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Hey everyone.
Im trying to get together a shopping list to start painting again. I took some pics of my current paintbrush collection so we can evaluate what I need to get next and what needs replaced the most.

Fine detail brushes, white nylon, round,, 0-10/0 in size.
A couple of small flats.
Brush cleaner, like pink soap.

Every brush I see there is looking at least a bit (and some very) manky. Don't toss any of them - they're still useful for drybrushing, stippling, spreading glue, sloppy basecoats, etc. - but I'd say it's time for a completely fresh start for your core miniature painting brushes.

I'd recommend buying quality brushes, first and foremost. They perform infinitely better than cheap (or expensive, but ill suited to our specific needs) craft store fare. They also last for quite some time, if properly cared for (avoid kinking bristles, rinse frequently while painting, give a thorough clean and condition every so often - I use Master's brush soap for this). You'll pay more per brush, but you'll need fewer and get better use from them. For as many brushes as I have, I use one or two for the vast majority of my work. Partly, that ties into the quality issue - a good #2 round will have a fine enough point for most detail painting, as well as a large enough belly for basecoating.

Other shapes can be useful (I like filberts for drybrushing, a rigger would work well for fine text, painted fur/cloth patterns, or blacklining), but rounds are the most popular for a reason. As for material, I avoid synthetics unless I need their solvent resistance. Sable is the way to go, with red sable being quite nice and Kolinsky the very best.

Rosemary & Co. get my brush-money, as they're a good balance of price (even with transatlantic shipping factored in - they're based in the UK) and quality. I use their Series 99 (red sable) and 33 (Kolinsky) rounds. A #2 is my workhorse, with the 1s and 0s being reserved for details... if I even feel the need to switch. W&N Series 7 and Raphael 8404 brushes are generally trotted out as the Holy Grail(s) of miniature painting brushes, but I'm happy enough with my R&Co brushes that I've yet to feel the need to splash out the cash for a trial of one of the 'big two' lines.

I used to use GW brushes, then someone on Dakka mentioned Winsor & Newton brushes. My painting skill saw a notable improvement after using them, so I'm passing the magic along -- Winsor & Newton brushes all the way!

Make sure to get Masters Brush cleaner, it's super cheap (like 5 dollars for a container of it), and it makes a really big difference on the performance and longevity of your brushes.

http://www.generalpencil.com/the-mastersreg-brush-cleaner-and-preserver.html

So,

Winsor and Newton, Series 7 or Winsor and Newton in general.
Raphael 8404
a #2 Round Brush, and a few 0 through 1 for details.
Rosemary and Co. Series 99 and 33 rounds

And of course Master Brush Cleaner.

What is White Nylon? Is that a paintbrush material or type?

How much am I looking at spending on these brushes? Do they come as sets or should I get them individually?

Sounds like I need 0-#2 Sable Brushes, and a few small flats.

I have Windsor brushes but really prefer my pro arte miniature brushes. these are made for painting minis and specially for acrylic paint rather than water colour paints.

I would get this set - http://amzn.to/1yZgeHW

You'll never regret it.

Damn good price on that too, spork

Ah dang it why spork. y you tempt me.

But yeah basically what everyone stated and get some good brush soap.

Try to not get paint into the ferrel ever

I just bought my first Scharff 3000 after finally retiring my size 1 Raphael 8404 that I had been using for some time. It's a really nice brush, just as good (if not better) than my Raphaels.

I use a size 1 for just about everything (aside from drybrushing, oils, etc.) and the only two brushes I have are a size 2/0 and 0.

Winsor and Newton Series 7 seems to be all the rage. I just picked up some army painter brushes, as I've heard good things. I figure worst case scenario I've got two new drybrush or basing brushes.

Darkzephyr wrote:

What is White Nylon? Is that a paintbrush material or type?

white nylon is a rather forgiving bristle material that keeps a decent point, and isn't as easy to destroy as sable brushes, which will allow for better learning about brush maintenance and use without destroying a rather expensive sable brush. Kolinsky is nice, and i've owned a few newtons in my time, but if you're just starting out and getting serious, some reasonably inexpensive, though nonetheless useful, brushes may be the better option.

I see why you might say that nylon "isn't as easy to destroy," Dronze, but I also think that paints [rimshot] a rather incomplete picture. Nylon is stiffer than sable, but doesn't have equivalent snap. I definitely haven't found them to hold a point well - synthetics like nylon have the unavoidable tendency to hook (tip begins to curl) over time, even with constant care. Serious abuse will wreck a sable brush faster than a white nylon or Taklon one, but with reasonable care, sable outlasts (as well as outperforms) synthetics by a wide margin... unless you're using harsh solvents.

Darkzephyr: Series 7 is the gold standard, but some people use W&N's cheaper lines quite happily, as well. They're a reputable company in the art supply world, so it's hard to too far wrong with them. You can find their Cotman watercolor series at craft stores like Michaels, whereas S7s are usually more specialty art shop or mail order fare.

Generally speaking, you're just looking for quality watercolor brushes. Brushes intended for oils and acrylics are designed for use with their heavy body formulations, not the diluted soft body paints we use on miniatures. They'll push and smear thick paint around better, but thin paint won't be held in the belly as well or flow off the tip as smoothly. I found even the cheap Artist Loft (Michaels house brand) watercolor brushes superior (for painting minis, at least) to more expensive synthetic singles intended for use with heavier paints.

As far as cost is concerned, brushes are generally a "get what you pay for" scenario. Quality, though, means longevity, as well as performance. If you care for it, one $10 brush will last you as long or longer than five $2 brushes, meaning equal cost over time and superior performance for that duration. The exception here is Rosemary & Co, which are both relatively inexpensive and high quality. They might not quite be up the the S.7/8404 standard, but they're still damned good (better than Cotman, Citadel, or Army Painter, certainly) and a far sight cheaper than the 'big two' lines. I think I got 3 or so brushes, bought and shipped to the US, for around the asking price of a single 8404 from Dick Blick (via Amazon). $30 to R&Co. would get you a full complement, and 1/3 of that would be the shipping cost.