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As the title implies, I’m looking for people’s thoughts on the best current range of paintbrushes. Whilst I imagine this topic has probably been brought up before my gaming group agrees that the best brush range seems to change so I hope it’s worth a new thread.
I guess cost and quality are the two main factors, although availability is pretty important too.

I get on pretty well with Rosemary & Co series 33. They're a decent but not too pricey Kolinsky sable brush. Mine still come to a good point after, what, 5-6 years of (admittedly not frequent enough) use.

Damn. Just checked, and is it me or have brush prices gone through the bloody roof lately? My recollection was that the series 33, for size 0 / 1 / 2, were about 3 or 4 quid a pop - but they seem to be double that now.

And as for W&N? [puts 40K language filter on] Feth me! Size 0 is now apparently £26! Feth me with a boss-pole so big a heldrake would feel it!


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Thinking about it, if I remember correctly Kolinsky sable comes from Russia. I assume that'll be why it's so damn expensive at the moment.

Wow, those W&N prices really have shot up!

I was about to recommend them but I can't justify it at that price. I wonder how Rosemary & Co can afford to charge a third of the price for the same brush type?

They are of comparable quality.

I’ve always preferred the Raphael 8404 brush to the W&N ones, and it looks like their prices are the same as they used to be.

Specific brush brands aren’t too important really, just avoid stuff made for miniature painting. Those brushes are overpriced and lower quality, for the most part.

Traditional ‘Artists’ brushes are what you want, specifically ones intended for use with watercolour or inks. Natural hair is what most people use (sable), but some very accomplished painters prefer synthetic so it’s all about preference really.

I personally opt for synthetics for acrylics. They are good enough to get everything done and cheap enough to be replaced every 3-4 months.

Remember brushes are goods with service life. No matter how good your cleaning regimen is, acrylic paints will ruin your $$$ brush.

There really isn't a best paint brush. It's all about the best brush for a particular painter for a particular task.

Drybrushing a whole bunch of Necrons with metallic paint, doing the base colours on a regiment of 50 Goblins and colouring the pupils of a character model all require different brushes, and individual painters will have their own preferences for absorption, handle shape, weight distribution, etc.

I’ve been very happy with Redgrass Games’ brushes, though they’re a little pricey. They last for a really long time.

For general use I find Windsor newton cottman 111 round to be the best. They are the best synthetic brushes out there and if you look after them they will last and perform well for ages. For more detailed work I use the green stuff world kolinsky gold series and they are great.

Just don’t buy cheap sable or kolinsky. It’s useless.

Gsw silver series sables are pretty good too. A good 2 does me for pretty much anything.