I spent $300 to answer your top paintbrush questions | Ultimate Brush Guide

[@LylaMev]

What is your go to brush brand?

[@omagadpourquoi3940]

i use synthetic brushes from giftedcustomart and i used the size 0 for 25+ hours straight of painting, it didn't curved AT ALL!! i got a set for 75 cents on a discount store, aiming to ruins them on decors, they are absolutely fantastic as brush, and if i take account of the price i paid they are impossible to beat. i get back to the discount and bought the 6 pack that was remaining just to get them if the first set if ready to trash. honestly i don't think i'll use them all, i'll probably still have them when my kids will start to paint. the only default, is that on each brush of the first set (i didn't opened the others) i had to cut 1 plastic hair that was too long. i use the size 0 and 4 on all miniatures, and only use my windsor and newton for eyes or things like that. Also, they are kinda "hard", i mean the bristle don't flex that easily compared to natural fur, this is a really good thing for so many reasons i can had they are white, and this is amazing to see the paint on them, you really know when they are clean!

[@Frostfly]

Please please Please don't recommend Hobby Lobby for ANYTHING. They(the owners) have horrible labor practices and terrible opinions on women's rights.

[@khanoclast]

I always liked W&N S7 brushes, but I find I use da Vinci and Zem brushes a lot more. I agree with you on the Chronicle Cards sable brushes -- I found the #1's were almost unusable, but the #0s have been fine so far. I haven't tried the wolf hair one's yet. I also separate my brushes by quality (the scummy brushes get used to mix paint in the airbrush cup or apply masking fluid), but also by media. I paint in both acrylic and oils, so I've got brushes dedicated to each medium, and never the twain shall mix. I also 100% agree -- cleaning the brushes with brush soap is the key to longevity. This is a two step process for me: 1. Clean the brush, and rinse the soap out. 2. Then, apply more soap and reform the tip. Then let the brush dry with the soap still on the tip. This helps keep the tip formed nicely, and allows the conditioners in the soap to work on the hairs. Before every session, I rinse the brush in either water or oil medium to get ready for paint anyway, so I don't have to deal with the soap residue.

[@stevenborman9110]

W & N 7 series, have had some for years now.

[@VaultBoy13]

Rosemary & Co Series 22 with the short handles. I was using their Series 33 for awhile, but I prefer the longer brushes since it holds a bit more paint/water. I found the 33s, especially at the smaller sizes, would dry out a little to fast. Unfortunately, their brushes can't be shipped to the US anymore due to weird import laws around kolinsky sable. So, when these wear out (hopefully, not for a long time), I'll probably be looking at W&N S7.

[@JohnFBowen1]

I've found that, coupled with a rare "boiling water" trick, one thing that works wonders on hooked tip synthetics is "Green Stuff - Brush Repair Gel". After painting, I thoroughly clean/soap the brush > form the tip with the gel > let it sit overnight. They last a *lot* longer and reset back to a very usable state.

[@LylaMev]

Thanks for the advice!

[@VerboseSparrow]

"I wear clothes while miniature painting, and I'm sure you wear clothes while miniature painting"...... uh huh. I definitely wear clothes. 100% didn't paint Mortarion entirely in my underwear. Who would do that? Weird.

[@benmiles00]

Raphael is all I can afford but I love them. They are fantastic.

[@terrencemiltner1005]

Thanks for the rundown. I appreciate the overview of brush levels. I was already doing that to a degree. But that idea of a silverware organizer is one I will be looking at creating. The idea of how to store wet and drying brushes is also helpful. Thanks for the video.

[@richardellis4583]

I went plant-based a couple years ago and now only use synthetic brushes. The ones I'm really impressed with, enjoy using and would recommend are the Tamiya Modeling Brush HG 🙂

[@LylaMev]

I will have to try those, I want to find synthetic brushes I like!

[@eetennak966]

Thanks for that! Was looking for a vegan alternative:))

[@w.i.t.c.h.q.u.e.e.n]

Thank you!

[@RatBastardDan]

I would like to know your thoughts on the Escoda Versatil line, which is specifically meant to approximate kolinsky sable

[@richardellis4583]

@@RatBastardDan I've not tried those but I will take a look and give them ago, any excuse for more brushes haha!!

[@robertdean52]

I’ve been using Winsor Newton Series 7 for a while now. I used to use a 4 level hierarchy of brushes when I used all synthetics, btw, slightly out of order so that it rhymes: “Old brush, New brush, Dry Brush, Glue Brush”. The Series 7s with care have been lasting me a long time, so I buy cheap synthetics for the scut work rather than waiting for a sable to wear out.

[@huffinLeeroy]

+Respect for summarising within the first couple of minutes your final thoughts - hate the baiting of waiting til the end of the vid...it actually encouraged me to watch the whole thing.

[@philurbaniak1811]

👍👍thank you Lyla! My take on this is: the best brush is either a) the one you find easiest to use, b) the one which is most appropriate for the job or c) the best one you can afford to waste! And 100%, brush care = value 😁👌!

[@universeturtle]

I almost never used my Winsor Series 7 brush until I had to paint the veins on Mortarions wings and his eyes. That brush could do it all from super tiny stipples for eyes and the ability to paint crisp clean lines for inches on end.

[@LylaMev]

exactly!

[@Lamefoureyes]

Lylaaaa! It finally clicked for me how water has to be behind paint for it to flow off of the brush! All of a sudden it became very natural to control the amount of moisture by re-wetting or dabbing much more frequently. I think I was stuck in the mindset of "all of the paint needs to go on the model or it's wasted", so I was afraid to rinse my brush out, but your explanations and practice made it click.

[@PartisanGamesLtd]

Thanks for clearing up the storage debate, I've been telling my customers for years to store their brushes in the protection tube bristles down.

[@WinstonCorneilius]

One set of brushes I don’t hear much of, are Angelus acrylic. They are meant for painting sneakers etc. they hold up extremely well. Brush care is super vital

[@clubjer]

I work primarily in oils so my "go to" are Army Painter, Princeton Aqua Elite and Velvet touch. When I do use acrylics I find Monument Hobbies Pro Sable work quite well.

[@FFXIForge]

I bought a set of sable brushes from a company in Australia called Back to Base-IX last year and I love them! They also have the feature of unscrewing and storing inside the handle for travel, which is great for me. They're not terrible expensive, either.

[@Jethropeth]

Just checked them out on your recommendation, definitely gonna pick some up soon!

[@swirle13]

Regarding storing brushes up or down, I come from the "wet shaving" world (straight razors, double edge razors, badger/boar hair brushes for lathering) and the advice is to never store the brush bristles up when it's wet as the water and any leftover soap gets into the knot and can stay there for a long time and eventually get musty or start molding, so I always have a free hanging stand for my brush. I've treated my paint brushes the same way, except I don't have things to hang them from, so I always left them on their side until dry. Glad to see that's reinforced by W&N!

[@velveteenv76]

Best brush according to Dana is the one in your collection that still has a point.

[@testaccount6295]

Love the content! I've always wanted to see a video on when to use and how to use certain types of paint - when/how do you use glazes, when/how do you uses washed, etc.

[@thiloschreiner6943]

I am using a soap bar to clean my brushes, than clean them in water and than going into the wet soap again, forming the tip on the soap surface or simply use a paper towel and let them dry tip up. The tip then hardens and the brush stays in shape. Works best for me and I'm done whith synthetic brushes since they get out of control every time soon.

[@Ciddy1980]

Had too many bad S7 and now the 8404 is my go to. Have many AO but just don't get on with them at all.

[@panzerleader49]

I bought a Winsor & Newton Series 7 in 1991 while I was at Euromilitare at Folkstone, UK. That brush still has a needle point and holds/flows paint like a champ. I use it for fine work like faces and eyes. If W&N were good enough for Queen Victoria, they're good enough for me (just no ivory handles please). Not cheap, just really good. :)

[@LylaMev]

YOUR BRUSH IS AS OLD AS ME.

[@DarkMatters96]

That was a huge pack of useful information, thank you so much, Lyla! Btw, how have I missed you reaching 100K🤯 Congrats!

[@oldskooljules]

I would be keen to see you try more Taklon brushes, I think I have one by Tamiya that has lasted me since I bought it many moons ago. I definitely see an importance in not driving up demand for sable brushes, given the treatment of these animals by the vast majority of sources.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

A neat trick for cleaning stubborn dark colours from your brush - toothpaste. Best I’ve found is a smoker’s toothpaste called Euthymol, which is so strong it will probably strip dried yacht varnish. It’s also great for getting dried paint from the ferrule. Don’t know if it damages sable as I’m a cheapskate and mainly use synthetics.

[@lhiannan02]

My favourite sable and synthetic brushes come from Broken Toad. They haven't let me down with anything I've worked on. The sales can be tough to get, but the synthetic/fugazi brushes are easier to pick up.

[@cavalaxis]

I haven't been painting long enough to have a favorite brush brand. That's why I watch you! Also, have you tried the boiling water trick to straighten synthetic brush tips? Does it work?

[@LylaMev]

I talk about it in the video, and it does work!

[@FFXIForge]

​@@LylaMev I have a TON of synthetic brushes that are curled like crazy! I've never heard of the billing water trick, but I'm going to try it out tonight!

[@Glitch_343]

I used to love Series 7 brushes but have found that the QC of them has nose dived in recent years. I remember receiving a brand new size 1 brush that didn't even have a tip on it. Which is why I moved over to Artis Opus Series S (as i like a longer brush) which I have never had a bad experience with (so far). Only thing I have noticed with them though is that you will burn through an Artis Opus brush quicker than a Series 7. But they are cheaper so that offsets the life cycle for me.

[@mikekelley2991]

Couple things. First the Sonja is really magical. I have tried different brush soaps before and this one is really the best so great call! Second, Winsor Newton are my favorite brushes too. They have a line called Miniature brushes. THESE ARE SMALL BRUSHES, not brushes specifically for miniatures. learn from my mistakes. Go Winsor Newton though, fantastic recommendation!

[@AnythingButOnes]

Totally agreed! Each brush has a function and moves thru phases before they are chucked away!

[@HeadHunterSix]

Redgrass bills their brushes as "the last brush you'll ever need", but in my experience that should be followed by "to finish your current mini, providing you just got the brush". They wear too quickly, mine have shed bristles, and they don't keep a good enough point for daily use. And I take very good care of my brushes. I agree that the W&N Series 7 and Raphael 8404 are my favorite brands.

[@nachodrd]

I bought the Chronicle Card brushes because I liked their Kickstarter and I figured that I may as well. I got about 15 brushes for about £70, which wasn't terrible, but the brushes were really disappointing. Feels weird to use Kolinsky sable to put on metallics, washes and contrast, but they do keep their shape better than synthetics, and now that I have them, I have no better use for them. My Raphael 8404 size 1 is still my workhorse. Good for everything.

[@ianwieserman1068]

Raphael 8404. I've really wanted to experience the magic of the W&N series 7, but I've ordered 2 now and they both have split down the middle after the first session. Kept paint out of the ferrule and cleaned them well too. Just unlucky I guess. Good video!

[@LylaMev]

where did you get them from? I've heard there are a lot of fakes!

[@laneawakeDan]

Yeah I have used multiple da vincis, W&N 7s and raphaels, and I find I much prefer the 8404 in the end - its all personal preference after a certain level of quality is reached perhaps? Also I strongly recommend getting a size 1 raphael 8408 - absolute game changer for fine lines and edge highlighting. They are longer and thinner than the others mentioned (alternatives include the 8413 and 8826)

[@Justin_black_leviathan]

I love the raphael 8404 brushes.

[@steveisaak4320]

I use, for inks, washes the monument hobby brushes that are synthetic. They have lasted me for quite some time, but I also watched and used the video by artis opus on brush care that helped tremendously.

[@PeterIsATeacher]

OOF THAT OPENING. Straight up going for the jugular on brush care lol

[@bruceyoung9692]

So I use a Raphael 8404 for my heavy lifting when I am doing brush work but I fall back on my Monument Hobbies Ignitor line brushes for fine detail work. Another thing you can do is when you are done cleaning your brush, you can work a little soap into the bristles before forming up your point. Most brush soaps also act as a conditioner and if you leave the soap in the bristles it'll help extend the life of your brush. I've had the same size 1 8404 now for like four years and while the tip isn't razor sharp, it's still great for anything but the sharpest of details.

[@LylaMev]

I have not heard of the ignitor line, thank you!

[@bruceyoung9692]

@@LylaMev It's their sable line. They're hard to get sometimes because they sell out very quickly.

[@adamholt5395]

The funny thing is that I've been painting for over 2 years now and I own some fancy expensive brushes, but honestly, I like the cheaper water color brushes that you've recommended. I get a few of the size 4 or 6 round brushes water color brushes from Princeton Artist Brush co. I use these for everything, except for really fine details. That's when I will use my sable brushes, but otherwise I use them until they are dead and then I use them some more.

[@FFXIForge]

I've got 1 Princeton brush and I actually REALLY like it! It has served me well, and I think I'll be buying more in the future.

[@rangarelpiadoso]

I have a kolinsky brush and I had it for a year, it's as good as new, i painted 3 3000 pts Warhammer armies and it's still perfect

[@reddragon4482]

This is a good video for brush care for sure. Thank you.

[@mattvaughn8525]

For anyone reading this I can't express enough how important it is to at least get decent brushes. For context I am a HUGE fan of budget hobbying. I make most my terrain myself and almost exclusively use cheap hobby paint (Apple barrel, Folkart ect.). But the one thing I will not compromise anymore is my brushes. I used to use cheap brushes from walmart and always wondered why my miniature paint jobs always turned out shabby and started to question my ability. I bit the bullet and got a really nice set of brushes and I couldn't believe how much easier it made my life. Once you feel the control you get from a nice brush you won't ever go back either. Good video!

[@alcovitch]

Honestly, you're telling people not to cheap out on brushes (I agree) but use FOLKART paint for minis? Come on man, go buy some Vallejo paints.

[@HeadHunterSix]

Sorry, friend, but the problem there isn't your brushes - it's the substandard craft paint. Sure, a good brush is essential, but it won't do anything about the overly coarse pigment or easily broken medium that you find in craft paints. If you're going to go with good tools, then you need to consider that _paint is a tool too_ .

[@GasolineBoots]

I liked the video. It was nice learning about the tools i struggle to use instead of having to watch someone infinitely more skilled than me use them. Wait….thats not quite, i still like to watch good painters paint, it was just nice to hear a bit about the tools of the trade from a master of the craft. Well done Ma’am

[@MrEScience]

A new brand at my LGS is "Ghost" brushes. They are soft synthetic brushes that seem to hold up well, are much nicer than the multi-pack ones and cost just 3 bucks a piece.

[@crunchysocks5208]

My go-to top end brushes have always beeen W&N Series 7, and my favourite synthetics are Da Vinci Nova. Their filberts are wicked for drybrushing. Thanks for the great video!

[@LylaMev]

I haven't tried that one!

[@travelminipainter]

Hands down the Raphael 8404 series. I usually use a size 1 or 2. My size 2 is almost 4 years old now and still in near mint condition. But I do take care of my brushes. I tried the W&N, but they started to deteriorate much faster than the Raphaels in my experience. Also I live in France, so I can get the Raphaels anywhere art supplies are sold and they are 30-40 % less expensive than the W&N.

[@LylaMev]

Thanks for the info!

[@travelminipainter]

@@LylaMev Just as an addendum. I have been testing the new 8344 line from Raphael for the last two weeks. I got myself a size 0, 1 and 2. They are synthetic Kolinsky brushes, and as per Raphael the equivalent of the 8404 natural Kolinsky sable brushes. And I must say... They are perfect brushes and behave just like my 8404. But for 1/3rd of the price. Plus no animals get harmed in their production.

[@HeadHunterSix]

Thanks for the tip on W&N S7 brushes through Amazon. I was surprised at how affordable the Size 1 was, so I picked up a few through your affiliate link.

[@ohhoimork6844]

As someone who’s generally doing pretty well if a brush lasts longer than a week, this is very helpful 😆

[@LylaMev]

Relatable!

[@ScaleModelMuse]

I have one more tier for old brushes...they become parts holders for my other modeling projects. I put clips on the ones I can and use poster tack on the rest for securing parts.

[@jlohry]

Need to see how you painted that Goliath!! Thanks for the informative video!

[@pariahzero]

For me, the last stage of a brush's life is when it undergoes metamorphosis: It sheds the bristles and ferrule of its juvenile form, and finds new life in the workshop: as a stirring rod for larger paint bottles, a handle for objects being airbrushed, materials for a diorama, and so on. If the handle is resin, I've melted them with flame and pulled them to form filaments for rope, spiderwebs, etc.

[@Ryuondo]

I found a Japanese synthetic brush set at a Japanese grocery store in San Fransisco that was 5 brushes for $1USD a decade ago. The smallest brush in the set lasted me 3 years without any brush care outside of the basic rinse between brush loads and post paint session cleaning with only warm water. It took 2 years for the tip to curl and an additional year before the furrel got screwed. I've been trying to find a way to buy them online but have been unsuccessful in even finding them. I used the largest brushes for drybrushing and periodically still use them, though I have moved on to make up brushes bought on Amazon for 19 bucks for 16 brushes. They work well, but take FOREVER to dry between colors.

[@mo_dakka]

Great timing! I finally got fed up with my brushes splitting and started an investigation. Your tips are appreciated

[@jarrettlee1303]

W&N7 were my only brushes for years and years - but lately they started to seem to have quality control issues and I was having trouble with them maintaining a sharp tip, loose/stray hairs etc. Maybe I need to give them another chance. WIth Redgrass, maybe I got a bad batch but the black (plastic?) ferrules were coming right off the handles for me!

[@donniem7979]

Into the AM underwear is actually a glorious purchase. I'm a house painter and they fit great and endure a lot of sitting and scooting!

[@TrainorsTabletop]

my favorite brush in the world is the davinci series 35 size 2! the series 10 is nice but my gosh if you get a great series 35 nothing compares!

[@joesleboda7200]

Hey there, I've enjoyed your hobby videos for a while now, but never felt like commenting until I watched this one. Maybe it's confirmation bias. Maybe it's something else. I don't know. Either way, it was fantastic to see so many of the things I've experienced over my 37 years of painting reinforced by what you shared. Plus, your style and honesty made the message just that much more nifty. So, thanks for making this video. Now, off to share it with my love, so she'll start cleaning her WNS7s. :)

[@LylaMev]

I'm so glad I got your comment, it means a lot!

[@OliverOusley]

Some of the brush cleaner/conditioner stuff from artis opus is worth a look.

[@SorenStaun]

Great video Lyla! Really enjoyed it.

[@jonathaneka4591]

Bought Winsor & Newton Series 7 Size #0, twice. First brush: 2020 Second brush: 2022 Both has similar quality & has no issue at all. Maybe because I bought it from a legitimate store from a legitimate distributor.

[@vincemincevince]

i actually use as my main brush the black handle medium shade brush by citadel as it’s a sable synthetic mix

[@iisjah]

I had my heart broken by W&N twice when I got brushes that I'm not even able to paint normal paintings with (and I basically ordered, seen one paintbrush, returned it, order again, and the second one was also deffective), not even including miniatures (and I basically ordered, seen one paintbrush, returned it, order again, and the second one was also deffective). I think my favs now are the DaVinci ones :) they just be good even when using them exlusively :D

[@B4MBI72]

Rosemary & Co Series 33 size 2 or 3 for almost everything, they are about a third of the price of a W&N and also produced in the UK. I really dont like the over priced W&N S7, I may have just got bad brushes but every brush I have had from them has split like mad. They also do a nice range of synthetics too but I cant remember what series number they are, might be 441.... Also a tip (pun intended) to get the tip back on a curling synthetic brush, dip it in very hot water for a 10-20 seconds and reform the tip by hand then put it in cold water. It wont fix really bad brushes but it does help get rid of that early tip curl.

[@LylaMev]

I wish I could have gotten a rosemary to try! They no longer ship to the US

[@alexhall2924]

They still ship to Wind River arts in the US. They will ship to you, and pricing is great. Would love to see you compare these to the others.

[@darthkek1953]

Vince Vent recommends 5 brushes. 3 cheap ones (big one for washes, broken one for inks, makeup brush for highlights) and 2 OK quality sable (sizes 2 and 00). So he basically does everything with two real brushes.

[@bpwargaming7807]

I'm a huge fan of reaper's kolinsky brushes

[@aristotle29]

I had the opposite opinion of the Chronicle Cards brushes. The Wolf ones seem fine while the Sable brushes were very disappointing. Also, they both came in after I moved over to oil paints, which I mean I guess I could just ruin these with those paints. About Synthetic brushes, you can live dangerously by using a hot pan. Just keep it wet while doing it, keep the heat low, and keep the brush moving. It only takes like a minute per brush.

[@darthhall6187]

I had a lot of bad experiences with W&N S7 brushes. Every other brush would just crap out after a couple of uses, especially the No1 & 2 sizes. I do use brush soap etc. to maintain all my brushes regardless of their quality/price, so not like I was not treating them well. I think it was just a run of bad luck, but I stopped buying them either way. I now use Tamiya (synth and sable) brushes without issues, as they are really easy to find here in Japan.

[@minipaintingforyou]

I also prefer the W&N7. However, time and again I start a paintjob that I don’t care about a lot with the much cheaper redgrass large brush and just go on without issues 😊

[@lordnovas]

This has been very informative, thanks a bunch. I think wolf brushes are meant to be a challenge, they should bring out your inner wolf while painting. If your not frustrated their not working. ;)

[@LylaMev]

exactly!

[@Matt-km1ek]

Appreciate you doing this review! Thanks!

[@kevinhayes517]

Great review of brushes, thanks!

[@wastedart1794]

Thx yo very much for the brush advices they where very good saber hair and types is something nobody tells the newcomers about :) best buy i have done so far :)

[@insearchofourgoodlife2165]

You had me at 'drink tea'. 😍

[@ivanupton6586]

I wish you had made this video before I backed the Chronicle Cards kickstarter.... still waiting on the shipping for that kickstarter too...

[@TheSpazztech]

I really like the DaVinci brushes they were my go-to but recently the prices have nearly doubled so they are not really a great value anymore. I bought 2 sets of brushes from monument at Adepticon a couple years back, and both sets curled as soon as they got wet. I mean every brush in both sets had tip curl before I even used them. They were more than 100$ I sent an email but never received a reply.

[@JoeFlamenco]

I’m going to have to try one of those nice and good brushes someday. I’ve been using army painter brushes that came with a paint set forever.

[@LylaMev]

I can now honestly say i am not biased and the winsor newton is the best.

[@JoeFlamenco]

@@LylaMev I’ll give one a shot!

[@mightyblowstudio]

Marta Top Line Kolinsky Monument Hobbies Pro Sable Raphael 8404 Rosemary & Co series 33 These are my current recommendations to anyone looking for quality brushes 😀

[@bryanm6826]

My monument brushes are the only synthetics I have that don’t curl - strange we had opposite experiences.

[@LylaMev]

I have heard such great things about them!!!! I was so sad when they curved immediately!

[@gutssubz8232]

@@LylaMev They have a fantastic tips but I found that some do curl very early on and others don't. I don't think it's a quality control problem. I think it's just the nature of the synthetic hairs.

[@oreospapa]

What is brush soap made of that makes it different from other soap? Could I just use dish soap or hand soap instead?

[@lovemysi07]

THANK YOU for testing those wolf brushes. I haven't seen anyone use them, but I have thought it must mean they were a fail, but no evidence. This helps solidify my reason to not buy them. Thanks!

[@LylaMev]

Youre welcome! I wish they were good!

[@thedoctoriam]

I just got the chronicle cards sable brushes from my flgs. The tube came with 17 brushes so it broke down to less than 3 dollars each. Hope I get more hits than misses?

[@eightofnine9]

What mask was that when you were airbrushing?

[@richardbradley2335]

You cant beat the '' Hope for the best '' technique.

[@chemgeektim]

I'm just amazed that Gloria Jeans is still around! *grin*

[@LylaMev]

Indeed!

[@ps.6023]

series 7 new versions are a hit or miss these days in terms of quaity however Rosemary and ESPECIALLY a very small only word of mouth company you have to google called Kalish, give series 7 a run for their money and VERY resonably priced!

[@ramonosuke]

Never heard of Kalish, but they look solid. Any in particular you recommend outright? They have a ton of lines it seems. Also agreed on the Series 7 being absolute luck fest whether you get a good one or not

[@ps.6023]

@@ramonosuke their series 1 is equal to old school series 7 brushes, and I particularly love their series 7 designer kolinskys as they are like the series seven but have a more tapered and sharper point, its much like a fluid pencil or fountain pen.

[@cameronyager9221]

W&N7 fish tailed on me after 2 sessions, got frustrated and never used them again. pretty poor given the cost of their brushes. use the synthetic monument hobbies brushes nowadays and I have 0 issues with those. to each their own i guess

[@ramonosuke]

Nope same here. Two sessions is all my WN lasted as well. The Monument Pro Sables, I've used countless times hold a tip, and work amazing. The WN s7 couldn't keep a tip with just water.

[@WinterwolfMiniatures]

Great video! Good points. Good work! There are plenty of uses for brushes that is even worse than your dredge brushes though :P The last stage of a brush's life is 'This-was-once-a-brush, I think' stage. Stirring sticks, move paint to the palette, snow effect applicator, ammunition if you need to throw something there is always a use.

[@Oathwood]

I always store my brushes on the side!

[@rae_of_enfeeblement]

I’d like to see how horribly a mini would turn out if you used one of those $1 children’s paintbrushes that come with super cheap water color kits/coloring books.

[@LylaMev]

that sounds like 0 fun :P

[@w.i.t.c.h.q.u.e.e.n]

They'd turn out like mine bc I do 90% of my painting with those nasty-ass cheap brushes 😂 It's literally impossible to do any details with a brush that doesn't have a tip. There's only so much you can do with boiling water and cornstarch if the ferrule never was nice to begin with. The 3-step methods of basecoat, wash, drybrushing still works, though.

[@WinterwolfMiniatures]

That could turn out fine, although the process would definitely be a nightmare.

[@izzydarkhart4144]

It's probably not bad with a simple 3 color scheme in your first 2 sessions, but after that, no. the synthetic hair is designed for being drenched with water and paint and not designed to stay straight as water color painting is a completely different style where the tip is not necessary and color mixing is.

[@svenjones4371]

I had the issue where after a few paints my brushes don't have the tip nice and pointy. Issue is I didn't want to spend too much because I'm ok at painting. I baby the brushes too and they still end up scraggly. Should I bite it and spend the money? Will a better brush not loose the tip so quickly?

[@jonnettleton9536]

My favorite brush is which ever one I'm holding at the moment.

[@davidostos506]

My go to brushes are the master's touch from hobby lobby bc they are always on sale

[@hewlett260]

Just being honest, i have five generations of gw brushes that still work as good as my newer windsor and newton brushes. I've entered a ton of painting competitions with minis pained with 20 year old gw brushes and always come in second place.

[@HeadHunterSix]

I'll bet you could come in first if you used some decent brushes. 😆😉

[@chrisl4999]

Funny thing. Apparently GW rebrands W&N series 7…. I personally prefer the Raphael 8404 over the W&N series 7 for the size 1 or 2. But for eyes I love the W&N brush.

[@HeadHunterSix]

If GW's Artificer brushes are just rebranded W&N's, they must be getting a deal on the ones that failed Quality Control - because in my personal experience, GW brushes have been uniformly crappy.

[@tompintamini7722]

I love Rosemary

[@LylaMev]

I couldn't find a way to get rosemary in the us!

[@Leah-cd4xi]

Commenting half for the algorithm, never seen your channel before but this is super informative! What was the model you were painting while comparing brush brands?

[@LylaMev]

Its the potion maker from kingdom death!

[@mikee9464]

There's a new one! Awesome haha. Thanks

[@kumarawr740]

My favorite brush came from Green Stuff World. It's a synthetic hair brush. Used so much that the tip is curled. And split slightly. But I still use it the most. My Kolinskis cost so much that I'm afraid to use them.

[@HeadHunterSix]

A lot of people have that apprehension - but you got the good tools to get the best results, and if you never use them it's no different than not having them at all! (Well, aside from the money spent too...)

[@Spiraticus]

Thanks for the awesome video! I was going to comment about the lack of Rosemary and Co. brushes but I saw your reply to another user about them. The dumb importing law thing basically gives us an on/off period of buying R&C Kolinsky brushes, but at least we can still buy their other brushes. I do have a question, though. I can't seem to keep a sharp point on my sable brushes for longer than a couple of projects, as in, the bristles will still come to a point, but it's just round instead of sharp, but the brushes also lose length. I try to baby the brushes but just keep losing them to that. This has happened to all 3 of my W&N's and my Rosemary &Co's, though I learned my lesson about technical paints/washes during the 2nd W&N brush and upped my brush care game from there. Have you ever encountered anything like that?

[@LylaMev]

This is going to sound like a stupid question, but have you tried making a point with your mouth? I have tried to find other ways to get that clean point and nothing works as well as that.

[@Spiraticus]

@@LylaMev Definitely. I've even tried stuff like hairgel or using my masters brush soap to shape it to the best "point" I can while it's drying, but they never come back to the sharp tip. I noticed that the bristles degrade and lose length so what's actually making the "point" seems to be what used to be further down the bristle.

[@ParvizalthePainter]

Great video and advice!!

[@MrPendraeg]

Rosemary and co series 8, And raphael series 8404 ;)

[@LylaMev]

I couldn’t get the rosemary!

[@MrPendraeg]

@@LylaMev love their longer bristle . And they have a good snap to compensate

[@JT-eo5zj]

@@LylaMev Wind River Arts in TX still carries Rosemary brushes (including the ones banned from import).

[@geoffok]

I bought some high quality, expensive brushes. The first time i dipped one in paint, i noticed the tip was hooked.