Feedback and/or Opinion Needed on these Brushes

[luisito8m]

So.. as I will be making the transition from Enamel to Acrylic, I obviously need new brushes.

I've been doing a lot of research and I would like to know your opinion on these brushes: http://www.winsornewton.com/products/brushes/for-water-colour-gouache/cotman/

They say "watercolor", but I guess it is almost the same thing as Acrylics right?

What do you guys think? I will be using Vallejo paints.

Thanks!
Luis

 

[TiM]

If you're going to be hand painting with Vallejo, I'd recommend sable unless you are a sythetic only kind of person who doesn't like fluff from furry creatures. ;D

The cotman, while I don't have direct experience, will be a quality brush and the advantage is the nice wide range of shapes and sizes, plus reasonable prices.

I use W&N sable, personally I don't bother with the series 7 as they are expensive and the lower model are just as good. I also have Pro-Arte renaissence sable and they're good as well. I/m currently painting with a Vallejo Sable - don't like that one as much because it doesn't have the same snap as the other Sables I use and the handle is extremely light so it doesn't have the feel of a quality brush... it just seems a biit.. erm, off. :-\

You don't need to worry about brushes for "acrylic" as in the art world the acrylics are like plastic oils and a paste rather than a fluid.

 

[luisito8m]

TiM, which series of W&N do you use? The have a ton of variety.

Haha, I am not a synthetic person, but I've seen that sable is a bit expensive and wouldn't know which to choose from the great variety.

Thanks!
Luis

 

[urumomo]

Here Texan , check this out http://www.texasart.com/store/view/001/group_id/2924/Robert-Simmons-WSS-4-Brush-Set.htm

 

[luisito8m]

Here Texan , check this out http://www.texasart.com/store/view/001/group_id/2924/Robert-Simmons-WSS-4-Brush-Set.htm

Out of Stock! ???

 

[urumomo]

Oh , Man . Well , that's a good site .Did you find something that works ?

 

[TiM]

I have a couple of W&N series 7, which to be honest don't give me that much over the staple Series 16 which are "red" sable (squirrel) - these are my favourite although I'm not sure if they are still called series 16... may be artist's sable now.

I also like the Pro-Arte Renaissance artist sable and Acrylix 204 one stroke. the latter is nice and soft yet robust. In the other ranges, series 106 one stroke is my medium drybrush and for heavy work on very textures (scenery) I have a series 30. Both these are 3/8 flats.

It will probably depend on what you are painting as well, I come from miniatures and gaming so the brushes I have are an accumulation of 20yrs of trying different things, for this reason some of the above may not be manufactured any more...

If you are not sure, my advise would be to try the Cotmans, also try an artist's sable from W&N but don't go buying a whole set for a lot of money without knowing what you like. Plus, I have found that with experience the number of tools / brushes I use is reduced, I stopped using small brushes after a couple of years and only used a size4 series 16 W&N for everything, including eyes on 28mm figures and got to finals of GWs Golden Daemon when it meant something and you didn't pay to enter.

I nearly bought some Cotmans, however in the moment I got some more Acrylix 204s because I already had one and liked it. Quality brushes from any of the quality manufacturers and you won't go wrong ;D

 

[urumomo]

This is one of those questions with a hundred right answers , this may help you http://www.rexart.com/brush1.html

 

[urumomo]

http://www.rexart.com/handles.html
http://www.rexart.com/shapes.html

 

[luisito8m]

http://www.rexart.com/handles.html
http://www.rexart.com/shapes.html

Thanks man, a very good read.

I have finally decided and just ordered five Series 7 Kolinsky Sable (Short Handles) by Winsor & Newton, 000, 00, 0, 1 & 2; and two 1/8 in, one angular and one flat Cotman Series by W&N as well.

I have to agree they were a bit pricey, but I hope those to be the last to purchase at least for the next 20 years.

Luis