Brushes

Asslessman

Asslessman

Baron
There is one subject which is essential to our hobby but which is not discussed much (imo) and this subject is brushes.

I have to admit I know very little about them and though I can tell if a brush is a good one or a bad one by using it, I don't really know where to look for cost -effective brushes when I have to replace them.

I would like this thread to be just as the many other very good threads about modelling here : a place to share and discuss. I'm really intersetd to know what brands you like or not, wether it's important to put the price depending on your level.

(oh, and do you also find silly that army painter calls his brushes by names like "psycho" or "maniac" instead of 00 and 000?)

My thoughts on brushes :

- I never really look at brands (except, i've long been avoiding GW's brushes because their life was far too short, I haven't used any from them for long so it might have changed) and I usually buy what I can find in the right size at my local shop (providing it's not too expensive)

- I have never really found a brand I like particularly because by the time I realise I like a brush, the brand and marknigs have already disapeared from it...

- Another thing is I sometimes feel the brushes "tire" after a long painting session, they're not as flex as at the beginning and the airs start to go in funny (and opposite) directions. Only thing I do is I always try to clean them as good as I can and I always end shaping them with the tongue so they dry in the perfect shape.
 
I used to use Citadel Master Paint brushes which are WN7's (Winsor Newton series 7) by just another name but they were too expensive to replace when the died. I now use a GW Standard & Detail brush for 90% of my painting needs.
 
I wouldn't touch GW brushes, the ones I had (although that was in the mid 90's) were crap, and while I'm sure they do sell some decent ones, I'm also pretty sure they're just regular brushes they stamp with a GW logo and hike up the price as they do with all of their (non mini) products

To be honest I've been using mostly relatively cheap synthtic brushes, I've tried some kolinsky sables, and while they're great unless you 're prepared to take proper care of them, they're not worth it.

Now I'm getting back to proper painting I'm looking into getting some decent brushes though, and apart from the W&N 7 series that is widely recommended, the ones I've heard good things about and I'm thinking of getting are the Rosemary & Co's Series 33.
 
Quite happy with modern Citadel brushes, pricey but they seem to last and they are sable. You only have to use a cheapo synthetic to realise it's a case of "buy cheap, buy twice". Only downside with Citadel is a tendency for the ferrule to fall off on first use, fixed by dapping some PVA glue on the wood and ramming the ferrule back on.

Daler and Rowney seem good as well.

Coop
 
For most painting I use WN Series 7 Miniature brushes, and have found the long term cost to be cheaper. I always make sure to wash my brushes with an appropriate cleaner and moisturizer, and my current batch has lasted 4 years. Many art supply stores put them on sale at 40-50% off, which helps reduce the initial investment.

For dry brushing and stippling, I use dedicated flat round stippling brushes in a variety of sizes. I don't worry too much about brand here, and tend to pick up whatever is available at the local craft store.
 
I have to admit I still mostly use the citadel brushes, they do the job just fine and last decently well.

I also bought a number of Games and Gears brushes as part of their Kickstarter but wasn't impressed by their quality at all, so have since gone back to GW.
 
Raphael 8404s. I used to use the W&N series 7s, but I kept getting bad ones. I had the Raphaels suggested to be me by a top level painter and I've never switched back!
 
I'm a firm believer in Rosemary & Co brushes. They're cheap, good and the company has lightning fast international delivery. I've been using both GW, Prince August (those were actually great) and W&N Series 7. I wouldn't dream of getting any of them again, except for maybe a fine W&N Series 7 to use for freehand (as they're a bit firmer and stiffer and holds the point better than Rosemary).

The only downside is, they hook and/or split relatively fast if not properly cared for. I'm not very good at doing that. =/
 
I"m all about my Rosemary and Co. brushes these days. I used to be in the cheap brush club....I would buy them buy the dozen for a $1 each and throw them out after a few figures... :roll:

I then went to the other end of the spectrum and set of W&N 7 series...amazing brushes...perfect in almost every way...except for their CRAZY prices...plus mine started to crap out after less than a year.

So after reading many testimonials I decided to give Rosemary and Co, a try...their series 401 red sable blend brushes are now my go to for everything...They are very affordable (Size 2 brush is 2.15 pound...smaller are cheaper)....the tips last a long time...and if the points do start to spread they can be reshaped by giving them a quick dip in very hot water...this softens the synthetic bristles and allows you to reshape it into a very nice point for continued usage. The tips on mine are so good that I do almost all my painting with the size 2...though the 00 gets use for very fine details. Also the shipping is crazy fast...and if you are in the UK...crazy cheap. They are worth a try if you are looking for something new.

Here is a link: http://www.rosemaryandco.com/acrylic-br ... le-mixture

FYI I also really like the Series 768 Size 2 and 4 Flat brush for dry brushing...particularly large areas of fur and the like...wolves and what not.

Good luck on your hunt for new hairy wands!

Cheers,

Blue
 
What do you consider proper care? For me it's basically just handling them with care, never crushing the bristle cleaning them correctly and reshaping them with the tongue after each use, if they demand more than this, then I probably should avoid these.
How about painting time? I quite like my army painter "psycho" but I usually get the best of it in the first hour or two and then it starts to take funny shapes. It becomes usable again if I just leave him be for a night.

EDIT : Thanks Blue for those detailed infos, you convinced me to give them a try. I'll see if I can find some in my local shops and failing that, I'll make a little order.
 
I'm not big on a huge amount of brush care either...I make sure to rinse them fairly well and frequently during use. Never let them sit on their points. I do have a small travel size bottle of hair conditioner that I occasionally dip them in...this allows you to reshape the bristle and keeps the sable supple...I do this when I know I won't be using them again for a few days...if I think of it... :roll: I did break down and buy some brush cleaner a month ago...but I only use it when I accidentally allow paint to dry in the bristles and can't remove it with a normal swish in the fresh water.

Blue
 
Brilliant, I'm ordering a lot tonight. I appreciate the infos a lot

Do you also get this tiring effect after a certain time using the brushes or do you think it's only due to paint drying in the brush? (which means cleaning the brush regularly during long painting sesssions should get rid of this) ?
 
W&N, Raphael and Isabey are my tools. W&N last the longest I reckon, with Isabey next and Raphael the least durable. I've used plenty of others, but of the pure sables they're so far the ones I like most and can take the strain of miniature paints. Raphael have fairly long hairs, good for coverage/blending/long paint runs, W&N do most other stuff. Isabey are slightly shorter hairs = extra springy when I do freehand or detail work.

I rarely use anything smaller than a size 0, but I have one 00, which I rarely use. They hold so little paint, dry far too quickly into the hairs and this wrecks them faster than I care to replace them. My favourite is size 1 although I do have a size 2 and 3 W&N; mostly for watercolour painting tbh.

I also use flat brushes for flat or smooth surfaces, as well as 'angled shaders' for blending on larger things. These make life quicker more than anything.

I use Cotman brushes for anything which I don't want to use a good brush for including mixing the paints on the palette, adding water/medium and rougher paintwork. My oldest Cotman is about 10 years old and its nearly ready for trimming down for drybrushing now - they can really take some punishment those things!

Cleaning... what's better for cleaning than regular washing with water? I have some brush soap for times I get carried away and the paint starts to dry in the hairs. Conditioner is probably a good thing but I don't use it. Be gentle with the pricey ones and rinse regularly (eg every time you need to reload the brush with paint - seriously!). Don't ever leave them standing on their hairs, in water, or dip them up to the ferrule in paint.
 
Lately I've been using the Windsor and Newton Cotman series watercolor brushes. I typically use a 4,2,1 and 00 with the 1 getting the lion's share of the work. I've also had good luck with some off the synthetics. When brush shopping I look for a brush that points up well, and will pull the little plastic tubes protecting the bristles off to check before I buy, as there seems to be a fair amount of variation in how well a brush will point up, even within a batch from a single manufacturer.
 
This thread has just cost me a little over 13GBP in new Rosemary & co brushes!

Thanks for the info everyone who posted. And big up to Asslessman for starting the conversation! (It is something I have often thought about, but never bothered to ask!) :roll:
 
antipixi":2o5j8c1a said:
This thread has just cost me a little over 13GBP in new Rosemary & co brushes!

Thanks for the info everyone who posted. And big up to Asslessman for starting the conversation! (It is something I have often thought about, but never bothered to ask!) :roll:
Click to expand...

Exact same thing here I bought a 2 a 1 and a 00 + flat 2 and flat 4 ;) for nearly the same amount.
Thanks antipixi, I've been meaning to post about it but hesitated bbecause I didn't clearly know what to ask. I have to say this thread has more than answered my need and I expect to learn even more. We really have a good painting and modelling section here.
 
This is wierd coincidence, I was looking at the Rosemary & Co brushes only the other week after seeing a passing mention. Now I'm sold - just need to decide on sizes :)
 
axiom":2cee5wmh said:
This is wierd coincidence, I was looking at the Rosemary & Co brushes only the other week after seeing a passing mention. Now I'm sold - just need to decide on sizes :)
Click to expand...

Decide!? Why decide? Just get them all...:). This is my last order from them...



To save on international shipping I had them sent to Thantsants and he shipped them on to me in the states when he returned my Oldhammer day miniature last fall. These should last me several years....I hope!

Cheers,

Blue
 
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