Mont Marte Premium Paint Brush Set 15 Piece
If you want to invest in high-quality paintbrushes then you can check out the Monte Marte Premium paintbrush set to start with. This set comes with 15 different brushes in a rolling case. The case has a magnetic closure that does not allow your brushes to roll out of it and get lost. Each brush is of premium quality and you can carry it with you to your favourite spot and start painting. You will get liner #3/0, round #1, round #3, round #6, filbert #2, filbert #4, filbert #9, filbert #8, flat #6, flat #8, flat #10, angled #10, wash #11, fan #4, wide 5/4 brushes in the set. The shaft of the brush is in beautiful blue colour and looks very attractive. You can buy it for Rs. 4,459 from www.desertcart.in.
Da Vinci Cosmotop Spin Brush Set
A favorite of experienced watercolor artists, da Vincis Cosmotop Spin brushes are a big jump up in price but offer such exceptional value weve included them in our roundup. Neither too stiff nor frustratingly floppy, they feel almost as good as sable, and they hold more water and retain their shape better than other brushes that cost as much. Each brush is handmade in Germany with handles of sustainably sourced wood. This set includes rounds in two sizes, a finely pointed cats tongue, and a bright brush .
Dartisan Shoppe Art Brush Set
Some of best synthetic watercolor brushes for professionals, there are 15 different brushes in the set, including 4 flat brushes, 3 round, 4 filbert, 1 fan, 1 angle, 1 rigger, and 1 wide brush.
This gives you a wide variety of the best professional watercolor brushes to work with.
It also comes with a lightweight case for holding and traveling with good watercolor brushes.
The brush fibers are mixed, with 4 hog bristle brushes which offer great water retention and high spring capacity, and 11 synthetic brushes, some of the best brushes for watercolor and just some high-quality watercolor brushes overall.
Overall, this is a highly recommended set of the best synthetic watercolor brushes for gift giving and gives you the versatility you need in your watercolor painting, although not exactly the best kolinsky sable watercolor brushes.
You can buy these top watercolor brushes here:
Pros
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What Makes A Watercolor Brush Different From Other Kinds Of Paintbrushes
Watercolor brushes were designed to drag pigment across the surface, and as such, have longer bristles to do so. The handle is also shorter to allow for more control while painting. You can, of course, use this brush for other mediums, however, once you do so you will not be able to use it for water painting again.
Da Vinci Watercolor Series 5598 Casaneo Paint Brush

The Casaneo Paint Brush is the perfect tool for artists who want the best of both worlds: the responsiveness and feel of a natural brush, with the durability of a synthetic. The unique construction of this brush allows it to hold more paint and release it more evenly than other faux squirrel brushes on the market, making it perfect for both watercolor and oil painting.
Pros of da Vinci Watercolor Series 5598 Casaneo Paint Brush:
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Natural Vs Synthetic Brushes
Traditionally, watercolor paint brushes were made with natural hairs, and artists tend to consider these superior to purely synthetic brushes. Their capacity to hold paint and water, while offering an even distribution of paint-to-paper makes it hard to beat. But natural hair brushes are usually costly, due to their animal sources.
But modern-day synthetic brushes, often made with care and detail from nylon or polyester fibers, are a fierce competitor to natural hair brushes. They, too, can hold water and paint nicely and offer an even distribution of paint-to-paper.
Why Are Kolinsky Brushes So Expensive
Kolinsky brushes are very expensive because of the rarity of the male Siberian weasels specific in some areas of Russia and northern China. Weight by weight, Kolinsky fur is more costly than gold and. Manufacturers only use the tail fur for brush-making.
To make the harvest more sustainable, the hunters sedate the Siberian weasel to harvest their tail hairs. Those targeting fur, though, must kill the animal. Many professional artists prefer them because of their great texture and longevity. A Kolinsky brush can last up to three years, but a single Series 7 brush can fetch over $300.
Makers of Kolinsky brushes assure that the yearly hunting does not hurt the Siberian weasel population. Still, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has put this animal on their monitored list.
An excellent alternative to Kolinsky brushes is squirrel hair, ox hair, goat hair, hog bristle, Escoda Versatil synthetic brushes, camel hair, a combination of squirrel, ox, and goat or goat pony hair. We strongly urge you to stay away from pony watercolor brushes, though, because of their inferior quality.
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Cleaning Your Brushes Properly
When painting with watercolors, you will find that your brushes need to be cleaned constantly to ensure the color and pigment are what you want them to be. When you are done using your paintbrushes, ensure that all traces of pigment have been cleaned off before storing them. Gentle brush cleaners should be used every few weeks to give your brushes a deep clean and quick condition.
While you should be cleaning your brushes, be careful when doing so. Hot water, solvents, and soaps are not always good for the brush and can end up doing more harm than good. All you need is a clean glass of water to swish it around in and a towel to blot it on. Do not worry too much about stained bristles, unless they are changing the color of your pigment, they should not be a problem.
How Are Watercolor Brushes Different From Other Brushes
Why do we have acrylic brushes, oil brushes, and watercolor brushes? How are they so different from one another?
Well, when comparing watercolor brushes to acrylic brushes, for example, watercolor brushes tend to have finer, softer hairs. There are two reasons for this:
First, the softer hairs act like a sponge soaking up the water and with it the paint into your brush.
Number two, the finer hairs of these brushes allows you, as the artist, to achieve softer, more delicate paint strokes on the paper that watercolor is known for.
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Opt Out Of The Natural Vs Synthetic Battle
There are advantages and disadvantages with each brush that should be considered far beyond the issue of natural versus synthetic. Even within these two categories, there are broad characteristics. A lot of what suits you depends on how you paint as well as the arrangement and shape of the bristles.
However, in regards to natural and synthetic bristles, there are some things to consider.
Synthetic bristles are typically the most affordable of the two , and they have other advantages. Synthetics tend to keep their full spring and snap even when wet, and if shaped properly, they can be superior at holding a point. However, their fibers lack the scale layers that natural hair has, so they struggle to grab and hold onto a large charge of paint resulting in a tendency to dump their pigment load onto a page. And even with the best of care, synthetics have a limited lifespan. From production to disposal, I think these are the least earth-friendly option.
When it comes to choosing a brush, it helps to be openminded. If you prefer natural hair for painting, I think its still worthwhile to keep a few synthetics on hand for scrubbing, lifting, and mixing. If it’s against your conscience to purchase something that contains animal products, go into it knowing that nothing can replicate natural hair, but do what your heart deems best.
Using The Brush Correctly
The tip of your brush is not a shovel, so to protect it, do not use it to dab or constantly push down when using it on watercolor paper or watercolor blocks. This is even more of a problem when using synthetic brushes as they lack the snap and durability that natural hair brushes offer, instead, they will fray and split.
Carefully loading your brush will provide smoother results and stunning completed works of art.
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What To Look For In A Quality Watercolor Brush
It means while buying watercolor brushes, you need to consider some factors for example the hair of a brush.
The type of hair a brush has defines how much paint and water a brush can hold.
The bristles of brushes are also very important to consider especially if you are doing watercolor paintings. Brushes may have natural, synthetic, or sable fiber, so make sure you choose the best one.
Now that you have come to know what to look for in a brush and what type of brush you need for your watercolor paintings.
Now, it is time to look at some examples of the best and top watercolor brushes. I remember when I started watercolor paintings, I didnt even have an idea what brush to pick.
As time passes, I researched and have come to know what brushes work best for watercolors.
Todays guide is all about the best watercolor brushes. Here, I am going to highlight why a good brush is important for watercolor paintings along with the best brushes that you can use in your paintings.
So, do not waste your time and money and buy one of the following brushes as they are the best on the market!
Are you ready? Lets get started!
Drying Your Brushes Correctly

Once you have finished cleaning your brush, it is important that you reshape the brush and repoint the tip to keep it in peak condition. Failure to do so can result in the bristles splitting into weird directions, leaving it unusable. If the bristles do dry in a weird direction, rewet the brush and try reshaping it. Many watercolor paintbrush handles are wooden and will expand when exposed to water, so storing your brushes with the tip in the air is not advisable. You also cannot store it with the tip facing down as it will damage the bristles. So, the only logical way to store it is lying on a flat surface.
This will help preserve your brush by preventing damage to the bristles, ferrules, and handle.
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What To Look For When Buying Watercolor Brushes
Brush Size
When looking for the best brushes for watercolor, among the main features to consider are the brush shapes and sizes.
Choosing the perfect size relies on your painting techniques and preferred textural effects. Therefore, washes, bold colors, and solid strokes need large brushes while small brushes are ideal for detail work and intricate outlines.
Manufacturers always indicate these sizes on brush labels. The numbers 2 to 6 usually fall under small brushes, 6 to 8 for medium or mid-range brushes, and 10 to 12 for the large ones. The sizes range from 0000 up to 50 wherein a higher number usually defines a larger brush size.
However, the sizing varies from brand to brand thus, there is no standard basis or measurement for the brushes. That is why it is imperative to refer to the brands size chart to identify the exact sizes.
Brush Shape
Watercolor brushes come in different shapes. Round and flat are the common shapes that many artists use to exhibit diverse painting styles, strokes, and artistic washes and effects. But as you work on your techniques and expand your stash of brushes, you will come across different brush shapes that provide particular applications. Take a look at the following list:
Sometimes called Oval Wash, this hybrid of round and flat brushes is ideal for producing washes or solid colors like flower petals. Since it is 2-in-1, the sharp edge and the pointed tip are useful for intricate lines and details like flower stems.
Durability and Design
Saving Your Precious Time
The most important benefit of online shopping is its convenience. You can order anything anytime without waiting in lines or asking help from the shop assistants to find you things.
This would save you time and also your physical hardships. No more carrying heavy shopping bags all the way from the market to your home.
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Meeden Portable Artist Paint Brushes
One of the top options Ive found for a collapsible watercolor brush set is this one from MEEDEN. Similar to Golden Maple artist brushes, these portable paint brushes feature innovative removable handles that can alter the brush length for a compact and convenient size.
On the other hand, this set includes five round watercolor paint brushes of sizes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. With the diverse sizes, youll have an array of beautiful brushes for building and blending colors as well as producing glazing vibrant layers.
If youre not a fan of animal hairs, you might love the delicate synthetic bristles of these brushes. As they are designed with premium quality materials, the bristles can hold color well and release it without any smears.
Amazingly, each brush can maintain its spring and snap. Thus, the brushes retain their shape for seamless and precise applications as well as optimum water retention.
Furthermore, since they have pointed tips, you can render delicate strokes and lines without disrupting previous colors.
Its also impressive that synthetic hairs dont wear out easily despite frequent use. Aside from that, they have sturdy handles and anti-rust nickel ferrules that ensure long-lasting quality.
Besides the fantastic craftsmanship and wonderful performance, these brushes are ideal sizes for travel and outdoor painting. They are compact, sleek, and lightweight. Plus, they come with a mini leather case for trouble-free transport!
- The caps are prone to rust
Natural Bristle Watercolor Brushes
Dick Blick’s Master Kolinsky Sable
These brushes were the first “real” watercolor brushes that I ever purchased, and I still own and use them constantly. I originally chose them because, for Kolinsky sable, they’re fairly affordable. They turned out to be workhorses. For more than four years now, they’ve held up extremely well to daily use.
As I mentioned here , I’ve had a bit of trouble with the largest one not holding a point, but I don’t think it’s the brand but more likely an issue with the individual brush. All it takes is a quick roll to repoint it, so it really doesn’t bother me.
Because of Blick’s amazing customer support, I have no qualms recommending these. If a problem does arise, Blick will happily make it right.
Millers Legend Kolinsky Sable Brushes
I own a travel size version of this brush and although I dont think it performs as well as a top of the line sable, they are slightly more affordable. Because this brush is softer than a synthetic, juicy washes and loose, expressive strokes are easier to achieve.
This brush splays like a pony brush when it’s dry. A bit disturbing, but it quickly rewets into a decent point after a dip or two. If this bothers you, dry splaying is easily resolved with a light layer of Master’s. Just allow it to dry in your brush and rinse before use. Won’t hurt a thing!
Isabey Kolinsky Sable
But be forewarned… these dreams come with hefty price tags. Ouch.
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How Are The Different Watercolor Brushes Used
The watercolor brushes have their specific purpose for the watercolor artist. The primary purpose of a watercolor brush is to transfer watercolor from the pan or tube to the paper to create designs. However, for an artist to create a lovely design, he needs different brushes to add contour, create effects, and add details to his artwork.
While the watercolor painting is flat and non-dimensional, a good watercolor artist knows how to manipulate his brush to add minute details so that the viewer may perceive a flat drawing of a teardrop into something that feels like you can touch it.
Dry brushing, either with a fan brush, a flat brush, or a round brush, gives a different effect on your watercolor painting. Lastly, combining a mop brush for large strokes, a round brush for details, and a liner for finer details result in a lovely watercolor art that you cannot achieve using a single type of watercolor brush.
Tips For Painting With Watercolors
Watercolors are a beautiful and unique medium that can be used to create stunning artwork. However, painting with watercolors can be tricky and it takes practice to get the hang of it. If youre new to painting with watercolors, here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Use good quality materials. Cheap watercolor paints and brushes will not produce good results. Invest in high quality materials from the beginning and youll be much happier with your paintings.
- Dont overmix your colors. When you mix two colors together, they will usually turn out darker than either of the original colors. So, if you want a light color, dont mix too much paint together.
- Be patient. Watercolors take time to dry, so dont try to rush your painting. Take your time and enjoy the process.
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How To Choose Paint Brushes For Watercolor: The Buying Guide
How do you choose the paint brushes for watercolor? You must consider many things, such as the brand name, price, and product quality. In addition, you should also consider whether it is suitable for your needs or not.
So how do you choose the right paint brushes for watercolor? Here are some tips that you can use to help you find a good product:
What you Should Keep in Mind When Buying paint brushes for watercolor
When shopping for a paint brushes for watercolor, there are several things to consider. You need to think about the quality of the product, the price, and even how much it will benefit your life. However, you also need to keep these factors in mind: