Rating of the TOP 7 best paint brushes: purpose, which ones to choose, pros and cons

Drawing with paints calms and allows our imagination to come true. For this we use paints with different consistencies. Therefore, you need to choose your own instrument for each of them, so that the artistic process brings only positive emotions. But it is difficult for a beginner to understand the variety of brushes that he sees on store shelves. They are hard, soft, flat, round, wide and have different numbers.

I suggest that you familiarize yourself in the review not only with the rating of popular brands and learn about their strengths and weaknesses, but also tell you about the world of artistic brushes. You will learn about their varieties and purposes. Therefore, after reading the review, you can make the right choice and enjoy your creativity to the fullest.

What are the differences between art brushes and what colors are they for?

If you plunge into the world of artistic brushes, then a novice artist can drown in information and get confused with the choice. The fact is that this tool has several parameters, according to which it is selected. I will try to briefly, but at the same time inform you about the features of paint brushes.

Let's start with the simplest. All of them are distinguished by numbers, which are indicated on the body of each brush. And here you should pay attention to the shape of the tip: round or flat. For round brushes, numbers start from 0 (less often 00) and up to 20. The number means the diameter in millimeters, and the step is 1 mm. For flat brushes, the number means width and there are options 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18.

In fact, there are much more shapes than just round and flat, and each has its own purpose:

• Round for gouache and watercolor paints. Suitable for working out details and creating textures, so they are universal.
• Flat for wide and even strokes. They hold paint well and are often used for oil. Suitable for painting large areas.
• Font brushes are inherently round brushes, but they have a very long pile. Designed for drawing a contour or just thin lines. They are often used in graphics.
• The cat's eye or tongue is also flat, broad at the base and thin at the tip. It is somewhat reminiscent of a drop. It combines the properties of a round and a flat brush. She can change the thickness of the lines and the appearance of strokes, creating smooth color transitions.
• Fan-shaped. They are fan-shaped and are referred to as flat paint brushes. They soften the color stretch and lubricate the contours.

These are the basic pile shapes that you can start practicing and experimenting with. But you will also find other forms in stores for artists. And I will tell you about the types of pile and its purpose just below in this review.

Rating TOP 7 paint brushes

Popular brands of paint brushes used by amateurs and professional artists will participate in my rating. It was compiled taking into account the characteristics and customer reviews. You can preview the list of participants:

BRAUBERG squirrel

Round brush from a well-known brand with a fine tip. Made of protein for use in waterborne paints. Despite the fact that the clip is made of metal with a double clip, this product crawls a lot. When working, it is difficult to control the release of water and pigment. Because of this, it is difficult to draw and draw thin lines. Many users have complained about the handle falling out of the metal base. Therefore, you should not take them even for children's creativity.

This is something impossible to paint with such brushes. In the cells of acrylic paints all the pile, on the child's art is also one hair from a brush. It is impossible to work with them, since the handle of their metal base falls out. In general, I do not advise taking it even for children, since this is one continuous headache.

GAMMA protein

Cone-shaped art tools for water-based paints, that is, mainly for watercolors. But they can be used for acrylic too. Squirrel fur is elastic and always creates a shape with a sharp nose, so it is convenient to draw subtle details. But there are complaints about this product regarding poor quality. The villi climb and curl, which means that the fur is not taken from the tip of the tail, as is required by technology. Apparently, the production often comes across a marriage. But nevertheless, they will be slightly better than the previous ones, and if you are lucky enough to buy a really high-quality product, then such a tool will be quite convenient for a child.

Quite comfortable brushes for a child. The surface is varnished and therefore does not get dirty, like ordinary wooden ones, that is, they can be easily washed. I would not say that they climb directly, but nevertheless the villi fall out. But overall a good start.

GAMMA synthetics

The pile is made of synthetic polyester fiber produced in Japan. It allows you to control the smear, pick up dense colors and distribute them correctly. All thanks to good elasticity. The set includes round brushes No. 1, 3, 5 and flat brushes with numbers 5 and 8. They are whipped tightly into a bunch and the villi do not bristle. The handle is lacquered and easy to clean. They do not crumble during work.

The set does not look cheap and the varnish coating is of sufficient quality, that is, it does not crack or crumble over time. The brushes themselves are elastic, soft and do not climb. It is comfortable to hold in your hand. It is convenient to draw small details. Used with a child for drawing with watercolors. And I myself used it for acrylic. All tests were excellent.

Nevskaya palette with a reservoir

Roughly speaking, this is a brush with paint and water in one "bottle". Designed for water-based paints, that is, initially for watercolors. The factory produces variations: round No. 1-5 and flat No. 1, 2, 5, 7. The synthetic beam is quite elastic and slippery. Suitable for sketching, plein air, sketching, lettering and for blurring watercolors. Consists of two parts: sour and water tank. The soft sides make it easy to control fingertip blur. Difficult to draw thin lines, but great for blurring effects.

I love to draw and graduated from art school, so my friends gave me this wonderful brush. I was very interested in it, and I decided to try out its possibilities. To be honest, it didn't work out right away, but it was interesting. It is comfortable to hold in your hand, as it looks like a handle. It consumes a little water and is quite enough for sketches.I would recommend it for artists and children as entertainment and acquaintance with the world of colors.

Winsor & Newton COTMAN-222

A well-known English firm founded in 1832 in London. Specializes in products for professional artists. Brushes are made of soft synthetics and are intended for watercolors. The bundle is round and long, which is convenient for creating lines and working out small details. They perfectly hold water-soluble paint and do not create bald spots. The clip is dense and holds the bundle in shape and prevents the hairs from falling out. The handle is short, therefore comfortable. Suitable for retouching, calligraphy, creating long and continuous straight and curved lines.

Recently, she began to get involved in calligraphy and bought a brush by Winsor and Newton for review. Of course, you have to get used to it and nothing will work out right away. But I can say that the brush is made neatly, the hairs do not fray and keep their shape. It is a pleasure to draw lines for her.

Malevich Andy

Great tools for painting and drawing small details with watercolors, acrylics, gouache and tempera. You can work with oil using the glazing technique using thinners. The crimp is double, which allows you to reliably hold the pile, so it does not climb and does not push. The shape is retained even when using thick paints. The handle is wooden and 14 cm long with lacquered finish. Water-based paint brushes are designed for beginners and advanced artists.

Excellent brushes for gouache and acrylic paints. I bought it for a schoolchild to draw at art lessons and home art. My daughter is neat and, probably, that's why they keep their shape for a long time. They hold the sharp tip for a long time, they do not fade in the work and the paint is well absorbed. They are ideal for drawing small details.

Winsor & Newton Galeria series

In the Galeria series, you can find round and oval shapes for acrylic and oil brushes. They are made of synthetic bristles. They have good density, elasticity and excellent shape retention. The uniqueness of this set is that the numbering starts from 000, that is, very thin, literally from one or two fibers. The crimp is double and very tight. The handle is made of wood, varnished. A handy tool for long-term work. Refers to professional. Possesses high quality workmanship.

When working with acrylic, they keep their shape perfectly and the stroke is neat. Working with these brushes is very pleasant and comfortable. I have been using it for a long time and, in principle, they do not grind.

So, we figured out the types of pile and now you know which one is suitable for certain colors. I must say right away that synthetics are cheaper than natural ones, so for beginners it is better to pay attention to nylon.

Otherwise, when buying paint brushes, you need to choose them as follows:

• check if the metal base (clip) is loose, since its task is to shape the pile and hold it in place;
• slightly pull the villi to check their reliability and if they fall out, then leave this brush in the store;
• if you choose natural, then run along the pile and check it for shine, density and shape retention;
• the length of the handle depends on individual preferences, but for children and beginners it is advised to choose short pieces;
• the cap indicates that the brand is worried about its reputation, and it will also help you keep the pile in its original form when storing the brush.