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I'm new to the hobby, and I just bought myself a Space Wolves Pack.
What I was wondering is, what brushes from GW are actually worth getting (in terms of quality vs price)?
Are there brushes from other brands that are good/better too?

Thanks.

The GW brushes are pretty good, but rather expensive.

Generally, you are going to want 4 or 5 brushes to get you started.

A fine detail brush (0)
A detail brush (1)
A standard brush (2)
A medium drybrush
A large drubrush

Of those, only one or two need to be good quality.

Go to eckersleys and get something like this if you want to be cheap (nothing wrong with cheap brushes, most of my brushes are cheap, except a few that are worth more than the rest combined -> https://eckersleys.com.au/products/art/brushes/acrylic-paint-brushes/jasart-red-sable-round-brushes <- those are even the "dirt cheap" options, decent sable hair brushes that will do for most of your work.

Additionally, anything from this will do for the finer detail stuff -> http://thecombatcompany.com/categories/paint-brushes-and-accessories.html

If you've got money falling out of your pockets, welcome to the hobby. Winsor and Newton brushes are the best, but you're looking at about $30+ per brush.

Talys did a review of the GW brushes when they were first released.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/657505.page

I do not really have a problem with any brand but I use dollar store brushes because I hate spending koney and time cleaning them. i just stir in water throw in a mug that broke and all done.

I only buy size 1 and size 0 brushes and a tank brush. GW have made a meal of their paint brush classifications recently but tbh any brand of sable brush will do.

If you're handy you can do 95% with a size 1. Which is quite big.

More important that spending on quality is b$ if you do not CARE FOR THEM. Clean them completely to the point where you can pop them in ur mouth and there is nothing there (gross*do*not*feel*youshould*do*this*but*I*do). Every 5 or 10 mins. Do not grind them into the basin when you wash them.

As an aside, if you don't know what your paints taste like, you're a filthy causal.

kb_lock wrote:
As an aside, if you don't know what your brush water tastes like, you're a filthy causal.

FTFY

I remember someone posted a review of paint here (or somewhere), and mentioned the taste was quite terrible. My wife was shoulder surfing at the time and noticed it, promptly wondered what in the feth was wrong with me and everyone else on the forums I was reading.

kb_lock wrote:
As an aside, if you don't know what your paints taste like, you're a filthy causal.

Ah yes..... and when your on a good grove with some wet blending forget how deep the water is miss the water then go for the mouth.... mmm inks how I hate the taste.

kb_lock wrote:
As an aside, if you don't know what your paints taste like, you're a filthy causal.

hahaha

Sooooo, for those of us who stick our brushes in our mouths for whatever reason... to get a point, or whatever... how many have rinsed their brush, put it close to your mouth, and then glanced at the pot and wondered, "hmmmm... good idea?"

And then done it anyways

What on Earth (Sorry, Terra) have I stumbled into? I suppose you lot were the kind that ate play-doh as children...

@OP - Regarding brushes - I started out with Citadel and found that they were decent enough brushes, but after a while (say about a year or a bit more) they lost their point and spread out - I just use them to stir paint now. However, they are a good enough, if a little expensive, place to start. I now use Winsor & Newton Sizes 1 (Rarely used due to an errant point) 0 (I pretty much use this all the time to basecoat anything smaller than a vehicle) and 00 (Fine Detail/Highlights). Those three will set you back maybe £20. I can vouch for the quality of the brushes - it's excellent. The points are incredibly fine and the spring in the brush ensures the paint goes on very smooth provided you're thinning it.

You'll also want to pick up a pot of 'Master's Brush Soap'. This stuff is, IMHO, the only thing you'll ever require for cleaning your brushes aside from clean water. Basically your cleaning routine should be the following (or a variation thereof):

1. Rinse brush to remove the thick of the paint.
2. Put a couple of drops of water in the Masters Brush Soap (MBS) and then take an old clean brush (I use a pony hair watercolour brush - a cheapy) and swirl it into a lather.
3. Scoop the lather onto your thumb and forefinger, then gently massage into the tip of your brush to be cleaned. Rinse. Repeat a couple of times.
4. Put a couple of drops of water into the palm of your hand and draw the brush through it back towards your self, twisting it gently as you go.
5. Try to avoid swirling the brush in circular motions on your hand - but if unavoidable provided you do it gently, it should be fine.
6. Rinse. Repeat if necessary.
7. Finally, wet your brush tip and draw it back in the crevice behind your little finger, gently twisting it to put a point on it.

You'll notice my use of 'gently' a lot. I can't stress it enough. If you're going to pay £30 on brushes and soap you want to keep them in good shape. Don't be afraid massage it and get the paint out, but avoid splaying the bristles at all costs. Never leave the paint to harden in your brushes - try to clean them out after every session, with regular rinsing as you paint.

Stop licking your brushes. Keep a clean damp sponge handy. Then again, I paint with things like Cadmium Yellow...

Sable brushes ( Raphael or Winsor & Newton, but I've had decent luck with IMEX) for non-metallic paints. Clean them with Masters, as above noted, and never use hot water. A good size 1 will do you for pretty much everything, and a size 0 for really fine detail. ( or a 000 for insane stuff)

If you are new to painting, get some inexpensive brushes with taklon bristles, for learning purposes. That way, you won't ruin an expensive brush while learning. And for quick coverage, like blocking in colors, a size 3 taklon will work just fine.

 Red Harvest wrote:
Stop licking your brushes. Keep a clean damp sponge handy.

That's like saying, "Stop drinking pop" or, "Twinkies are bad for you" or, "Get 8 hours of sleep instead of painting til 3 am".

So we lick the sponge instead

I would skip the GW brushes.

Pick up a set of these:
http://www.brokentoad.co.uk/

They have online stores in the states that sell them. I think i got a set of 4 for about $30. make sure you buy a brush conditioner to get the longest life out of the brushes ( doesnt have to be Broken Toads conditioner, I use Masters and its fine).