Watercolor Brushes

What is the best artist brush for working with watercolors? If your preferred medium is watercolors, then you will need to invest in high quality watercolor brushes that are designed specifically for the watercolor artist. The biggest decision that you will make then choosing the best artist brush for working with watercolors is whether to go with natural sable brushes or synthetic (manmade) brushes. Natural hair brushes are a great investment, but for those who are working with a budget, the synthetic brush is more affordable. There are also brushes that are made with a combination of natural hair and synthetic fibers, and they are praised for their use with watercolors.

Artist Grade Natural Watercolor Brushes		Artist Grade Synthetic Watercolor Brushes		Oval or Round Wash Watercolor Brushes		Scholastic Grade Watercolor Brushes
Square or Flat Wash Watercolor Brushes		Student Grade Watercolor Brushes

The tips that follow will help you find the right brushes to get you started with your watercolor masterpiece:

• Buy at least two flat brushes. Flat brushes are labeled by the width of the end of the brush. To begin with, select a 3/4th inch and a one-inch flat brush.
• Choose three round brushes. Round brushes are sold by “number”. The smaller the brush’s number, the finer the brush. You will see the brush size indicated on the handle. Numbers 10, 6, and 3, are great choices for most applications. When selecting round brushes, look for a fine point on the brush.
• Think about some specialty brushes. A rigger brush is a good brush for creating fine details, while a fan brush can be useful in creating special effects. If you are covering a large area of space, consider a wash brush. The size of what you are painting, in most instances, will help to determine the size of brush that you should purchase.
• Care for your brushes by washing them in a solution of brush cleaner and lukewarm water when you are finished using them. Reshape your brush tip before storing in a brush holder. Don’t store your brushes with the brush hairs upright, as water will eventually make its way into the base of the brush, deteriorating the hairs.
• Use your watercolor brushes only with watercolor paints.