I've had mixed luck with brushes. I've bought no name brands, Games Workshop and Revell. I found the GW fine detail brush infuriatingly frayed from day 1 and the Revell brush looked awful but when wet, it has consistently had a sharp point and it has lasted through quite a lot of work. Sure, I know it might be down to a fluke brush so I thought I'd see what the veterans preferred.

There a lot of talk about paints but I haven't seen much on brushes. What brushes do you prefer to work with and why?

I currently use GW brushes, holding dear the older ones (those with the bluish finish) as the newer line - standard, the various sizes for drybrushing - seems to have a lower quality. My own old fine detail, standard brush, medium drybrush and large drybrush still perfom great. Hope to find some more of them this weekend at a local con.

I once used artist-brand sable tipped brushes when I painted with enamels, but that was an age ago, and now I tremble at the thought of the money I spent on those.

I use raphael 8404 series brushes I got 3 last week from secret weapon minatures and they are so amazing especially for fine detail work. The have lots of spring in the tips and hold a nice fine pointed tip I never have to reshape them. They stay wet for a long time and are long enough that it is difficult to get paint in the furrel. I would highly recomend getting at least 1 brush for your fine detail work. They are expensive brushes but these are worth every penny.

Dakkon426 said:

I think I'm going to get one of those for detail work. What size would you recommend?

0 or 0/2 are both good. I use the latter for eyes but either one really. Its a bit small for much else though my 0 Ive been using for camo which the results will be posted soon in my painting thread. So in short 0/2 if you want it for only super fine detail 0 for a bit more of a general purpose brush.

Dakkon426 said:

You're a diamond. Thanks.

No problem, just make sure to keep posting your paint jobs.

Windsor and Newton Series 7. Size 1 is the only size I use, ever- basecoating, eyes, freehand rank badges- everything. (The Raphaels are very good too, but I can get the W&N's at my FLGS. I have to mail order Raphaels.) Spendy, but if taken care of, they last far longer than cheapo brushes, and end up cheaper in the long run. I've been using the same brush since about February of 2010, and it's still got a long ways to go. (I'd guess I've painted around 600-700 minis in that time.)

And GW's "super fine mega detail" brush is a joke. It would do a sloppy job painting a house. Their drybrush brushes are pretty good, though.

JigBakerSugar said:

I was wondering if it was just me. I never use it for anything let alone "super fine mega detail". It's now on paint mixing duty.

Buckle down and get a Winsor & Newton Series 7 Size 1 or 0. Take care of it and it will never do you wrong. Good artist use good tools. I've been usin' the same 2 brushes for the last 10 years and they are still in better shape than most week old brushes I see people usin' at my LGS. Yeah they're $20 to $30 brushes, but I only spent between $10 & &13 for each one, and over 10 freakin' years of use . So you tell me if you think I got my money's worth out of them.

Here's a link to **** Blick which has the Size 1 on sale for $11.08

http://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-series-7-kolinsky-sable-pointed-round/

To get your brushes to last you need to take care of them. Use a good brush cleaner, this will get all the paint out of the bristles. No matter how clean you think your brushes are, the first time you use this stuff you will be amazed how much stuff comes out of the bristles of your brushes. This stuff is great for gettin' the paint out but it also can take the moisture out of the bristles, and just like your hair moisture is what give the brush its spring or snap, so you want to follow up the cleaning bath with a little soap down. Brush soap will remove the cleaner from the bristles and put some moisture back in, like usin' conditioner in your hair.

So after a hard weekend of paintin', pour a little brush cleaner in a shallow bowl or dish and swish/roll the bristles of your brush around for about 15 second or so until the color starts to come off the brush. Hold the bristles on a paper towel to pull the fluid out of the brush, repeat until the paper towel does not show any color comin' from the bristles. Rinse the bristles in clean water then roll the wet bristles on the bar of brush soap until the bristles are covered in lather then wash it off, repeat a few times. Then lastly put the bristles in your mouth to bring the brush to a point, and one last time draw it through the lather on the soap rolling the brush in your fingers as you do to keep the point and hang the brush bristle point down to dry, I usually run it through the soap and then lick the point but I got my mouth washed out with soap a lot as a kid so the taste of soap doesn't bother me. This will guarantee to keep a fine point on your brush for years to come. Rinse the brush in water before usin' the next time to remove the soap.

Brush Cleaner

http://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-brush-cleaner-and-restorer/

Brush Soap

http://www.dickblick.com/products/the-masters-brush-cleaner-and-preserver/

Brush Holder, just push the handle into the coils with the brush hangin' point down

http://www.dickblick.com/products/testrite-aluminum-brush-coil/

The only draw back to 10 year old brushes is the writin' and hence the size numbers wear off eventually but you'll get to recognize your old friends by then.

I hope this info helps.

1voice2many said:

Very true brush care is offten over looked , I love the that brush clearner its trully amazing!