Reply To: Miniature paint brushes – What do you recommend?

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There’s no preferred synthetic type of brush (you can get different types of synthetic fibres and even a mix of synthetic and natural fibres), for keeping paint on the brush it’s more to do with the brush shape more than the fibres used (typically the classic “bell” shaped brush is good for this as the bell forms a reservoir for the paint. If you get a “liner” style of brush then you will be going back to to the paint pot for more paint (but you gain more control for doing things line panel lines). However cheap hobby brushes (with plastic handles) shed bristles and amost come as new with no point to the brush head

The “set” Torros showed is typically the type of thing I’d pick up personally (along with a couple of extras with the liner style of brush head). Acrylics at the end of the day is a form of “plastic”, so it adheres to natural fibres (while it has a harder time bonding with the synthetic fibres).

I’d say you get more difference for your painting from how you use it, then the expense and technology of the brush. Some people prefer thin paintbrush handles, while other like a thicker style (like the pear shaped ones Torros posted and image off). But even if you still like and prefer the expensive Raphael brands, you can still buy synthetic brushes from them.

And as Timcubb said copious amounts of brush care can extend the life of any brush and you can put it through hell and high water. However I just use a cheaper brush and clean normally with water (cheaper brushes mean you don’t have to be as fastidious about caring for them). But at the end of the day I don’t feel the sable brushes deliver a superior end result based purely on the fact they use Sable/Natural fibres (that’s more down to the talent of the painter).