so why not for you? so just drop a line to them. Pretty sure they will help you! I am also very happy using their Designer red dot series too. I made a big mistake last time ordering from them. I ordered too many designers nr 6 Red Dot. 😂😂😂😂 So I will see if I can get one send to you. 😊😊

[@RichAdamsFineArt]

I like the Princeton Neptune for illustration work as well. If you have a chance to check out the Princeton Heritage 4050 in #1 or #2, you might like those as well. A bit firmer than the Neptunes and probably holds a bit less paint, but I really like them for drier, finer work. I mostly use the #2 since its point is nearly identical to the #1 and the body holds a bit more paint when needed.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Thanks for this Rich. Ive had a look, but UK suppliers dont seem to supply that range...yet. Ill put it on my "to test in the future" range ans it sounds very much like it'd work for me too. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@lenkam3712]

Escoda Versatil IS absolutely amazing brush but in larger sizes - I have #4 and #6 for botanical work and use the #4 all the time for initial washes or larger areas of leaves, stems or petals.. I can see why the smaller one (#1) doesn't not work for detail I think it is the fibers they are different than other synthetics - seem thicker and the perfect tiny point therefore on smaller brushes is not possible i guess. BUT the #4 I have (or other larger sizes) - those brushes are miracle the way they hold water, lots of water, and DO NOT dump the water at 1st touch of the paper. They release the wash so wonderfully slowly you have absolute control of the wash. The brush also lifts highlights so easily without worry about uneven cauliflower left. The complete control of the wash you have with Versatil brush is hard to describe, but I would compere it to Kolinsky 100%. After 1 or 2 layers with Versatil #4, I switch and finish painting with #2 WN Miniature Kolinsky - the #2Mini is my fave Kolinsky but Raphael or regular WN 7series also great as you know. But lately have been saving my Kolinsky and use Escoda Prado #2, 0 and 2/0. Prado wins for me compared to other small rounds synthetics I have/tried. On price note - what is going on with pricing of synthetics lately - Escodas $15 - $18 for small rounds each? That's double or triple compare not long ago.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hello, and thanks so much for this input. That's so useful about the Escoda versatil being wonderful for washes, hopefully it'll be read for someone on the look out for a good new wash brush to try. Ive been using the Princeton Velvetouch on a recent project and am very pleased with it, even for very detailed work. But yes, I just checked the price and it's almost doubled. I wonder why? It's annoying, the whole selling point is that they are really reasonably priced alternatives to sable, as you know. Although saying that I just checed the price of my number 1 series 7 and that's bounded to over £20 which is also an enormous increase. Such a pity. Anyway, thanks again for such excellent and in depth feedback! Yours Lizzie

[@artatjules]

@Lizzie Harper finding the right brush/paper when you've had a great one for a long time is a nightmare. I haven't tried it myself yet but have just ordered a neef needlepoint brush to try has a good size belly to hold the paint and a super point. I'm hoping it works out. Also have you tried Langton prestige 100% cotton hot pressed. I've only done one poppy painting on it but I'm quite liking the paper, I did try Arches after a lot of suggestions I know it's popular but I'm not a fan, happy painting x

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Hiya, ooh, another paper to try. Im still happy with my Fluid 100 although the last batch was weird. But after contacting the manafacturers they said a batch had gone out stuck in the pads upside down and guess what? Using the other side is fine! But Langton Prestige Id not considered. Thankyou. Not had I heard of the Neef Needlepoint brush, another to add to the list, perhaps? Hope it works out for you. Thanks so much X lizzie

[@2Spunck]

Another spoiler alert is that several say the Neptunes wear out their tips far too quickly. Fair warning for something I've had no direct experience with.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Thanks Lisa. Always worth listening to "word on the street" when it comes to art equipment

[@elisabetanitura1090]

I have multiple Escoda Versatils and I really don't like them, plus the tips seem to wear off very fast. I do like the Escoda Chronos a lot, available at Jackson's, would definitely recommend them. However Chronos are a mix of 90% synthetic Toray fibre with 10% red sable hair.

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Thanks for sharing, that's very helpful feedback. From further tests Ive done, it has to be said that Escoda do seem to be good. Ive tested Prado and Perla, and like both (film to follow in due course). But yeah, Im trying to avoid synthetic plus sable/squirrel mixes. That's good that the Chronos works well for you. I think the animal hair really is much better at holding those tips, alas....

[@elisabetanitura1090]

@@LizzieHarperillustrator looking forward to that video, I'm particularly curious about the Perla, I've seen it used and recommended by a lot of people

[@meowmeow1stgen668]

Your work is so precise. I think I’ve just come to the conclusion that painting isn’t my thing though. Iv really tried different brushes, techniques and everything and my work is not even workable lol

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Oh no! That's not the aim at all! Maybe you're one of those lucky people who work really loosely, with layers of wet watercolour washes. Or try drawing in graphite, charcoal, pen and ink. Sometimes it takes a while to find your medium of choice. Put an oil paint brush in my hand and watch me panic! So dont give up, just try different approaches? x

[@meowmeow1stgen668]

@@LizzieHarperillustrator thanks for your response :) would you believe after about 1000 goes, just after I wrote this to you, it clicked. And now I think I’ve got a decent grasp that can turn into a workable skill lol.

[@mikipiwonka4311]

It is somehow patchy with the Jackson brush!!

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Exactly, right?

[@chaosinca]

Hi Lizzie, i love your videos! I have an Escoda Versatil and my point is much better, but still not as sharp as my sables. I do really like it though and use it for larger areas. I love my Quill too but hardly ever use it as it holds sooooo much paint i don't know what to do with it! As much as i wish i could do that loose flowy style some artists paint, I'm a detail girl 😊

[@LizzieHarperillustrator]

Yeah, Im much the same. Details all the way. Glad your Escoda is good - in the last and next film I look at Escoda Perla and Prado - both even better than the versatil, I think.