10 Best Watercolor Brush Recommendations (Updated 2024)
Ainun
May 10, 2023 13:00
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13 min read
Best Blog Review – Fatigue due to busy routines can usually make a person feel stressed so they need entertainment or fun activities. Painting using watercolors can be a fun activity to fill your free time and relieve stress, where one of the tools is a watercolor brush.
These activities can be done not only by professionals but also beginners. Now, there are several well-known brands that provide watercolor brushes with various specifications, such as Joyko, Lyra, Pentel, Butterfly, and many more.
How to Choose a Brush for Good Watercolors
Having a good quality product is certainly everyone’s desire, the same goes for someone who wants to paint using a watercolor brush. Of course there are a few things to consider when choosing brushes for watercolors. If you are still confused, then just pay attention to the following points:
1. Know the materials used to make brushes
Each brand of watercolor brush certainly has its own standards so that the materials used will also be different from each other. Some products are made using natural ingredients whose quality is much better than synthetic materials.
Well, examples of natural materials, namely squirrel hair, goat hair, cow hair, and weasel hair. Not only natural materials, synthetic materials in the form of polyester or nylon are also widely used by manufacturers to make watercolor brushes.
2. Choose the type of watercolor brush according to your needs
Of course, there are so many objects that can be made using a watercolor brush, so it’s no wonder that nowadays there are various types of brushes. So, these types, for example round or pointed round brush tips, pointed round, and round detail brushes are often used to create detailed images and color narrow areas.
Then there is a flat type brush to make straight lines consisting of bright, angular, and filbert. Other types of brushes that can be found on the market are wash brushes which include mops and hake, as well as detail brush types which include spotters and riggers.
3. Adjust the size of the brush to your needs
Not only the type, the sizes of the watercolor brushes provided by each brand also vary so that consumers can choose according to their needs. Information regarding size is usually listed on the packaging, handle or brush handle, and in the product description column when buying it online through a website or marketplace.
The thing to note is that usually the bigger the number, the bigger the brush size. In general, watercolor brush sizes range from #0 to #24 or maybe up to #50.
10 Best Watercolor Brush Recommendations
Here we go
Compared to strong oil and acrylic paints, watercolor brushes usually have finer bristles, shorter handles, and are specialized for non-concentrated liquids. So, here are ten recommendations for brushes for watercolor from various brands at various prices. Ainun, selected products can be found in various places, such as stationery stores, supermarkets, and the mainstay marketplace.
1. Joyko BRS-12
One of the well-known brands of stationery and has been around for several years is Joyko. Lots of people use their products to support school needs, work, and so on. So, one of the products to choose from is the BRS-12 type watercolor brush containing a set of painting tools and packaged in a black pouch measuring 27.3 x 13.4 cm. The pouch is equipped with a zipper so that the painting tools inside can be better protected.
Not only do they contain strong watercolors, these products can also be used for oil or acrylic paints. The material used to make brushes is high-quality nylon, making them more durable. In total there are 15 different brush sizes, 1 mixing knife, and 2 round yellow foam sponges.
2. Lyra Art Brush Round Series
Not only providing writing tools, Lyra also has painting tools, one of which is the Lyra Art Brush Round Series. Now, the watercolor brush sizes to choose from are #0, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, and #12. The bigger the size, the more expensive the selling price and vice versa. Even though it is provided in various sizes, this product is sold individually so it needs to be selected as needed so that no brushes are wasted.
This watercolor brush is made using synthetic fiber bristles so it is used for a variety of painting techniques. Comfort when painting can also be obtained because the fur is soft and does not fall off easily. This product is suitable for painting with more detail because the type is round or round. In addition, the resulting color strokes are also firm so that the beauty of the painting can shine more.
3. Pentel Neo Sable Brush
Painting activities can be done by anyone, including children under 5 years old, but still need supervision from an older person. Well, one of the brands that play a major role in providing painting equipment is Pentel. Not only crayons, Pentel also has a product called Neo Sable Brush. This watercolor brush set is made using high-quality nylon fiber for good durability and good water resistance.
Not only acting as a watercolor brush, Neo Sable Brush can also be used as an acrylic paint brush and poster paint. Well, several types of brushes are provided, namely round or round and flat or flat. Of course, various things can be done using this Pentel product, such as making thin to thick lines, making initial sketches, coloring large areas, and so on.
4. Bazic Water Painting Brush Set 5
The next recommendation for the best watercolor brushes comes from the Bazic brand with 5 brushes in one set. Not only that, the brush colors to choose from are also quite diverse because there are 6 attractive colors. Just like products from other brands, this Bazic Water Painting Brush Set 5 is also compatible with various kinds of paint so there is no need to buy new brushes for other types of paint. Of course this will save money, especially for beginners who are just trying painting activities.
Basically, synthetic bristles are cheaper than natural materials, but the quality is not much worse. Well, Pentel also makes this 18 cm long watercolor brush with a synthetic material that is soft, strong and doesn’t fall off easily.
5. Butterfly Brush Set BT-ART1
When holding a workshop on painting using watercolors, it is usually necessary to provide equipment at the same time because the participants have already paid for all the necessities during the workshop. Well, one of the tools that is quite important is the watercolor brush. In order to make it easier for participants to create various kinds of objects, they can immediately provide a set of brushes.
Nylon is indeed one of the manufacturers’ favorite materials for making watercolor brushes, including the Butterfly brand. A set of high-quality BT-ART1 type brushes consists of 6 different sizes, namely 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. Of course, the length of the brush handles also varies, ranging from 16.4-20 cm. This product can be purchased per box or per dozen depending on needs.
6. Miya Himi Little Bird Watercolor Brush 5 pcs
Children who are in their infancy do prefer to play, but it would be better if little by little they are taught good things. For example, inviting children aged 3 years and over to paint using a watercolor brush. Start teaching your little one to make objects he likes, even if the results are not satisfactory.
Not only children, adults are also allowed to use this product to support their hobby of painting. So, another recommendation for watercolor brushes that can be purchased online through an official account on the marketplace is the Miya Himi Little Bird Watercolor Brush containing 5 pcs. The brush handle is provided in green and yellow colors that you can choose as you wish.
7. Sparks 10pcs/Set
One of the watercolor brushes that will be sent directly from abroad when purchased online through the marketplace is the Fonken product. There is no need to worry because the product has been checked in good condition before it is sent. All of the bristles in this set are made using the same nylon as the majority of the recommended products.
Well, the material used to unite the bristles with the brush handle is metal. That way, the connection on the brush becomes stable and doesn’t loosen easily. The pointed end allows this watercolor brush to be used for dot painting. Not only watercolors, Fonken products are also suitable for oil paints, acrylic paints, and gouache paints.
8. Deli Paint Brush 73923
The next recommendation for the best watercolor brush is Deli Paint Brush 73923 which contains 4 brushes. So, these brushes have different sizes, including 2, 4, 6, and 8. By using a more complete brush, details of various kinds of objects can also be created. In fact, this product is very elastic so it will make it easier to reach even the smallest parts.
In addition, the Deli Paint Brush 73923 doesn’t easily drain the bag because it’s made using a strong material so it doesn’t break easily. Deli products, including strong watercolors, can be found easily on their official accounts in various marketplaces.
9. Montana Brush BRW-7
Usually buying packaged products will be cheaper than having to buy individually. Even more so if you are opening a stationery shop and have to sell large quantities of the same brush size. Therefore, Montana provides BRW-7 type watercolor brushes which consist of 12 different brush sizes. Each size is packaged in a box of the same size and contains 12 to 24 pcs.
Montana also chose nylon material for the bristles it produces because it has several advantages. Of course, these advantages have been recognized by several brands, so there are many brushes made of nylon on the market. If you get bored of painting using watercolors, then try painting with acrylic paints using this one brush.
10. Flomo Watercolor Flat Brush Set
As the name implies, this watercolor brush has a flat, straight ferrule and is usually flat, square or rectangular, so it is more suitable for creating or filling objects with larger and wider fields. Like most products, the Flomo brush set comes in several sizes so you can use it to create a variety of objects.
There are several media that you can choose to paint using the Flomo Watercolor Flat Brush Set, for example, canvas and sketchbook. Some of the advantages possessed by the strength of this flat type of watercolor are that it absorbs quickly and the paint does not spread, is suitable for water and oil paints, and has durable nylon bristles. Meanwhile, the material chosen to make the handle or shaft of the Flomo brush is wood.
Get to know the parts of a watercolor brush in general
The majority of people must already know about the types of brushes in general, but are not familiar with the designations for each part. After knowing the reviews of the ten recommendations for watercolor brushes, now is the time to increase your knowledge by getting to know the parts of the brush.
1. Bristles
Each brush certainly has hair or bristles, as well as those on watercolor brushes. Well, these parts are usually known as bristles which are made from natural, synthetic or a combination of both. There are rough and smooth as well as thick and thin. This will usually be related to the painting medium and brush size.
2. Ferrule
In order for the hair to attach to the shaft, it is necessary to have a metal plate that binds or clamps the brush hair to the shaft. One of the factors that determine the quality of a watercolor brush is the ferrule, so it should not be too loose so that the hairs of the brush do not fall out or come off the handle.
3. Crimp
The next part of the watercolor brush to know is the crimp. The function of this section is to connect the ferrule with the brush handle. Well, usually crimp has a color resembling aluminum.
4. Handle
Well, the part of the watercolor brush that is usually held by the hand is the handle. However, not a few people also call it a brush handle or handle. Compared to special brushes for oil and acrylic paints, the handles for watercolor brushes tend to be shorter.
How to clean Watercolor Brushes to Keep them Nice and Long Lasting
Here are general steps to follow when cleaning watercolor brushes.
1. Preparation
At this stage, prepare a used watercolor brush, a cloth or tissue, and clean water to soak the brush. Before that, clean the brush using a cloth or tissue by rubbing and pressing gently so that no residual paint is left behind.
2. Soak
The next step is to soak the watercolor brush in water for a while, then shake it out. To make the hair parts of the brush spring back and stick together, another option is to add a little soap or use hot water at 60-80 °C to soak them for 1-2 minutes. Apply a little pressure to help remove any remaining paint on the brush.
3. Dry
The last process that must be done before storing the watercolor brushes in the space provided is to dry all the parts. This can be done using a cloth, tissue, or other media. Make sure the bristles are completely dry by pressing gently on them.
Conclusion
Basically, a watercolor brush is an important tool when you want to paint with watercolors on canvas, sketchbooks, or other media. In order to get a good quality product and fit your needs, the selection needs to pay attention to several things.
There are several well-known brands that provide watercolor brushes as well as for acrylic, oil, and so on. After use, each part of the brush needs to be cleaned before it is stored so that it is not easily damaged and moldy.
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