Whether this is because you prefer a vegan-friendly option, or you’re just looking for a cheaper alternative to those expensive sable brushes… Below I’ll explain all the differences you need to know

You’ll learn how synthetic brushes compare to traditional natural hair brushes, what to look for, and the different synthetic options available.

Ready?

The Rise of Synthetic Watercolor Brushes

Synthetic filaments for watercolor brushes were first developed in the 1970s. This innovation originated with the Dupont company in the USA.

In the early days these synthetic strands were made of nylon. This was tapered to a fine point to simulate natural bristle hairs. But nylon is very stiff, and not best suited to softer brushes like the ones needed for watercolor painting!

Furry Stuff!

It took artists centuries of trial and error to discover the best types of hair for watercolor painting. The delicate hairs of natural watercolor brushes have the capacity to make long, continuous, fluid brush marks…

There are many types of natural hair, such as sable, squirrel, and goat, each with unique qualities. Squirrel hair for example is incredibly soft and holds lots of water while sable has an elastic “snap” for better control.

So the challenge for man made fibers is to mimic these desirable characteristics. 

For the History Buffs – The Tech Behind the Bristles:

The real breakthrough for synthetic brushes came when Dupont developed a new process to taper polyester fibers, which are softer and more suitable for watercolor applications.

Dupont sold the patent to Japan’s Toray Industries, who collaborated with the Takamoto brush company to create “Taklon” fibers.  These synthetic hairs are designed to mimic the handling properties of natural sable.

Here’s where it gets confusing 

So Taklon is a specific type of polyester fiber developed by Toray to mimic sable hair. But not all Toray fibers are Taklon! 

The thing is, you’ll find both Toray and Taklon brushes claiming to replace sable hair. 

In my experience, there are 3 general categories of synthetic for watercolors:

• White fibers: Tend to be stiffer with more “snap.” Great for detail but with poor water retention.
• Gold-colored fibers: Softer and more absorbent, but still with some elastic snap. Mostly designed to mimic sable hair.
• Dark brown fibers: Very soft with less “spring.” Made to mimic squirrel mops.

For example, White Toray fibers are used in the Escoda Perla signature series selected by Joseph Zbukvic (Amazon link). These are typically stiffer and provide more control for detailed work, but they don’t hold as much water. 

On the other hand, brushes like the Princeton Aqua Elite range and Rosemary & Co Red Dot Collection use Taklon fibers for a softer, but elastic feel similar to sable. Escoda Versatil brushes are another good example, said to mimic kolinsky sable.

Other brushes use dark, soft strands that simulate squirrel hair, like the Rosemary & Co Sienna collection.

Why Synthetics are becoming popular

Sable hair has rocketed in price recently!  Suppliers are becoming fewer and farther between…

Also, if you live in the US, you may have noticed certain brushes are difficult to come by because of bans on importing sable hair. This means as natural hairs become more rare as a result of these supply/demand and regulatory issues they get more expensive.

So a lot of artists are opting for synthetics.

Natural vs Synthetic Watercolor Brushes

Today’s manufacturing processes do a pretty good job of simulating natural hair But how do they stand up compared to the real thing?

Kolinsky brushes – the gold standard:

Kolinsky sable is considered the gold standard of all watercolor brushes! 

Why? Because of its unique natural characteristics:

• Fine tip that returns to a sharp point
• Stiff and elastic
• A good water-holding capacity and release
• Durability

Kolinsky hairs are naturally tapered at both ends, giving them a noticeable “belly” in the middle when gathered together in a watercolor brush. 

This belly helps it fan out in the middle. The fanning creates gaps between the hairs that hold water really well. This lets the brush hold a lot of water and release it smoothly when you paint.

When you wet the brush, water makes the hairs stick together. But the hairs also want to spread back out to their original shape. This push and pull between the water and the hairs creates a balance. This balance helps the brush hold its shape and keep water inside it.

The hairs’ springiness means they can bend and spread apart under pressure, then return to their original shape, which is great for smooth controlled brush strokes. 

Finally, Kolinsky hairs have tiny scales on the surface which help trap water, enhancing their ability to hold and release water gradually. 

All these qualities make them ideal for creating fine, controlled lines and smooth long brush strokes in watercolor painting.

How synthetic fibers mimic natural hair

So the ultimate goal is to imitate all these natural qualities… Different manufacturing techniques do this in a few different ways to give synthetic fibers their desired properties.

To replicate the tapered ends and noticeable belly of Kolinsky hair, synthetic fibers can be designed with fine points and a slight curve to create a paint-holding belly. This helps them hold and release water smoothly, similar to natural brushes.

Fibers can be treated through processes like etching, or even baking to achieve the right texture and flexibility. Etching adds a surface similar to the scales on natural hairs.

To mimic the springiness of natural hair, synthetic fibers can be made with varying levels of stiffness, providing the snap needed for smooth brush strokes. By blending different types of fibers in the same brush, manufacturers can create brushes that offer a painting experience comparable to natural hair brushes.

The Real Test: Comparing Water-Holding Capacity

To truly see how synthetic brushes measure up to their natural counterparts, I compared their water-holding capacity through a simple demonstration.

Below you can see how two similarly sized brush heads compare – one made of Kolinsky sable, the other synthetic Taklon:

This represents continuous brush strokes of a fully loaded brush. As you can see, in my experiments the water-holding capabilities of natural hair still surpass the ability of synthetic fibers. 

However, it should be said that in other respects, such as stiffness or elasticity, and the ability to keep a fine point, synthetic brushes cope very well.

Best Synthetic Watercolor Brushes – Choosing the Right Ones

For years I’ve painted with Kolinsky sable brushes. And the thing is, once you get accustomed to these natural brushes, it can be difficult to switch to anything else.

However, if you’re newer to watercolor painting, starting out with synthetic brushes can be a smart choice.

Synthetic brushes are often more affordable and durable, making them a practical option for beginners. They mimic many of the desirable qualities of natural hair brushes, but without the higher price tag. Plus, they’re easier to care for!

Here are my overall favorites. One of the best synthetic watercolor brushes I have tested is the Rosemary & Co Red Dot range:

• Rosemary & Co Red Dot Pointed round size 10

Another good alternative is The Princeton Aqua Elite range:

• Princeton Aqua Elite Round size 10

As you gain experience, you might find that you’re ready to experiment with Kolinsky sable or other natural options, but starting with synthetic brushes can provide a solid foundation and help you develop your skills without a huge investment

One day, thanks to new brush making technologies by manufacturers, synthetics might be just as good as natural hair!

The post Synthetic Watercolor Brushes (What You Need to Know!) first appeared on Watercolor Affair.

With a little care and attention a good brush can last for years. I still use some sable brushes which I bought decades ago! (Yes… you did read that correctly!) 

Compared to other mediums like oil and acrylic painting, watercolors are less harsh and generally friendlier to your brushes. After all, watercolors are water soluble, making it easier to keep brushes clean, even with everyday use.

But the danger occurs when deposits of paint and other debris build up over time, and there are also some essential rules to keep in mind for day to day brush care. 

A few good habits and an occasional cleaning routine will keep your brushes in good order for years to come!

How to Clean Watercolor Paint Brushes

Before we get into the nitty gritty of cleaning, let’s quickly go over the anatomy of a watercolor brush. It will be handy to know a few terms or you may not understand what I’m talking about later on (heaven forbid).

Anatomy of a Watercolor Brush

First there’s the handle. That bit’s not too tricky. Then as you work your way along you have the metal part which attaches the hairs to the handle. This is known as the ferrule. The part where the ferrule meets the handle is called the crimp. 

​The hairs themselves are referred to as the head (also sometimes called the tuft), and this is subdivided into the tip and the belly.

Why you should Clean your Watercolor Brushes

Watercolor brushes are quite unique because of their softness. Better quality brushes use natural hair such as sable or squirrel. This natural hair is fine and delicate and can be damaged. But even synthetic hairs will need cleaning occasionally.

Over time, pigment, paint binders, and other dust and dirt tends to accumulate in the brush hairs, especially near the ferrule. Paint particles are difficult to remove from the base of the brush head near the ferrule, and even if you rinse your brushes regularly you’ll find that paint builds up in this spot.

This build up of particles near the ferrule forces the hairs further apart, and over time can end up deforming the brush. 

Furthermore, some paint pigments are more staining than others (the phthalo family of pigments for example). This can discolor the hairs of your brush so much that a good clean with soap is needed from time to time.

How Often to Clean Brushes

You’ll find it isn’t necessary to wash brushes after each painting session. 

When you finish painting, simply rinse them well, then reform the tip and leave them to dry on a flat surface. 

Depending on how often you use a brush, your cleaning routine should only be occasional. Cleaning too often is pointless. I probably only clean my brushes every three to four months. 

Easy Way to Clean Watercolor Brushes

Probably the best way to clean your brushes is using a mild soap. Make sure your soap is of the mild variety. For example something that uses vegetable based oils and contains no additives. You don’t want to use anything too aggressive.

Here’s the method I use when cleaning my brushes:

1. ​I like to use a clean white plate or a ceramic mixing tray to work the soap into the hairs. The white surface will let you see how much pigment comes out of the brush during cleaning.
2. Dip the brush in water and make sure it’s well soaked. You can gently squeeze the brush to make sure there are no air bubbles trapped between the hairs (don’t pull the tuft). Repeat the process of dipping and squeezing until the hairs are thoroughly soaked.
3. ​Put a little soap on the brush when its wet, just pick up some soap as if you were picking up paint from your palette.
4. ​Rotate the brush in circles so that the brush hairs are pulled along their length. You should not hold the brush vertically and splay the hairs on the surface. You’re trying to follow the natural direction of the brush hairs.
5. ​Rinse and repeat. Pick up more soap and push the brush down to apply slight pressure to the hairs near the ferrule. Remember you don’t want to crush the hairs so that they splay outwards a lot because this could deform the head. Turn the handle and work the soap into different sides of the brush.

Commercial Brush Cleaners

I would recommend you try mild soap before any other type of commercial cleaner. 

You can find some special brush cleaning products such as the “Masters brush cleaner and preservative”, but keep in mind this kind of product contains some abrasive ingredients. 

Did you leave your brush all week soaked with paint? If you forget to clean a brush and it needs recovering, rather than just washing, in this case you could try something like the Masters Brush Cleaner (link to Blick Art).

How to Care for Watercolor Brushes

Watercolor brush care just means picking up some good habits, and avoiding doing anything daft! I’m sure you know what I’m talking about… Yes you ! 

Here are some day to day tips on how to care for your precious brushes so they live long and happy lives!

• ​The first tip is to never leave your brushes standing head down in a jar of rinse water. Nope… Never! It’ll deform the head. And strangely, synthetic brushes are even more susceptible than natural haired brushes.
• ​Only use your brushes for watercolors. Gouache is OK because it’s water soluble like watercolors. But don’t be tempted to use brushes with any unusual type of paint. And certainly not with liquid frisket!
• ​Lay brushes flat to dry. A lot of people leave their brushes upright in a pot. This will just encourage water to seep down into the ferrule. Over time the moisture can loosen the ferrule and damage the wooden handle.
• ​Rinse your brushes as you work. If you lay down a brush to do something else, or to change brushes, rinse it first then lay it flat. I use a brush rest to hold my brushes while I work. This keeps the damp heads floating in the air so they dry better.
• ​When you pick up paint from the wells of a mixing palette or from pans, don’t push the head down hard into the paint. If you splay the hairs into the wet paint it will force pigment up towards the ferrule. You can also do damage to the hairs by pressing too hard.
• ​When you finish a painting session always rinse you brushes completely in clean water. I always run them under a stream of luke tap water until all the pigment runs out.
• ​After rinsing reform the tip of your brush. Gently squeeze the hairs to remove excess water then use your fingers to reform the head into a sharp tip. Leave them to dry on a flat surface.
• ​Don’t store a damp brush in any kind of container. Wait until they’re dry or you could have problems with mildew attacking the brush hairs.
• ​When you’re not using brushes store them in a place where they won’t get damaged!

Brush Storage

If you start to build up a collection of brushes (and I have to admit I’m a sucker for buying nice brushes), you’ll need a good place to store them.

A roll-up brush holder is one of the best alternatives for storage. Traditionally these are made out of bamboo, like this one ! 

If you know you’re not going to use a brush for a certain period of time you might consider protecting the hairs with gum arabic. You may have noticed when you buy a new watercolor brush that the hairs are glued together and hard. This is because they are coated with a gum arabic solution to protect them during shipping.

You can use the same stuff to protect your delicate brushes for long periods of storage or when traveling. Check the labels when you buy your gum arabic since sometimes it’s sold in granular form which needs mixing. I prefer the liquid form like this one by Winsor & Newton.

How to Reshape Watercolor Brushes

The shape of your brushes is possibly more important than their cleanliness! After all, the brush strokes you produce depend heavily on the form and handling quality of your brush

​The first rule of thumb is to reshape your brushes after every painting session.

After rinsing the brush, use your fingers to form a pointed tip, by pulling the hairs from the belly towards the tip. There should be no stray hairs pointing out.

But should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where one of your favorite brushes has lost its shape, do not despair. You may still be able to recover your beloved friend!

This is where gum arabic can come in handy again. As well as protecting brush heads during storage you can also use this substance to try to recover the shape of a deformed brush.

Fully emerge the head of the brush in the liquid gum arabic. Then simply use your fingers to reshape the brush and leave it to dry. The gum arabic will harden, keeping the hairs in shape. 

Leave the brush for a few days, then just rinse with water to remove the gum arabic before use. 

You can also buy specially formulated products for reshaping brushes such as the Mona Lisa Brush Restoration product (here’s the link if you need it).

Look after your Brushes!

Dry pigment doesn’t really affect the performance of your brushes. But a decent clean every once in awhile will keep your best brushes going for many years. 

Cleaning is a worthwhile way to protect the investment you make in expensive watercolor brushes. You ‘ll be better off in the long run. Which do you prefer? Buying new cheap synthetic brushes every year, or caring for an expensive kolinsky sable brush that lasts decades?

The post How to Clean Watercolor Brushes the Easy Way first appeared on Watercolor Affair.

Watercolor brushes come in a confusingly wide range of sizes, shapes, and materials to choose from. One of the most bewildering characteristics of brushes is their size. What do all those numbers mean? 000 or 3/0 or even 1/64”?

Brushes are the tools that you use to communicate your artistic ambitions onto the paper. And good watercolor brushes are expensive. So it’s well worth taking a bit of time to understand your tools.

In a nutshell… Brushes are sized according to a numbering system. The most common brush sizes range from 000 (small) to 24 (large). But there’s a little more to it than that. Not all ​watercolor brush types use this numbered ​rule!

To help make things clear in your mind I’ve put together this watercolor brush size chart – It’s available to download as a PDF at the end of the article… But before we get to that, let me explain a few technicalities.

The Anatomy of Watercolor Brushes

​Brushes are made up of three main parts. First comes the head (sometimes known as the tuft). The head is made up of bristles or hair and includes a belly and a tip. In watercolor painting, the belly is important because this part holds the water. With a good watercolor brush you have to recharge your brush less often, and in turn, this provides a more fluid and continuous brushstroke. The tip should provide a sharp point which springs back naturally.

The head is held in place by the ferrule. The ferrule is a metal collar which needs to be well constructed to prevent the hairs from falling out over time. This is also the part of the brush that you hold, so it should be comfortable. Low-quality brushes have a seam because they’re made from folded metal. This is a cheap fabrication method and I always avoid brushes like this. The ferrule also does the job of protecting the wooden handle from moisture. It’s attached to the handle by the crimp.

Handles are usually made from hardwood. The handle is printed with lots of fascinating information, including the brand, reference numbers and most importantly the SIZE!

Watercolor Brush Types ​

​There are three widespread hair types for watercolor brushes – sable, squirrel and synthetic. Sometimes you’ll find less expensive brushes with a mixed combination of hairs. You will also come across a wide variety of different shapes which are used for different techniques. The two most common shapes are round and flat. Below is a quick summary of the most frequently sold brush shapes, and a brief description:

• ​Round brush – this is the most versatile shape of brush for painting.
• ​Flat brush – good for laying down washes and for linear brushstrokes.
• ​Wash brush – these are wide flat brushes for applying big washes.
• ​Hake brushes – originally from Japan, these are very wide flat brushes used for big washes.
• ​Mop brushes – Big round brushes also for applying washes. The better quality brushes also have a reasonably fine tip and are more versatile.
• ​Spotter brush (or retouching brush) –  a brush with short hairs for small detail work.
• ​Rigger brush – these have extra long hairs with a fine point. Good for continuous lines because they hold water well.

• Filbert brush – this is a flat brush with an oval shape. Good for blending because the hairs hold together when wet, but not commonly used for watercolors.

​Just so you know, this list is not exhaustive. But why am I talking to you about shapes ? The point to remember is this… As mentioned above, brushes are classified by numbers. But, the numbered brush sizes do not apply to all shapes of brushes. The number system applies almost exclusively to ROUND and FLAT shapes of brushes. Other shapes of brushes are generally sized by their width and length.

When it comes to flat brushes, half of the time you will be given the size of the brush in terms of measurements. Just so you know what these mean, the length of the brush normally refers to the distance from the tip of the brush to the edge of the ferrule, where the ferrule ends and the hair begins. The width of the brush refers to the distance across the flat ferrule, at the exact point where the ferrule meets the hair.

Brush Sizing

Did you know that Her Majesty Queen Victoria had a favorite size of watercolor brush ?

The No. 7 …

But you don’t have to be of royal blood to have a preference…

Unfortunately, brush sizes do not follow an internationally imposed measuring standard. Sizes for round and flat brushes are defined according to a numbering system which can range from 0000 to 50. But these are the extremes. Personally, I have never seen a No. 50 brush! Even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to afford it!

The numbers usually identify the relative sizes of brushes within the same type of brush and by the same manufacturer.

This numbering system is fairly standardized, but sizes can vary slightly from one manufacturer to another. For example, a No. 10 brush from Winsor & Newton may not be exactly the same size as a No.10 brush by ​da Vinci.

The Confusion arises because the sizing and numbering of round and flat brushes can be expressed differently from one brand to another.

For example, the smallest brush size is the No. 0000. But this can also be expressed as 4/0 (4 zeros). Just to make things even more baffling, a manufacturer might also add a measurement. So a 4/0 brush is approximately equivalent to 1/64” or 0.4mm (oh yes depending on where you are in the world, you’ve got imperial or metric measurements!)

Confused yet ?

Don’t worry. Below is a chart which gives you a visual reference for the different sizes of brushes. This chart is based on the manufacturers’ information that I was able to verify and should be considered as a guide to relative sizes of watercolor brushes. Unfortunately, because sizes vary slightly from brand to brand, the chart lacks precision… But I hope it helps!

Watercolor Brush Size Chart

Round Brush Sizes ( From Small to Large )   

You may also notice that small brush sizes increase by increments of 1 (for example 1, 2, 3… etc.). When you reach size 10, larger brush sizes increase by increments of 2 (10, 12, 14… etc.). This isn’t an oversight. All of the brush manufacturers that I compared, size their brushes this way. I imagine this is for reasons of economy.

You will find that the size of the handles on watercolor brushes is smaller than brushes used for other medium, such as oil or acrylic. This is because a lot of watercolor projects are on a small scale and require detailed work. The watercolorist holds the brush by the ferrule to achieve greater control, so a large sized handle is not needed.

​Flat Brush Sizes ( From Small to Large )   

What Size Watercolor Brushes do I Need?

You won’t need every size of brush! The best way to begin is to get a limited number of versatile brushes capable of performing a wide range of techniques. Consider detail work, wash work, and effects.

Brushes need to be good quality because they should hold their shape, hold a good amount of paint or water in their belly, be able to maintain a point, and distribute the medium smoothly.

Good brushes are expensive – but if you choose your brushes carefully they will last for a very long time!

To quote Jacques Turner, from his book  “Brushes: A Handbook for Artists and Artisans”:

Most artists are not fully aware of the influence the quality of their brushes has on the work they do…. It is very difficult to obtain good results using badly made brushes. I have met beginners who were convinced that they lacked ability because they were unable to produce certain painting effects, when in reality their failure was the direct result of the inferior brushes they were attempting to use.

The post Watercolor Brush Size Chart Free PDF! first appeared on Watercolor Affair.