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So i've recently got some of the newer GW brushes, i was a big fan of the old red handles and the blues weren't bad but these new black handled colour coded things are DIRE
the sable is so soft its unreal, no spring to the bristles thus killing what little control my shaky hands had to begin with...
any suggestions?
thanks
Pete

Winsor and Newton series 7 would be my recommendation. Two types are available, normal and a smaller hair length so you can get the best control. I love the Raphael 8404 range but if you want snap in the bristles they really aren't the right type.

Melonfish wrote:So i've recently got some of the newer GW brushes, i was a big fan of the old red handles and the blues weren't bad but these new black handled colour coded things are DIRE
the sable is so soft its unreal, no spring to the bristles thus killing what little control my shaky hands had to begin with...

I completely agree, my blue handle one lasted 7 years. I was sad when my fine detail one died.
As soon as the black handle one hit the paint it lost it's point.

I find that the best brushes ones are the ones you find in craft stores that are used for inks or water colours.

I hear tell that the red handled ones were made by Rosemary & Co.

Hmm, food for thought thanks guys i've got some brush huntery to do methinks.
the reds and blues were brill, kept their point, had a nice snap to em and held colour well, the new ones just splay all over the shop bend and don't return and suck all the colour up towards the base of the bristles rather then hold it at the tip..

tsk tsk GW.

Seconding the series 7's.

I swapped to them a few months back and have had no regrets. Being pure Sable and not Synthetic means if you don't abuse them they won't hook over at the ends or get fork ends. They keep excellent points, just make sure to also get some brush cleaner and conditioner, the Masters block being my favourite.

Give them a good clean with it every so often and repoint them overnight and they will be your best friends.

Still being a newbie at painting, i bought myself a series 7 0 but am too scared to use it! :( I'd end up destroying it straight away i reckon.

Bloodfever wrote:Still being a newbie at painting, i bought myself a series 7 0 but am too scared to use it! :( I'd end up destroying it straight away i reckon.

Don't go dipping it past the end of the ferrule (the metal thing that holds the sable in) and give it a wash every few uses in a brush soap and lukewarm water and you'll be absolutely fine.

I like the "ARMY PAINTER RANGE" of brushes the White Triangular grips and an ultrafine tip which seems to last. Worth every penny. I have tried others too, but they are a good balance of quality and price. WINDSOR NEWTONS series 7 do seem to be another solid choice.

There was one make that is the ultimate, they are made from Beaver hair! (I Know what you are thinking!!)

Most important things are to clean your brushes & never ever, ever place your brushes tip down in water.
Use some gum or Blue Tac White tac around the rim of your Glass to keep the Brush upright and not touching the bottom.
Use Gum Arabic to shape and preserve the tip (it will harden but it dissolves in water alost instantly).
Never allow paint past the ferrule!
Use cheap crap brushes to mix paints.
Use an appropriate size brush, most painters paint with a brush about 2 sizes too small, it takes control and patience but using a small brush takes longer and it ruins the brush more quickly.

Read this..
http://miniature-art.tripod.com/paintbrushes/

You know I feel an article on brushes coming on....

I've heard a lot of painters recommend Rosemary & Co. over W&N Series 7, simply for the price point being so significant for a negligible jump in quality. Honestly, it seems that with any half-decent brush, care and feeding matters just as much as the original quality.

If you want bang for your buck, try your damnedest to forget that GW ever made a good hobby product. Other mini companies apparently make decent product, but even the better deals still have a dose of "niche market" price inflation.

interim, i've found a set of Vallejo's i got ages ago, lurking in the bottom of my paint box still wrapped, they seem pretty good but overall i've had alot of friends recommend W&N series 7.
i'll give rosemary & co a go also though see what they're like.
thanks guys!
Pete

Melonfish wrote:So i've recently got some of the newer GW brushes, i was a big fan of the old red handles and the blues weren't bad but these new black handled colour coded things are DIRE
the sable is so soft its unreal, no spring to the bristles thus killing what little control my shaky hands had to begin with...
any suggestions?
thanks
Pete

I'll be another one to recommend WN S7 brushes, but they are also sables. Most folks find them infinitely easier to use than other brushes (for our purposes) unless you are stippling or dry-brushing.

I wonder; are you holding your hands up to your face when you paint? I would highly recommend a high desk (or low low chair) that allows you to rest your 'wrists' on the edge of the desk while remaining close to your face. Some folks even add padding to the corner of their desk. At one time I had duct taped a rolled-up towel at the edge of my desk but my new desk has a rounded edge so I don't bother.

The point is, keep your hands braced on something high (close to your face), so they stay steady. I also find that when I am doing detail work, like eyes for example, I keep both hands touching/leaning against each other so that only the two fingers operating the brush are moving, and only slightly at that... all the while remaining braced up against the desk.

I use the GW basecoat, standard, detail, fine detail brushes (black handle) and they are doing me ok. I think the fine detail is lacking a bit, but the basecoat and standard are up to the task.
It seems when I track off to the art store for some brushes all I end up buying is crap that falls apart. I guess I don't know how to shop for good brushes for minis.

Good advice mwnciboo, Ive been leaving them soaking all day/night. Nicked some blu-tac from work to solve that. Cheers

I've tried and like Raphael brushes but they are super expensive. I also ordered Some Series 7 and they have been OK for me , not great. I may have gotten a few funky brushes but they seem to not want to hold a point for me. The ones I have had the best luck with and are falling back onto is the Windsor Newton Artists Round brushes. The hairs feel good and hold very well and i like the Contoured handles. They balance well in my hand. And for Kolinsky Sables they are well priced. I could have gotten 4 Artist rounds for the price of the one Raphael I just bought yesterday. here's what they look like. They go as small as 00 but I usually do most work with 0,1 and 2's.

fan of the rosemary and co brushes myself

I may never buy a GW brush again. . .
I recently bought 2 series 7 brushes and they are great, but at just under 10 quid a pop, they will have to last some time. . .

I have used W&N galleria and prefer them to GW for around the same price.

My Army Painter "Insane Detail" gets used alot especially for eyes and at 1.99 was a bargain.

My favorite fine detail brush was my 00 Pro Arte 107 spotter - until i used it to dry brush and now it is ruined : ( ******* DON'T DO THIS WITH A GOOD BRUSH ******

The Pro Arte has short bristles and subsiquently has fantastic control. I got it from Hobbycraft for the record. No Idea on price as I was in "I Gotta Have It" mode. One day I shall get another one. . .

some people have reccomended i use certain brushes, but I tended to not like a quarter of them, and outright hate the other quarter. It depends on how you paint.... My painting classification and speed can best be described as 'happy', and I love the brushes I use, and hate some of the ones id bought.

My reccomendation is to see if you can loan a few brushes to see if you like em. I get stared at for the ones I use, and I might not have top-quality work, but it beats most of my friends' paint jobs who have the "correct" brushes...

Gunzhard wrote:
I'll be another one to recommend WN S7 brushes, but they are also sables. Most folks find them infinitely easier to use than other brushes (for our purposes) unless you are stippling or dry-brushing.

I wonder; are you holding your hands up to your face when you paint? I would highly recommend a high desk (or low low chair) that allows you to rest your 'wrists' on the edge of the desk while remaining close to your face. Some folks even add padding to the corner of their desk. At one time I had duct taped a rolled-up towel at the edge of my desk but my new desk has a rounded edge so I don't bother.

The point is, keep your hands braced on something high (close to your face), so they stay steady. I also find that when I am doing detail work, like eyes for example, I keep both hands touching/leaning against each other so that only the two fingers operating the brush are moving, and only slightly at that... all the while remaining braced up against the desk.

Aye i do that on my desk, got some leather covering the curve (cut off from a knife sheath i made) to rest against. tbh i need some new desk lamps as my old ones are naff.