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So as the title suggests I want to know what brushes all you use to paint your minis.

I've used Citadel brushes but found they do not last more then 15 or so figures before they start to fray and even brush wax won't save them. Since leaving Citadel brushes behind I have just been living with going to hobby lobby every other week and getting some new cheap brushes but I'm getting tired of this.

So what brands or packs do you recommend that will last a long time with minimal care?

Please don't suggest Citadel.

I've had fun with the redgrass games brushes. They hold a point very well and have been quite sturdy. Very happy with them.

I’ve used a variety of synthetic brushes and I have learned that the first thing to do I learn how to look after your brushes before deciding if they are no good. If you allow paint to get up into the bit where bristle go into the handle your brushes are done for. Wash them regularly while painting and immediately if the paint covers the whole brush and when painting try to only get paint on the tip. I recently allowed my brushes to soak for a few hours in warm water and washing up liquid and many of them were restored.

I will admit that the citadel round brushes tend to be poor in my opinion but the dry and other flat shaped ones seem to be quite good. For base and layer I have tried a few different synthetic Windsor newton and pro arte brushes and if I look after them them perform well. However I am not a very ok painter and I am learning techniques. Some people will tell you that you need the ver best brushes to get the best effects and as I learn I will test this theory

Windsor & Newton Series 7 (if you can afford them).
+ brush soap.

Top Choices:
W&N Series 7
Broken Toad
Artis Opus
Raphael
Rosemary & Co

I sometimes use:
Green Stuff World - I decided to try them because they were on the cheaper side and labeled Kolinsky, though they arent great.

Stray away from:
Army Painter
GW brushes (dry brushes maybe ok)

All brushes need care, if you don't plan on cleaning brushes after each sit down, buy cheapo throw aways.

I prefer Raphaels, Series 8404. A size 1 and size 2 together account for about 95% of my painting, with cheap synthetics on hand for drybrushing, stippling, and other 'rough' techniques.

I used to use W&Ns, but kept running into QC issues and the Raphaels are cheaper anyways.

I have Raphaels #8404 as well. Its a great brush.

Whilst GW brushes aren't great, if yours are fraying that quickly then you aren't looking after your brushes well enough. You shouldn't need brush wax or even brush soap, just keeping the bristles free from died paint during use is most of the battle.

That said, I've used both W&N and Raphael brushes and they are both excellent. Some people swear by a specific brand, but in general there's some unavoidable QC inconsistencies with mass-produced natural hair brushes so it is always luck of the draw to an extent. I've had mostly excellent products from both of the aforementioned brands, though.

shmvo wrote:
Whilst GW brushes aren't great, if yours are fraying that quickly then you aren't looking after your brushes well enough. You shouldn't need brush wax or even brush soap, just keeping the bristles free from died paint during use is most of the battle.

That said, I've used both W&N and Raphael brushes and they are both excellent. Some people swear by a specific brand, but in general there's some unavoidable QC inconsistencies with mass-produced natural hair brushes so it is always luck of the draw to an extent. I've had mostly excellent products from both of the aforementioned brands, though.

I never use brush wax or brush soap and I have brushes several years old that have had extensive use. I agree with everything and would add that keeping dried paint out of the heel and the ferrule ensures the brush will maintain its shape.

I have been really liking the Artists Arsenal series of brushes by Game Envy. Very well priced and they have held their tip and shape well. I wash all my brushes after a paint session with Masters Brush soap too

https://gameenvy.net/product-category/brushes/

Raphael 8404's, size 3 is my workhorse, size 2 is my detail brush. Probably 95% of my painting is done with these two.

I have a Raphael 8404, size 0, and a W7N 7 series, size 0, that I use for super fine detail (the remaining 5%) that I can't achieve with the Size 3 or 2 (which is rare).

Will they last a long time with minimal care? Unlikely. Even with moderate care (I don't fastidiously clean my brushes; I soap them once every couple of sessions with Masterson's Soap, and use W&N Brush Cleaner and Restorer once a month, but I find that I'm usually replacing my 8404's (3 and 2) once every 3 or 4 months (usually about the length of an army project for me).

Sabot88 wrote:
So as the title suggests I want to know what brushes all you use to paint your minis.

I like Rosemary & Co. sables. Their Kolinksy are great, but I usually found myself reaching for the slightly cheaper red sable. I want to say those are the series 99 and 33, respectively. Maybe that's backwards, though... or completely wrong. Don't have them handy and my memory isn't the best. Regardless, they're up there in the same category as the Series 7s and 8404s. Not quite as good as either, mind you, but close enough to bear comparison and a hell of a lot cheaper. Like, several brushes and transatlantic shipping for the cost of one of the S.7/8404 on Amazon.

So what brands or packs do you recommend that will last a long time with minimal care?

The only brushes I've found that hold up well to abuse are hog bristle, but they aren't of much use in miniature painting. Preventative maintenance is what makes brushes last (natural hair, that is - synthetics doomed by their very nature). Even if you don't deep clean and condition very often, just being more mindful of rinsing frequency while you paint goes a long way and takes minimal effort.

If you're looking to buy a new set, The Rosemary & Co. red sables would be my recommendation. Likely better than what you're used to (unless GW brushes have gotten WAY nicer, in recent years) and less likely to burn a hole in your wallet than the really high-end stuff. If they fail on you, at least you haven't gone broke figuring out that it's your treatment of the brushes that's the problem, more than their initial quality.