Today I’m reviewing the Escoda Prado Tame synthetic,Escoda Perla White Toray synthetic, Princeton Velvet touch range £4.67, and a number 0 from the Raphaël Set of 3 Sable Brushes Synthetic Travel #01 £10.05

Brushes I’m testing today

Sable vs Synthetics – what are the concerns?

You may not be surprised to hear that this topic has occupied me, and every time I do another series of tests I return to the same question.  Which is ethically worse, Sable or Synthetic?  Sable brushes are cruel to animals.  Synthetics are one-use plastics.  I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

Synthetics cost a lot less than my Series 7 brushes, a new No. 1 Series 7 brush an cost more than £25.  Most of the synthetics I’m trialling cost under £10.

European Weasel Mustela nivalis (relative of M. sibirica)

The drawbacks of sable and squirrel brushes is that the Siberian weasel Mustela sibirica is hunted and killed for its’ paint-brush perfect tail hair.  As a vegetarian, this feels really uncomfortable, somewhat akin to wearing fur (see PETA’s Why Buying an animal hair paintbrush is like wearing fur article.)  In fact, there’s some suggestion Kolinisky sable brushes have been banned in the US since 2014 (Kolinsky Sable Brushes banned in the US Gurney Journey 2014), although I hadn’t heard of this before.  Some believe the hair is a by-product (having been in touch with Winsor & Newton I can confirm this isn’t true, they’re hunted specifically for my brushes), others say reducing the Siberian weasel population is not bad thing as they prey on chickens, and the most surprising comment was this, on a  MetaFilter discussion board): “And these weasels need killing, as they are infamous among the Chinese for stealing souls”.  For more on this topic, there’s a heated discussion on he Dakka Dakka forum.

Synthetics wear down quickly, splay, and their tips hook.  This is due to the material they’re made from and is inevitable.  They are non-recyclable single-use plastics.  They will go to landfill where they’ll stay for centuries.

Tip of a Jackson’s Kite brush showing degredation that occurred within 15 minutes

Neither option is perfect, and there’s a part of me that’s thinking “Curses, let’s just stick with what I know as whatever I do I’m damaging the natural world.  Maybe I need to learn how to paint with a small twig from a fallen branch.  Sigh.”

But the best suggestion is to look after your equipment carefully and thus use less of it, no matter whether synthetic or sable.  I’m training myself to mix with a separate brush and am showing my brushes more love and care than before.

However, for now it’s time to continue the quest.

Synthetic Brushes Tested so far…

I’ve worked my way through about 15 synthetic brushes, without stumbling on the Holy Grail of replacements.  Of the ones I’ve tried (see below), my favourites to date are the Princeton Neptune round (a synthetic squirrel) and Rosemary & Company Red Dot Spotter, a synthetic sable.  For fine detail, I was impressed by the Billie Showell Fineliner

All the brushes tested so far with todays contenders in the top right and my Winsor and Newton series 7 on show too

Film 1 (and blog) shows me trying out Winsor & Newton synthetic sable, Rosemary and Co. Spotter Red Dot, Princeton Aqua elite, and my one freebie – the ZenART fineline minature paintbrushes

In film and blog 2, Princeton Neptune script. Kite S561 by Jackson’s, Rosemary and Company Pointed Red Dot, Da Vinci Casaneo 5598 Round are under the spotlight.

Blog and film 3 saw me review Princeton Neptune round, Jackson’s Icon synthetic Quill S777 10/0, Escoda Versatil round, and Da Vinci Colineo.

In the fourth film I reviewed the Bille Showell’s fine liner, ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round, Rosemary & Company Designer Red Dot, and the Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round

Billie Showell fineliner

Synthetic Brush reviews: Unsponsored and honest

I’ve paid for all the brushes I’ve tested which keeps things objective if pricey (bar one –  ZenART fineline minature paintbrushes). I buy most from Jackson’s here in the UK because they carry a wide variety (they’re not sponsoring me either, although if they wanted to…?).  They also have a great ecological policy when it comes to sending things through the post, minimal and using entirely recyclable packaging.  Other art suppliers here in the UK I’d recommend include; Cass Art, Cowling and Wilcox, Ken Bromley, and London Graphic Centre spring to mind.

Of the brushes tested, only some of the Rosemary & Co range need to be purchased direct from their website, either online or by phone.

Any replacement I finally settle on will have to perform as well as my Series 7, and will have to overcome my long held affection for a brush which works so well for me.

All of these opinions and reviews are mine, and I know that brush choice can be very personal.  Just because I rate or write off a brush is no guarantee that you’ll feel the same.  I don’t want to preach or change the way people feel about brands they love, but hope some of this research may help others on a similar quest.

All the brushes tested up til today

Escoda Prado Tame synthetic

Escoda Prado Tame synthetic: The new brush

This is a number 1 brush, my preferred size. On first sight this is a good looking brush, with a sharp tip.  The handle is the right length, and a high gloss brown. It hasn’t got a really long nib like some of the script brushes I’ve trialled.

Escoda Prado Tame synthetic: Mixing paint

I’ve tried NOT to be too vigorous mixing paint with this set of brushes as lots of people have said the reason why my brushes die so fast it because I beat them up in the mixing process.

However, in terms of loading the brush and adding water, it’s good.  A decent sized well carries plenty of paint, and the tip doesnt sply or lose clarity when wetted.

Escoda Prado Tame synthetic: How sharp is that point?

A good question, and the gratifying answer is, really, very.  It has a really sharp tip which doesnt degrade over the time I paint with it.  I’m hyper-sensitive to the slightest hook of a synthetic brush by now, and the Escoda Prado avoided hooking.

Painting with it was actually fine.  Very similar to my current favourite, the Princeton Neptune round.  The fibres feel a little softer, and although at this point in time it feels like I’m nit-picking, I would have liked them to have a bit more bite, spring, resistance.  But then perhaps this is another of the “what you’re used to” issues; if I expect sable behaviour from a synthetic I’ll be forever disappointed.

Wet top washes were drama-free, and didn’t swallow up all the white of the page.

Escoda Prado Tame synthetic: The Blob Test.

Unsurprisingly, the Prado passed with flying colours.  The softness of the tip makes it slightly less good at mixing in water during a wash, but that’s looking for things to complain about.  Writing its own name was hassle free.

Escoda Prado Tame synthetic: Conclusion

I can’t really fault this brush, except that it’s slightly too soft for my taste.  It paints as well as the Neptune, and retains its tip throughout.

This brush currently retails from Jackson’s UK for £6.38

Escoda Perla White Toray synthetic

Perla White Toray synthetic: The new brush

This brush is a number 1 size. On removing the plastic cover, it shows a sharp tip.

The bristles are pure white which is slightly weird, but within seconds of use they’re stained a comfortable green colour.  Phew.  It looked slightly too surgical to start with.  It’s shiny, normal length handle is grey.

Perla White Toray synthetic: Mixing paint

Mixing is easy, again, with the additional care I’m taking.  But the brush doesn’t splay or lose form as soon as it’s put into wet paint.  the tip holds firm.

Perla White Toray synthetic: How sharp is that point?

The point is really good.  In fact, painting with this brush feels almost identical to painting with the Escoda Prado.  Just in a different colour scheme (I can imagine the manufacurers in Barcelona throwing their hands in the air and shouting, “¡No! ¡Ellos no son los mismos!”).

It has that same background soft touch which I don’t love, but which doesn’t compromise the performance of the brush in any way.  I think perhaps it has a slightly smaller well than the Prado, so needs topping up from the palette more often.

As with the Prado, the top washes went on easily and there was no blobbing or unexpected swallowing up of my white page areas.

By the time I’m done there’s a very slight hook at the tip, but this hasn’t compromised the sharpness of line or accuracy of stroke.

Perla White Toray synthetic: The Blob Test

As with the Prado, the Perla excelled on the blob test, and on being used to write its’ own name.  It also has the added benefit of the white bristles picking up whatever pigment is being used, which is a very pretty effect.

Perla White Toray synthetic: Conclusion

This gets a similarly good review to the Escoda Prado.  it worked well and held its tip.  It managed detail and washes, and was easy to mix with.  It took the right amount of paint from the palette, and at its low price, would have to be a real contender for illustrators on a budget.

At Jackson’s, this brush currently sells for £4.67

Princeton Velvet touch range

Princeton Velvet touch Round (number 2 as there were no no.1 size available): The new brush

I was really excited about this brush.  Having got on so well with the Princeton Neptune, I’m wondering if this could be the next Big Thing.

Taking it out of its’ packaging, the nib looked lovely and crisp.  The brush has the look and feel of the Princeton Neptune, although there’s a coating on the brush handle which is very velvety soft.  I wonder how differently it’ll behave.

Princeton Velvet touch Round: Mixing paint

When I use the brush to mix paint, it doesn’t lose any of the nib precision.  The well is big enough to hold plenty of colour, but not so large it flings it unexpectedly onto the page.

Princeton Velvet touch Round: How sharp is that point?

The point is undeniably sharp.  Painting with it feels a great deal like the Princeton Neptune, I’m not sure if I’d be able to tell them apart.  I think there may be a little more spring in the fibres of this brush than in the Escoda series, which recommends it to me.

It does crisp lines and outlines, and delivers a steady flow of colour to an accurate tip.

Top washes are equally easy, no unexpected blurring or sudden need to be hyper aware that it’s all about to go wrong.  When I had to tweak an edge from another brush (see below), this is the one I picked up.

At the end of my test, the tip was still un-hooked and crisp.  This means that it, along with the Escoda Prado, are the best of the bunch.

Princeton Velvet touch Round: The Blob Test

Delivery of a nice big blob of colour was easy.  Mixing in water was a little swifter than with the Escoda brushes, but we’re talking seconds.  The tip held for a sharp single line, and it wrote its own name out beautifully.

Princeton Velvet touch Round: Conclusion

By the end of the test, I found myself really very pleased with this brush.  I’m wondering how to tell the Velvettouch from the Neptune, which will I prefer?  So yes, this is another really promising contender.

Currently, this brush sells for £4.67 from Jackson’s.

Raphaël Set of 3 Sable Brushes Synthetic Travel #0

Raphaël Synthetic Travel brush: The new brush is part of a set

The new brush looks short, which makes sense as it’s part of a travel set.  I couldn’t find a way to buy these brushes individually.  Although I’d planned to test the number 1 size, this one looked enormous, rather like the Jackson’s Icon synthetic Quill S777 10/0 which I miserably wrangled with in another test.  So I chose to test the size 0.

The nib, still within its cover, did not look that sharp, and there was the suggestion of some loose hairs.

Raphaël Synthetic Travel brush: Mixing paint

Mixing goes fine, again, not mixing but just picking up the paint from the palette.  The brush tip looks ever more worryingly blunt, but the well size is good.

Raphaël Synthetic Travel brush: How sharp is that point?

The Raphaël is disappointing, especially in comparison to the other three, all of which are properly good contenders.  The tip is blunt and slightly misaligned.  The paint goes on blobbily and I can’t get crisp edges to the leaf.

It holds plenty of colour but everything feels a bit desperate and blunt,  I don’t enjoy painting with this brush.

Raphaël Synthetic Travel brush: The Blob Test

The blob test showed the rather stark difference between this little brush and the other three tested today.  the nib was scratchy and couldnt hold a point, yes it carried enough paint and water to the blob, but the attempt at a straight line was not a success.  Writing out its’ own name was equally challenging.

Raphaël Synthetic Travel brush: Conclusion

This brush did not impress, I’m afraid.  It was too short in the handle and the tip was blunt and a little scratchy.  The point was sort of ok, but the well was too big for it, and kept overflowing unexpectedly onto the page.  When it came to working on the Sweet pea flower I didn’t even bother trying this brush as I already knew it wasn’t up to the precise nature of the job in hand.

This brush is currently selling at £10.05 for a set of three (size 1 round, size 0 round and a Flat size 0) from the Craftelier.

Conclusion

So four brushes were tested.  The Escoda Prado Tame synthetic was really good.  It held its’ tip and carried paint well.  For my taste the bristles were a little soft, but that really is splitting hairs (what an appropriate turn of phrase!)  Certainly, this brush is a contender as a synthetic replacement.  The Escoda Perla White Toray synthetic was similarly excellent, and even the slight hooking of the tip didn’t seem to compromise the brush’s accuracy.  Again, there’s that slight softness.  but personally I enjoyed working with it, and think I’d be unable to tell the difference between the two Escodas tested.  Both are contenders.  The Princeton Velvet touch range was my favourite, and left me very excited.  Accuracy, a slight stiffness, and a soft touch to the handle.  I really like it and think it just might have knocked its’ brother, the Princeton Neptune, off the number 1 spot.  I will certainly be buying more of these.  The last one, the Raphaël synthetic sable (no. 1) was disappointing.  In amongst this field, it didn’t stand a chance.  No tip, and a lack of accuracy that I can’t live with.

For me, both Escodas and the Velvetouch are worth using again.  I’ll use them for a while and see which becomes my favourite, and add the Princeton Neptune to the mix.  Could these be a replacement for my normal Series 7?  It’s looking very promising, but only time will tell.

Take-home messages from all my Synthetic Brushes tests

So here we are, having tested 20 synthetic brushes.  This is the end of the line for me, and I’m glad to say there are some really helpful take home messages.  Look out for hooked tips (for tips on fixing these see below).  Don’t be fooled into thinking that because it’s cheap it will be rubbish.  Many of these had similar performances despite prices varying from £2 to £12.  Be aware of your biases and existing preferences which may be really tough to overcome.  A synthetic will never feel like sable, and we shouldn’t expect it to. Remember these choices are really personal and my favourite brushes may not be other people’s favourites.

Synthetic Brush tests: The Winners!

At the end of several years and 20 brushes tested, and over £100 spent, there are three clear winners:

1.       Joint first place goes to Princeton Neptune round and the Princeton Velvet touch range which I’ve been painting with and enjoying.  Not quite as good as my Series 7, but only a whisker away.  I’m yet to decide which I like more.

2.      Joint second goes to the Escoda family – Escoda Prado and Escoda Perla.  Both are admirable and kept their tips, and painted consistently accurately and well.  My only slight problem was that they felt a touch soft for my taste, but that truly is down to personal preference.  Really decent synthetic brushes, and no, I can’t tell them apart on performance.

3.       Thirs place goes to Rosemary and Co. Spotter Red Dot, although the blunt tips of some of their other brushes makes me wonder if I’ll be using it long-term

4.       Honourable mention is for Billie Showell Fineliner.  If I were a better person and used to using riggers, this would doubtless be even more successful.  Great for extremely confident and exceptionally thin lines, and designed for detailing not body colour.

So all that remains is for me to give you a massive thank-you for sticking with me through this process!  I can only hope some of it has been of use to other artists and illustrators, faced with a similar dilemmas.  Thanks so much for reading, watching, and suggesting alternatives.  I couldn’t have done it without your input.

Brush Suggestions I won’t be trialling

Below is a list of suggested brushes that I won’t be testing for various reasons:

The first lot I’m not testing as they are sable, sable mix, or squirrel: Rosemary & Co Series 402 pointed (Sable plus synthetics mix), DaVinci Maestro series 35 (Sable), Escoda Chronos (Synthetic plus sable mix), and Neef Needlepoint ( Squirrel)

The Princeton Elite has too long of a tip for me, and I’ve learned that I don’t like long-tipped brushes!

And the following brushes are either not available to order in the UK, or are available from Europe but with really high import prices.  Apologies, I don’t have links to them as I can’t readily source them here:

Princeton Heritage Round, ProArte Prolene plus, Perla brushes Princeton, and Princeton Heritage 4050 (which may be the same as the Princeton Heritage round range).

And now (thank heavens) I am DONE!

Here is the film showing the last set of synthetics being tested:

!!YOUTUBE LINK!!

Synthetic brushes: A hint to help fix hooked tips

Worth repeating from my other blogs, this tip has come in from Rebecca. She kindly left this suggestion on fixing bent tips of synthetics in the comments section. (It echoes the advice on sorting out hooked tips from the Rosemary & Co website). “Hooks that develop on synthetic bristles can often be remedied by dipping the bristles about half way into a cup of water taken off the boil. Take care not to get the ferrule or upper bristles wet with water this hot or it may affect the glue. The timing varies from 10-30 seconds based on the brand and size. Gently reshape the tip on your thumbnail after heating. While I don’t expect that is an annoyance one would want to deal with during a long painting session, it will at least restore the brush to a usable condition for lighter tasks.”

The post Comparing Synthetic Watercolour Brushes – Part 5 (the final episode!) appeared first on Lizzie Harper.

Today I’m reviewing Bille Showell’s fine liner, ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round, Rosemary & Company Designer Red Dot, and the Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round

Four brushes to be tested today

I’m testing the brushes on a botanical illustration of a Lesser Hawkbit, being completed for Braunton Burrows and FSC Publications, so it’s vital I don’t ruin the illustration as I test these four contenders! The linked Youtube film is here.

Synthetic Brushes Tested so far…

I’ve worked my way through about 15 synthetic brushes, without stumbling on the Holy Grail of replacements.  Of the ones I’ve tried (see below), my favourites to date are the Princeton Neptune round (a synthetic squirrel) and Rosemary & Company Red Dot Spotter, a synthetic sable.

Princeton Neptune Round

Film 1 (and blog) shows me trying out  Winsor & Newton synthetic sable, Rosemary and Co. Spotter Red Dot, Princeton Aqua elite, and my one freebie – the ZenART fineline minature paintbrushes

In film and blog 2, Princeton Neptune script. Kite S561 by Jackson’s, Rosemary and Company Pointed Red Dot, Da Vinci Casaneo 5598 Round are under the spotlight.

Brushes tested in the second blog and film

Blog and film 3 saw me review Princeton Neptune round, Jackson’s Icon synthetic Quill S777 10/0, Escoda Versatil round, and Da Vinci Colineo.

Brushes tested in the third blog and film

Synthetic Brush reviews: Unsponsored and honest

I’ve paid for and sourced all my brushes myself (bar one –  ZenART fineline minature paintbrushes).  I buy most from Jackson’s because they carry a wide range (again, there’s no paid promotion here).  They also seem to make a point of packing their supplies in a sensible, minimal way, in entirely recyclable packaging.  Other art suppliers here in the UK are also good; Cass Art, Cowling and Wilcox, Ken Bromley, and London Graphic Centre spring to mind.

Working on a Red Admiral Buterfly with my Series 7 sable brush

Of the brushes tested, only the Rosemary & Co range need to be purchased direct from their website, either online or by phone.

Not being sponsored or given materials to try has made this a rather expensive quest, but has guaranteed that my opinions are objective.

Any replacement is not only going to have to perform as consistently well as my Series 7, but also needs to overcome my inevitable familiarity and affection for a tool which works so well for me.

Hawthorn berries with Series 7 brush

Please do remember that all of these opinions are mine, and brush choice can be intensely personal.  Just because I love or loathe a brush is no guarantee that you’ll feel the same.  I wouldn’t want to end up preaching or changing the way people feel about brands they love, but just hope some of my research may help others on a similar quest.

Why look for a synthetic waterolour brush?

The main reason for my quest is ethical.  I’m into nature and am a committed vegetarian.  Sable and squirrel brushes are made from bristles of the squirrel and the sable, a weasel-like animal.  I don’t like to be a part of this trade.  Price is also relevant, a new Series 7 brush in my favourite number 1 size can cost more than £25.  Most of the synthetics I’m trialling cost under £10.

Bille Showell’s fine liner: The new brush

On first sight this is an elegant brush, very slim handle and a tasty looking tip.  The point is long and thin, and free from stray hairs or a hooked tip.

Billie Showell’s Fine liner: Mixing paint

The problem with this brush is that it is so fine that it’s unable to hold much paint.  So when I do my mixing, it takes ages to get enough of a colour to mix up a decent batch of paint.  There’s an obvious solution to this, of course.  Use a different brush for mixing than the one you use for painting.  But I’m a lazy sort of illustrator, and decided a while ago that I didn’t have time to be switching between mixing and painting brushes all the time.

Mixing with it, once I had enough paint on the palette, worked out fine.  The longer nib made mixing swift.  And it did not shed hairs or alter shape as a result of the mixing process.

I’m not used to working with long nibbed brushes and riggers though, and that made it hard for me to warm to the brush.  The fault is mine, and not down to a problem with the fineliner.

Billie Showell’s Fine liner: How sharp is that point?

The point is simply perfect.  It is extremely fine, and utterly reliable.  I had no concerns at all about the width of the line varying without me wanting it to, and felt very safe using it.  I kept thinking how perfect it would be for incredibly thin individual lines, things like insect hairs or mammal whiskers.

Every now and then, though, when one thin line crossed over another, the brush would catch and blob a bit.  This was pronounced as I tried to paint the delicate pappas of the Hawkbit seedhead.

Despite using it for quite some time, the point did not alter or deteriorate.  It’d be perfect for painting in hairs on the stem of a plant.  Anything requiring more of a bulk of colour?  It would do the trick, but would take an age to get enough pigment onto the page.

Billie Showell’s Fine liner: The Blob Test

In the blob test, this brush did brilliantly.  One confident thin or thicker line?  It passed with flying colours.  Writing the name of the brush with the brush?  Easy peasy.

However, when it came to making a tint of the colour, this brush simply didn’t have enough bulk.  It couldn’t carry enough water to add to the paint, and the blob started to dry out before I could dilute it properly.

Blob Test: Billie Showell fineliner on the left

Billie Showell’s Fine liner: Conclusion

This is an excellent brush when it comes to providing super-elegant thin lines. The brush held its’ shape and was easy to use, and gave reliable performance.  The drawback is that because of the thinness of the nib, it’s time consuming and hard to get much colour onto the page.  This would preclude it from being useful as an all-around brush.  It can do the detail, but not the body colour.  A caveat here, this is almost exactly what it says in its write-up on Jackson’s website.  According to the blurb it is, “excellent for fine and precise details and for producing long, thin and accurate lines”.  Which, if nothing else, proves that the reviews on websites are sometimes totally honest!

This brush currently retails from Jackson’s UK for £4.60

ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round size 2: The new brush

This brush is a number 2 size as there were no number 1 size in stock.  As well as being called Masterstroke Series 60 round, it also seems to call itself “Craft & Decorative 50609314”

On removing the plastic cover, it shows a broad well which should hold plenty of paint, and a sharp point.

ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round: Mixing paint

Mixing is good and easy.  The brush carries plenty of colour to the palette, and doesn’t lose its’ fine point after mixing colours together.  Often you can predict a brush’s behaviour by what the nib looks like when you’re mixing up, and in this case things auger well.

ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round: How sharp is that point?

The point IS sharp.  However, there’s too much in terms of bristles and paint going on behind the sharp tip.  Even when concentrating really hard, splurges of paint would fall from higher up the brush and distort the line the fine nib was drawing.  I really struggled to keep my lines fine and accurate, and felt very worried that at any moment a big blob of paint would fall onto my illustration.  This was especially true after each visit to re-charge the brush from the palette.

When it came to wet top washes, I didn’t feel certain that I could stay within the lines.  Again, it’s that lack of predictability.

Later on, I also noticed that the bristles were really stiff and I could actually hear them scratching on the page as I painted.

It’s not an appalling brush by any means, it just hasn’t got the tip reliability I’m looking for.

ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round: The Blob Test

Getting the paint onto the page, and making the initial blob was easy.  Using the very tip of the brush, with no directional change, gave a good fine line.  However, I didn’t feel able to rely on it remaining a consistent thin line.

Whilst making a tint of the main paint I noticed the scratchiness of the bristles again.

I was able to write the brush name alright, but it wasn’t comfortable.

ProArte Masterstroke Series 60 Round: Conclusion

Despite the competitive price and good point on this brush, the heavy well resting right behind the tip made it feel a bit scary, as if it could drop a big blob of paint at any time.  The tip held, neither hooking nor splaying, which is a definite plus.  But I can’t pretend to have enjoyed painting with it.

If I were working a little larger, with a lightly less intense need for detail, this brush might be a good choice.  The nib point certainly impressed.  The insecure feeling it gave me did not.

At Jackson’s, this brush currently sells for £2.10

Rosemary & Company Designer Red Dot no 1: The new brush

I was really excited about this brush.  Having got on so well with the Red Dot Spotters (although less well with the Red Dot Pointed) by Rosemary and Co, I expected great things.  I really did think that this could be THE ONE.

Taking it out of its’ packaging, the nib looked sharp enough.  The brush has the look and feel of my Series 7, which already works in its’ favour.

Rosemary & Company Designer Red dot: Mixing paint

When I use the brush to mix paint, it collects plenty of pigment from the pans and has a good enough well to carry plenty of paint.  However, looking at the brush as I finish mixing it already seems to have blunted, and the tip looks a little bent.

Rosemary & Company Designer Red dot: How sharp is that point?

Despite my misgivings, initially the brush does ok.  It creates fine lines, reliably.  Not brilliant, but workable.  It doesn’t feel like it’s about to leave blobs or to let me down.  In that way, it’s a safe brush.

But within 5 minutes, the shape of the brush has changed.  It’s become flattened, almost compressed.  This means the tip is wide and flat, and you end up having to paint on a “corner” of the nib to get a clean thin line.  It continues to degrade and becomes hooked in the short time spent trialling it on film.

This is not only disappointing, but also confusing.  Many extremely good botanical illustrators, far better then me, adore these brushes and swear by them.  Maybe it’s because I mix and paint with the same brush?  Maybe I’ve just landed some dud brushes?

Rosemary & Company Designer Red dot: The Blob Test

Delivery of a nice big blob of colour was fine, as was mixing tints of the colour by diluting it with water.  But when it came to trying to produce a reliable thin line?  Or the result when I tried writing with it? The hooked tip made this impossible.  The line was too thick, and broken.  The nib was blunted, scratchy, hooked, and simply couldn’t deliver.

Rosemary & Company Designer Red dot: Conclusion

By the end of the test, I found myself saying, “I feel like I’m painting with a brick” which explains why this brush ended up being my least favourite of this batch.

The tip flattened, then hooked and deteriorated really fast.  The brush carried plenty of paint, has a decent sized well, and didn’t blob.  But that tip ruined it for me, I’m afraid.

Currently, this brush sells for £3.35 direct from Rosemary & Co.

Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round size 1: The new brush

The new brush looks very tempting.  The shiny blue handle appeals to someone like me (really into sparkly things) and the nib looks sharp and unhooked.

Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round: Mixing paint

Mixing goes well.  There’s enough of a well to take plenty of colour from the palette.  No bristles are shed as I mix, and the nib doesn’t deteriorate too much.  By the time the mix is complete, it does look a little blunter, though.

Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round: How sharp is that point?

The Cotman seems to hold its’ point relatively well.  It certainly doesn’t deteriorate as fast as the Red Dot designer or the ProArte Masterstroke S60.

However, the brush as a whole feels a bit floppy. It’s as if the bristles can’t stand up to any pressure, bending and flattening with the slightest touch.  This is the first brush I’ve tested that has this flaw.  Some others had bristles which were too stiff, these aren’t stiff enough.  I’m beginning to feel like Goldilocks!

This softness meant it was harder to control the paint, and use the tip.  Unexpected flexibility led to unreliability.

Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round: The Blob Test

The blob test showed the flaws as well as strengths of the brush.  It gave a nice blob of colour, but the tiny hook that had developed on the tip meant the thin line was not as reliable as I’d hoped.  And the soft bristles made it hard to judge how much water to add to mix up a decent tint of the colour.  Writing with it was ok, although the soft bending made forming the letters a touch challenging.

Winsor & Newton Cotman 111 round: Conclusion

This brush did a great job of holding its’ tip to start with, and after use had only developed a small hook.  It’s a pretty brush, and I really would have liked it to work out.  But a combination of a slight bluntness from that hooked tip, coupled with the strangely soft and pliant bristles made it uncomfortable to work with.

Yes, it was my second favourite in this batch.  But no, I won’t be buying another one or using it again.

This brush is currently selling at £4.40 from Jackson’s.

Synthetic brushes: A hint to help fix hooked tips

Curved or hooked tips is a recurrent problem with most synthetic brushes, but may not mean the end of your paintbrush. This tip came in from Rebecca, who left this suggestion in the comments section of my Synthetics 2 blog. (It tallies with advice on hooked tips from the Rosemary & Co website).  Many thanks for sharing it with us.  “Hooks that develop on synthetic bristles can often be remedied by dipping the bristles about half way into a cup of water taken off the boil. Take care not to get the ferrule or upper bristles wet with water this hot or it may affect the glue. The timing varies from 10-30 seconds based on the brand and size. Gently reshape the tip on your thumbnail after heating. While I don’t expect that is an annoyance one would want to deal with during a long painting session, it will at least restore the brush to a usable condition for lighter tasks.”

All four brushes – even at this distance you can see the hook on the Rosemary & Co Designer

Conclusion

So four brushes were tested.  The Billie Showell was too long in the nib and couldn’t carry much paint.  But gave a fabulous thin line.  The ProArte Masterstroke S60 felt blobby and unreliable (although it held its’ tip well).  The Red dot Spotter was a dud, and left me bitterly disappointed as its nib deteriorated into an un-useable state in under 10 minutes of use. The Cotman held a point wonderfully to being with, but felt floppy.  For me, only the Billie Showell is worth using again.  I’ll turn to it when I need to do very fine thin lines.  But even this one isn’t going to be a replacement for my normal Series 7.  The quest continues.

All four brushes next to the leaves they have illustrated

I’ve decided to do one more set of tests, then give up (or at least stick to the one or two brushes that just might be good enough to rival my sable brushes).  So the last four brushes are ordered, and as I’m a hopeful creature, I’m keeping everything crossed that next time, next time will see me stumbling across the Holy Grail.

In the meantime, thanks so much for sticking with me on my seemingly endless quest, and see below for a !!Youtube film!! of this comparison.

Completed Lesser Hawkbit Leontodon saxatilis.

The post Comparing Synthetic Watercolour Brushes – Part 4 appeared first on Lizzie Harper.

Why look for alternatives?

As a committed vegetarian since the age of 11, I’ve always been a bit bothered that my sable brushes are made from hairs that come from a little weasel.  With each passing year, more and more companies are waking up to this need for a reliable and high quality alternative to both sable and squirrel hair brushes.  And I’m giving lots of these a try.  The brushes I try out are mostly based on reccommendations from my Youtube viewers, and blog readers.  Thankyou.

Another reason to look for alternatives is price.  I get through one or two Series 7 brushes a month, and my size 1 brushes retail at £28 full price (May 2023).  Yes, you can often get them at discount, but all the brushes I’ve trialled here come in at well below £10.

The four brushes Ill be testing today, fresh from their packaging

I’ve sourced all these brushes from Jackson’s art, here in the UK.  They have a wide range, and they post their stuff in safe but minimal packaging, all recyclable.  Many other suppliers carry them, both here and internationally.  Just have a look online.  None of the brushes I try, nor Jackson’s Art supplies have given their brushes for free, so this blog is entirely unbiased.  Saying that, please remember that choice of brush can be a very personal thing, and just cause I love or loathe a brush doesn’t mean you will agree!

To complete these tests, I use each brush to paint one or two leaves of the forget-me-not; then put them through a “blob test” where they need to deliver blobs of colour, mix these down to watery tints, provide a sharp crisp line, and then I write their names alongside these results…with the brush in question.

Princeton Neptune Round: The new brush

First up, I tried the Princeton Neptune round.  It’s a synthetic squirrel, and I had to use a size 2 as no size 1 brushes were in stock.  First impressions were good.  I was slightly disappointed to see a little hook on the tip as I remove the plastic brush protector, but this didn’t seem to alter the way the brush worked.  It’s a good handle length, and the brush isn’t stocky, or long, like a rigger might be.

Princeton Neptune Round: Mixing paint

When mixing paint the brush looked good.  It wasn’t too small (meaning it takes ages to get enough of your colours onto the palette) nor too big (carrying too much paint for each brushstroke). The tip held well describe the rather rough treatment I give it during colour mixing.

Princeton Neptune Round: How sharp is that point?

The point of the brush held throughout the painting process, and delivered a truly reliable and crisp line.  It was accurate and I soon forgot I was trialling a new brush.

Tip of Princeton Neptune round during painting

In fact, it was so good that once I’d trialled all the other brushes I came back to it and completed the forget-me-not using this brush.  And enjoyed it.

Complete illustration with Princeton Neptune Round brush

Princeton Neptune Round: The Blob Test

This test involves mixing up a big blob of once colour, pulling out as fine a line as possible from it, mixing a tint out to clear water, then writing the name of the brush alongside.

Unsurprisingly, the Neptune Round passed the Blob test with flying colours.

Close up of the tip of the Neptune round alongside blob test

After using the brush for a while it did develop a bit of a kink at its’ tip, but held up significantly better than the other synthetics I’ve trialled.  I shall certainly be working with it more often, to see if I can truly use it as a replacement, I’d also be interested to see how a number 1 size brush behaves.  This one was a number 2 as the smaller ones were unavailable.

“Blob test” comparison of brush nibs (Neptune on the far left)

Princeton Neptune Round: Conclusion

This brush is one of the most promising I’ve tried so far.  I will certainly be trialling it further.  It held its’ point, gave a reliably accurate and shaper line, could handle mixing, and didnt degrade over the course of one morning’s painting.  At the time of writing, this brush (number 2 size) cost £5.50 from Jackson’s art.

Jackson’s Art S777 Quill: The new brush

Next up is the Jackson’s Icon synthetic size 10/0 quill series 777.  I got a bit muddled when I made the accompanying Youtube film and kept saying it was a 10/1 as I think I saw that written on a packing note.  Apologies, it is in fact a 10/0.  It looks like no brush I’ve ever used before.

Unused Jackson Quill S777 10/0

It ha such a wide brush head, and is so seemingly big.  But the point looks sharp, so I’m willing to try it.  However, I was already a little out of my comfort zone…

Jackson’s Art S777 Quill: Mixing paint

I mixed up some fresh green for the forget me not leaves…and the brush swallowed the whole palette full in one easy gulp.  Because the brush head is so big, inevitably it’s also very absorbent and thirsty.  This was quite a problem for me.  I had to re-appraise the amounts of paint I was mixing, and no matter how much of a mix I made, the brush devoured the whole lot in one gulp.

Close up of the unused tip of the Jackson Quill

The other problem came when I rinsed the brush between mixing colours.  Because it took up so much paint, it also took a lot more time and effort to clean the brush out.  Several times some residual amounts of colour caught me out, and got added into a new colour mix, with unintended results.

The flip side is that if you wanted a full brush and not to keep returning to top up the brush from your palette, this brush would deliver.

Jackson’s Art S777 Quill: How sharp is that point?

Despite looking crisp and sharp, the point of this brush was blunt the first time I applied it to the page.  It left thick and unreliable lines, and simply didn’t feel accurate.  It’s not like it doesn’t have a point, it does, and in comparison to the broadness of stroke you can get from one stroke, the sharpness is admirable.  But for botanical illustration?  It didn’t work, at least not for me.  The photos suggest it has a pin-sharp point, but I think the issues arise the second you apply pressure to that tip.

Tip of the Jackson’s S777 Quill

Jackson’s Art S777 Quill: The Blob Test

The brush was excellent at mixing on a large dollop of strong colour, and did an excellent job of mixing down through tints to almost clear water.  It also held it’s tip for one straight line.  however, when I tried to use that point to write the name of the brush alongside the test blob, the bluntness and lack of accuracy became evident.  Again, the photos belie the blunt feel of the nib once in use.

Jackson’s s777 Quill alongside the Blob test

Jackson’s Art S777 Quill: Conclusion

I think this is an excellent brush.  It has the ability to hold loads of paint and to deliver a massive range of line widths.  if I was a calligrapher, or someone using big expressive brush strokes, I think I’d be in seventh heaven.  But I like tiny crisp lines and a reliable smaller brush which doesn’t eat all my paint in one sitting.  For my style of botanical illustration, this brush was a complete mis-match, and I shan’t be trying to paint leaves with it again anytime soon.  At the time of writing, this brush  cost £5.10 from Jackson’s art.

Brush alongside the leaf (top right) it was used on

Escoda Versatil round: The new brush

First impressions of the Escoda Versatil round brush are not good, despite me feeling happy that I was finally painting with a size 1 brush.  This range are synthetic sable.  The unused point looks rough, and seems to instantly splay when any pressure is applied.  The handle and length of the brush and nib is fine.

Escoda Versatil round: nib fresh from the nib sheath, after one dip into water

Escoda Versatil round: Mixing paint

When mixing colours, the brush doesn’t swallow up all the colour in the palette.  It picks up a good amount of paint from each pan.  However,  despite repeated attempts at spinnning the brush in the mix, trying to “twist” it into a point, no sharp nib was forthcoming,  It remained steadfastedly blunt.

Escoda Versatil round: How sharp is that point?

Interestingly, using the brush was left awful than I feared.  The very tip of the brush had one of two rogue hairs working together, and these could deliver a tiny accurate and crisp line.  But just behind, less than a millimetre away, is an area of splayed hairs and roughness.  I had to concentrate really hard with each and every brush stroke to make sure I didn’t catch the edge of this zone and suddenly thicken my line.

After a while, I found I could paint alright, by using one corner of the brush tip, although I won’t pretend I enjoyed the experience.  The brush felt a bit flattened too, almost like I was painting with a corner of the nib.  With less than 15 minutes of use, the nib was visibly deteriorating and becoming less and less reliable.

Escoda Versatil round: The Blob Test

The brush delivered a good blob of solid colour to the page, and relying on that apical stray hair, I could get a decent thin line.  It also did a good job with the diluting and mixing the blue colour to a paler and paler tint.  But the writing was challenging and I’d already fallen firmly out of love with the brush.

Clos up of the Escoda Versatil round nib showing the rough tip

Escoda Versatil round: Conclusion

Sadly, this brush is a definite no for me.  It’s tip was unreliable and scruffy, and only held a crisp line if I relied on two or three loose hairs.  It degraded as I used it, and I was very relieved to be finished with it at the end of painting a leaf and doing the blob test.  Not one for me.  At the time of writing, the Escoda versatil round brush (No 1 size) cost £6.70 from Jackson”s Art.

Escoda versatil round 1 whole brush with painted leaf

Da Vinci Colineo: The new brush

The last brush I tested was the Da Vinci Colineo.  It’s a synthetic sable, and another number 1 size.  My first impression was that the handle is bluntly triangular, something I’m not at all used to in a paint brush.  The tip, on removal from its packaging, looks good.  I can spot a couple of loose hairs, but on the whole it looks ok.

Fresh Da Vinci Colineo brush

Da Vinci Colineo: Mixing paint

The brush mixes paint well.  Neither too thirsty nor too small to hold a good amount of colour, it’s easy to mix with and collects the right amount of pigment from the pans.

Da Vinci Colineo: How sharp is that point?

Indeed, it’s the crucial question.  How sharp IS that point?  In this case, disappointingly, not very.  The tip looks flattened, and laterally compressed.  It feels more like a brush which has a rectangular shaped head than a round brush (perhaps it is designed to be a little square shaped at the tip, not round?)  To get a sharp line, I had to use one corner of the brush point, almost like I was relying on the corner of the brush tip.  Using it this way, I could get very accurate crisp lines, which momentarily made me put it as my second favourite (after the Princeton Neptune).  But at no point did this approach feel reliable or safe.  One false move and the whole flat width of the brush would come into play.

Point of the Da Vinci Colineo

Within ten minutes of use, two hairs came loose.  Within 15 minutes the scratching of the hairs was so pronounced that I could hear them on the paper.  Not a good sign.  When I came to paint the top layers of green, a paler tint, this brush failed me completely.  It gave much more paint into the area than I wanted, and ended up swallowing the highlights I’d been planning on leaving white.

Da Vinci Colineo: The Blob Test

In the blob test, the loose stiff hairs and unreliable point showed.  Yes, the brush was fine at mixing colours and doing the blob and the tints.  But a reliable thin line wasn’t forthcoming, and writing the name of the brush with such a scratchy tool proved awkward.  Another one to cross off the list of candidates, alas.

Da Vinci Colineo: Close up of the nib during the Blob test

Da Vinci Colineo: Conclusion

Alas, the Da Vinci Colineo round is another brush I’ll not be using again.  With the stiff, scratchy square nib, triangular handle, and stary hairs, there;s no way I could rely on this brush to deliver the consistent accuracy I need for botanical illustration.  Currently, this brush retails from Jackson’s art at £6.60.

Used Da Vinci brush with the flower.

Overall Conclusion

Rather like the curate’s egg, this batch was only good in places.  Princeton Neptune round is a real contender, and I’ll be lining it up along side my other current favourites; namely the Princeton Neptune Script (whose nib was a little too long for me) and the Rosemary & Co. Red dot Spotters.  Having used it a little more since the initial test I’m still deciding whether or not to order in another.  But it’s looking promising, and I actively enjoyed painting the rest of the forget me not with this brush.

Forget me not with all four brushes alongside the leaves they painted, and annotations

However, the Jackson’s Quill just felt like a brush for a different discipline.  And unfortunately the Escoda Versatil and Da Vinci Colineo simply didn’t have the required quality when it come to sharp consistency in the nib.

As I say, all these brushes were bought from Jackson’s Art in the UK.  Some are carried by other UK suppliers such as Ken Bromley and Cass Art.  Internationally, I’m sure you have your favourite art shops, too.

For now, I’m going to be returning to my Series 7 sable brushes, and trying to use the synthetics alongside them.  It’ll be interesting to see how they hold up in a context lasting longer than a few filmed minutes.

To see these trials as a film, please check out my Youtube film (below)

The post Comparing Synthetic watercolour brushes Part 3 appeared first on Lizzie Harper.

In my last blog (and accompanying Youtube film review of brushes ), I ended up recommending Rosemary and Co. Spotter Red Dot.  But since then I’ve painted almost exclusively with my beloved pure sable Winsor and Newton series 7 sable paintbrushes .

Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes with hand lens

Sable

Sable brushes are not, in fact, made form the hair of the Sable.  These creatures live in Larch woods, and are a type of marten, latin name Martes zibellina. No.  The sable used to make watercolour brushes comes from the Kolonok, or Siberian weasel Mustela sibirica.

As a life-long vegetarian, I survived for many years without even thinking properly about the link between animal welfare and my paintbrushes.  But following from a chance remark on one of my Youtube videos, I decided to look for synthetics instead. These weasels are voracious predators of rats and other vermin, but can also be pests to poultry farmers.  Their fur has long been used to make brushes for artists and calligraphers.  But I think I should try to move away from Kolinsky sable brushes if I can.

What other synthetic options are out there?  Recommendations and suggestions have come in thick and fast since then, and I’ve managed to get my hands on some of these brushes, and tested them.

The set-up

I need to illustrate the Common Knapweed, Centaurea nigra subspecies nigra.  As before, I’ll use a different test brush on different leaves.  And hope for the best!

I’m working on Fluid 100 hot press watercolour paper.

In all cases, I test a size 1 brush.  This is my default brush size and is perfect for my botanical illustration and natural history work.  I’ve ordered all these brushes (except the Rosemary red Dots) through Jackson’s art, a UK based art materials shop.  It should also be pointed out that I haven’t been asked or paid to review any of these brushes, so (hopefully) that makes my reviews un-biased.

Here are the four brushes I’m reviewing.  Left to right: Da Vinci Casaneo, Rosemary & Co Red dot Pointed, Jackson’s Kite S561 and Princeton’s Neptune Script.  Links to all brushes in the text below.

The price I use for my Series 7 number 1 is a full discount price, not the full retail price of £17. 10 (2021 price).  And these prices fluctuate a lot, with the brushes sometimes being as little as £5.80 each.

Princeton Neptune script

The first synthetic I’m trying is the Princeton Neptune script.  This is a synthetic squirrel, rather than a synthetic sable.

Princeton Neptune Script

First sight is alarming.  It has an extremely long point, longer than any brush I’ve worked with before.  Somewhere in the back of my mind the term “rigger” springs to mind.  Is this the correct name for these long, fine-tipped brushes?  After a little internet trawling it seems my hunch is right.  Click here for more on rigger brushes, and how to use them.

However, despite my misgivings, on taking off the cover and using it I’m pleasantly surprised.

The tip is extremely fine, and doesn’t degrade or blunt at all for the whole time I use it.  The synthetic squirrel holds a lot of paint, so you don’t need to keep refilling the brush.  Thin lines build up next to one another without merging.  Crisp edges are easy.  Thin defining lines aren’t at all problematic.  This brush is great!

Princeton Neptune Script with leaf painted with the brush behind

My problem is the feel of such a long point.  This is pronounced when I’m mixing colours.  (Please don’t tell me to have a special rubbish-y brush for colour mixing.  I know I should do, but when I’m working to dead-line I just don’t have time to keep switching brushes!)  Saying that, if you have a slightly more leisurely approach to your watercolour painting, it’s a great idea.  Nothing trashes brushes faster than mixing colour with them).

Mixing colour with the Princeton Neptune Script

The action of the brush on the page is lovely.

Because the tip is so very fine, perhaps it takes a little longer to build up areas of colour, and to my eye they look a little washed out when I’m done.  Perhaps because each line is so very thin you do actually end up with less pigment on the page?

But for crisp detail, the Princeton Neptune Script is great.

Close up of the tip of the Princeton Neptune Script brush

This brush retails at £4.90 – £6.10.  My regular Series 7 no. 1 size brush retails (with a hefty discount) at £5.80, so this one is slightly cheaper.

Kite S561 by Jackson’s

This was the most expensive of the brushes I tested.  It’s a synthetic sable and cost more than my Series 7 brush (£10.30), so I was expecting good things.

Jackson’s Kite S.561

Imagine my surprise when the Kite S561 simply didn’t work out that way.  The tip of the brush is ragged, and blunt.  It has a slight hook.  In the hand, it feels the same shape and weight as a Series 7, but it’s not performing like one.

Jackson’s Kite S.561.  Looks perfect but somehow…isn’t.  The right had side of the leaf behind has been painted with this one.

The lines it leaves are thick and unpredictable.  No matter how I twist the brush in the paint to “sharpen” it to a point, it remains blunt.  In fact, I have to stop using it as it’s compromising the Knapweed illustration.

I’m disappointed.  It could be a dud brush.  But for the high price, I would have expected something far better, especially when the other synthetics on the market are priced so much more competitively.

Close up of the tip of the Jackson’s Kite S.561 brush

Rosemary and Company Pointed Red Dot

I’m feeling optimistic with these Red Dot brushes, brought direct from the company (Rosemary and Company)  Not only do they come recommended by the excellent botanical illustrator Polly O’Leary, but they’re the sister product to the Red Dot spotters that I reviewed and liked most in my last blog.  They’re synthetic sable.

Rosemary & Co Red Dot Pointed brush

Initial feelings are fabulous.  The brush looks and feels a lot like my Series 7.  It has plenty of bulk to hold paint, and the point is tiny and crisp.  This remains undamaged by mixing paint.  Each brush-stroke delivers a little more than the Neptune script, so the colour builds up swifter and more saturated.  So far so good.

Close up of the Rosemary & Co Red dot Pointed with leaf painted with it behind

Then, after about 10 minutes, the brush starts to change.  The tip loses its definition.  I feel almost like the barrel of the brush swells, and seems to hang really low behind the tip, threatening to leave extra unwanted brush marks.

On the plus side, the “barrel” or well holds a lot of paint, so I don’t need to keep going back to my paint-box to top up on paint.  The tip doesn’t become completely compromised, it’s still pretty sharp.

It’s not a disaster, but it’s certainly no longer nearly as good as when I first used it.  And less enjoyable than the the Red Dot Spotter.  But like I say, I know a lot of excellent botanical illustrators swear by these brushes.  I don’t want to be too hasty in writing them off.

Price wise it only costs £2.75 though.  So perhaps I was unlucky and had a “bad brush”.  These things happen.

Close up of the tip of the Rosemary & Co Red Dot pointed brush

Da Vinci Casaneo 5598 Round

The Da Vinci is another synthetic squirrel, this time a Kazan squirrel.  I had to look up “Kazan squirrel”.  It seems to be a normal squirrel (although whether Red or Grey I couldn’t establish) from the Kazan region of Russia.  So we continue.  Anyway, it’s another synthetic.

Da Vinci Casaneo brush with leaves painted with it behind and below

My initial response to this was not brilliant.  The brush had a tiny hook at the tip.  Not enough to make it un-useable, but not a good start.

I’d forgotten the useful tip I’ve been given about removing hooks from the tips of synthetic brushes:

It has come in from Rebecca, who left this suggestion in the comments section of my last watercolour brush blog .  “Hooks that develop on synthetic bristles can often be remedied by dipping the bristles about half way into a cup of water taken off the boil. Take care not to get the ferrule or upper bristles wet with water this hot or it may affect the glue. The timing varies from 10-30 seconds based on the brand and size. Gently reshape the tip on your thumbnail after heating. While I don’t expect that is an annoyance one would want to deal with during a long painting session, it will at least restore the brush to a usable condition for lighter tasks.”

I started using the brush and it’s fine.  The hook hasn’t thickened the line width, and the point remains tight.

After a few minutes though, it seems to develop some sort of lateral compression.  The brush looks as if someone has squeezed it between thumb and finger.  This leaves me feeling nervous.  It feels like the brush could do something unexpected at any point, being this odd shape and with the little hook.

Nib of the Da Vinci Casaneo brush, showing the odd “compressed” effect

Although is paints perfectly well, the ominous feeling that it’s all about to go wrong doesn’t lift.  I feel like I’m about to screw up the illustration at any point.  I can’t relax into painting, but am hyper-vigilant, checking every stroke.  This is no way to paint.

Because of this, even though the performance is better than all but the Princeton Neptune, I turn from the Da Vinci Casaneo.

Again, it could be a bad brush.  Or just one that’s not perfect.  Which, for someone who is as tough as a critic as I am, is basically the same thing.

It’s a shame.  With a price point of £6.30, they’re not much more expensive than the price of my (discounted) Series 7 brushes.  But are less reliable.

Close up of the nib of the Da Vinci Casaneo brush

Synthetics: Conclusion

Having tried all four brushes, I’m afraid none match my Series 7.  Is this because it’s what I’m used to?  Or because it’s a superior product?  It’s hard to tell.

However, if I were to explore these synthetics further, I’d be focussing in on the Rosemary and Company Red dot range.  I truly feel there will be a brush in there that suits me and my approach to painting.  They’re cheap, and have lovely points.  And although they seem to degrade quickly, I feel there’s scope for me to use them more before writing them off.

I did think the Princeton Neptune Script brush was brilliant, and held its point wonderfully.  It’d be superb for doing tiny long hairs, say on the stem of a Wood rush Luzula sylvatica.  But I just don’t think I can get used to wielding a brush that long.  It feels too weird.  I’m a creature of habit, and habit calls for a shorter, stouter brush.  But they’re well worth a try if you’re less stuck in your ways than I am.  In terms of getting detail and during the actual act of painting, the Neptune was my favourite out of these four brushes.

And here ends my exploration of synthetic brushes.  There are many more brands out there, but I think I’m finished exploring.  I’ll stick to a more detailed investigation of the Rosemary and Co brushes.  I might play around with the Princeton Neptune and see if I can get used to such a long tip, and keep my fingers that I find the perfect solution soon.  Only then will I be able to look at a weasel full in the face again.

Weasel Mustela nivalis (NOT the Siberian weasel, but a cousin)

For a lot more detail on this set of comparisons, please check out my Youtube video (or see it, below), and don’t forget to refer back to my other earlier review of synthetic brushes, both in blog form ,  and as a Youtube film.

Although I don’t plan on reviewing any more synthetics, please do put suggestions as to which you favour or have tried in the comments section below.  I like the idea of these blogs and films being a good reference point for people on a similar journey, questing for the perfect synthetic brush.

Annotated Illustration of Common or Black knapweed showing which leaves were done with which brush

The post Paintbrushes: Exploring synthetics Part 2 appeared first on Lizzie Harper.

Paintbrushes

As with all of these posts, it’s vital to stress that what equipment one uses is a very personal choice, and we often finesse our techniques according to the equipment and brands we use and like most.  I’d love people to add their own favourites in the “Comments” section at the end of this blog, then the post would serve as a much more balanced resource for artists starting out, or for established practitioners looking for new ideas.

There’s also a section where I test several synthetic sable brushes, looking for an alternative to real sable ones.  There’s a film of these trials on Youtube.

Since writing this I’ve done a second comparison blog which you can find here, and associated film here.

Illustrating Rowan Sorbus aucuparia

Paintbrushes

I absolutely love, and have always used, Winsor and Newton series 7 sable paintbrushes.  They’re expensive, yes, but I’m yet to find another brush that comes close to their quality.  They hold plenty of paint.  Their points stay true and tiny.  They rarely shed, and when they do it’s a discrete one hair at a time.  The paint on the handle doesn’t peel or crack off and fall onto whatever you’re doing.  The metal part (the ferrule) never rusts.

Series 7 brushes with another vital tool of the trade, a hand lens

You can get them in “Miniature Painting” and “Round”; I’ve tried both and tend to go for the round ones, simply because that’s what I’m used to.

Size of paintbrush

Size-wise, I do almost all my illustrating with a number 1.  I have a stash of about 10 ready to go at any given time, and work through something like one every 6 weeks.  As I say, they don’t shed much, but inevitably they do suffer from the wear and tear of daily hard use.  There’s no need to dispose of these worn brushes, just use them for more detailed work.  After all, in effect they’ve turned into a smaller size 0!

Comparison of two Number 1 paintbrushes; above is a new one, below is one I’ve been using for 4 weeks

I use the larger number 2 size for looser washes, and have a number 4 and a number 6 for when I do big washy backgrounds (in my landscapes).  These bigger brushes still have good points, and can hold loads of paint, so doing a big area of sky, forest, grass, or fields is possible.

Using a number 4 brush for background washes

As well as my worn and thinned number 1 brushes, I also use the tiny 000 and 00 sizes for painting in almost invisible hairs, and details within flowers.  The tips of these are the ones that make people think you’re almost mad to use them, but they’re vital when getting the minutae down.  I used 00 brushes a lot when illustrating a series of mosses.

A 00 size brush alongside a pencil for scale, and illustration of Woolly fringe moss Racomitrium lanuginosum

Other brands

I know there are other brush brands out there, some of which I’ve tried and some which I haven’t.  A lot of other botanical illustrators really like Rosemary brushes – they didn’t work brilliantly for me, but they’re probably worth trying.  They certainly are good quality, and are significantly cheaper than  Series 7.

I once had a comment questioning the ethics of using sable brushes, and it is true that these brushes are made of sable hair, a species similar to a pine marten.  As a vegetarian committed to all sorts of ecological and environmental causes, I would certainly appreciate having a top-quality, animal-free alternative brush, so if anyone knows of one, please leave a comment.

Completed sketchbook study of hawthorn berries Craetegus monogyna, completed with a well-worn Series 7 no. 1 brush

Synthetic alternatives to Sable

Having written this blog, and following very useful feedback from other illustrators, I decided to try out a handful of high quality synthetic sable brushes.  Not only are these more ethical for a vegetarian such as myself, but they’re also a darned site cheaper!  I filmed these trials, here’s a link.

All the brushes were round number 1 size.

Comparing the points of the three new synthetic watercolour brushes.

The three brands I compared were Winsor & Newton synthetic sable, Rosemary and Co. Spotter Red Dot, and Princeton Aqua elite.  None were appalling, and one came close to equalling my beloved Series 7 brushes.

Synthetics: Winsor & Newton synthetic sable

I was surprised that this brush looked scruffy on removal from its’ tubing.  Working with it, although it did have a point and did hold paint, the brush was too long.  This meant I couldn’t achieve the tight control I require.  The stray hairs didn’t help sell the brush to me.  The handle was comfortable.  Price wise, I found them selling at £5.80 each, or on sale for £4.06.

Close up of the Winsor & Newton synthetic sable brush, with the leaves I painted using it

The very tip of the brush also had a noticeable “hook” which made it hard to get that sharp point.  With the Series 7 brushes, if I roll them into a tip in the wet paint, the point is exquisite.  With this dowdier cousin, I couldn’t get the frighteningly crisp point I look for.

Synthetics: Rosemary and Co. Spotter Red Dot

This brush was definitely my favourite of the synthetics I trialled.  The brush shape didn’t appeal at first – the point of the brush looks short and dumpy.  However, the point was very sharp, and it worked well in wet and dry paint.  it was only when using the brush with extremely wet and pale washes that the point held less well.

Close up of the Rosemary and Co Red Dot synthetic sable brush, with the leaves I painted using it

I was really impressed by this brush, and at a price point of £3.40 each they would be excellent alternatives to a Series 7 brush for those on a budget.

Were I to commit to getting sable out of my life, this is certainly a contender for a replacement.

Synthetics: Princeton Aqua elite

The Princeton Aqua elite had a decent point.  Again, it was absolutely serviceable.  However, the brush felt like it had lateral compression.  It felt flattened, with the associated slight splaying of the point that a flattening brings.   I almost felt that the nib was too long.

Close up of the Princeton Aqua elite synthetic sable brush, with the leaves I painted using it

This feeling of the brush being too long also made me feel uncomfortable using it.  I had to focus and concentrate to ensure I got the crisp lines I was after.  I felt slightly less control that I wanted.

However, as with all things, this could be because I’m used to a shorter-shaped brush.  These things are so very personal.

The price for this brush is £5.80; exactly the same as the Winsor & Newton synthetic sable.

Synthetics: Conclusion

Having tried all three brushes, I attempted finishing the test illustration with them.  It shows how very set in my ways I am that within half an hour I had reverted to the Series 7 brush.

Completed illustration (initially used as a synthetics brush comparison test piece)

These synthetic alternatives are all good.  the Rosemary & Co. brush is excellent.  If I were to commit to sable-free illustration, I’d certainly be investing in some of these Red dot brushes.

Comparison of synthetics and Series 7

Price wise, for anyone on a budget I will heartily reccommend these brushes.  One of my Series 7 brushes costs up to three times the price of one of these – a cool £17.10 cost price (2021 prices).  They can be got on sale for £11, but even at discount that’s a much bigger outlay than for the £3.80 Rosemary one.

For much more detail on this comparison, do check out my Youtube film.

Zen Art Fineline Minature brushes: Trying out a freebie

I was recently sent a set of  ZenART fineline minature paintbrushes to try and review by the manafacturers.   Obviously, the company sent them to me for free, looking for a good review, and some decent social media feedback. I’m a little cynical, so I tried them without a great deal of conviction. It’s important to have full disclosure about these things, I think…

They came in a cardboard box, and inside is a lovely canvas carrying thingy, all bound in red ribbon. There’s a great assortment; riggers, filberts, and angled brush, and several round ones. I only use round ones, so those are the ones I can speak for.

I’m surprised to say they were really good, and potentially a welcome alternative to my beloved Winsor & Newton series 7 brushes. They held their points, didn’t splay, had decent wells to hold paint, and produced consistent tiny lines. The number 2 was good for pale top washes, holding lots of paint and having the required sharp point. Accuracy was good with the number 1 and the 5/0.

They are also synthetic, which is an excellent thing in terms of my feelings about using animal hair to make brushes.

However, by the third of fourth day of use, the tips had become slightly blunted and weren’t holding the crisp point I require.  In every other respect they remained really good; they didn’t shed any hairs, rust, nor discolour.  The paint on the handle remained in place and didn’t peel or crack.  For me, the loss of tip is a deal breaker.  I would suggest folks who don’t need such a precision-perfect tip could do a lot worse than go for these (very reasonably priced) brushes, but if you need a very crisp point then for me, they haven’t made the cut.  But definitely worth a try.#

Synthetic brushes: A hint to help fix hooked tips

This tip has come in from Rebecca, who left this suggestion in the comments section.  Many thanks for sharing it with us.  “Hooks that develop on synthetic bristles can often be remedied by dipping the bristles about half way into a cup of water taken off the boil. Take care not to get the ferrule or upper bristles wet with water this hot or it may affect the glue. The timing varies from 10-30 seconds based on the brand and size. Gently reshape the tip on your thumbnail after heating. While I don’t expect that is an annoyance one would want to deal with during a long painting session, it will at least restore the brush to a usable condition for lighter tasks.”

Conclusion

So there you are.  The easiest of all these equipment blogs.  What paintbrush do I use?  A Winsor and Newton Series 7, size 1.  And no, they don’t pay me or give me free brushes to say this (however, if someone working for the company is out there and has a whole load of brushes they want to get rid of….?)

Mulberry Morus nigra with paintbox and Series 7 brush

Other alternatives are the Rosemary brushes (which some people adore) and the Zen art minature fineliner brushes reviewed above, both of which are a lot cheaper that W&N.  But thus far I’m still to find a real potential replacement for my Series 7s.

You can order these brushes direct from Winsor and Newton, or from your local art shop.  If that’s not possible, look for good online art suppliers like Jackson’s, Cass Art, London Graphics Centre, or Ken Bromley.  In the US I believe Dick Blick  to be a good art store.

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