Why I Prefer Synthetic Brushes?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 เม.ย. 2020
- Everyone has their own opinions, but in this video I tell you the reasons why I mainly use synthetic brushes in my miniature wargaming painting.
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I just use my beard ♥
The ultimate natural brush
Blanchitsu?
I have a tip which I use to make synthetic brushes last forever. All you need is a small dropper bottle of isopropyl alcohol, hot water and kitchen paper. 1) Dip your brush in alcohol, wipe off the dried in paint onto the kitchen paper, repeat until it's clean. 2) Dip the brush in hot water, and leave it for a minute. 3) Wipe the brush on the paper, making the bristles into a point. 4) your cheap synthetic brush is now as good as new.
I've been using the same set of cheap Army Painter brushes since last year, and I've painted an entire army with them.
In art school I was taught this rule: Synthetic for Synthetic. Natural for Natural... Synthetic Brushes for synthetic emulation paints (like Acrylic paint), and Natural Brushes for natural emulation paints (like Oils, and Watercolors). This rule is not a hard rule. In my years as a professional artist, I have learned to keep several types of brushes on hand for different mediums. Its like being a mechanic, or carpenter; every tool for the job. I have spent lots of money over the years on various brushes.
Miniature painting is my hobby, not my job, and fortunately has lots of cross over with my degree, and my career. I use Master's Touch Golden Tyklon size 0, 1, and 2 for metallic paints, thicker acrylic mediums, blocking in colors, terrain, dry brushing, and caustic mediums. I find these keep their tips extremely well for 2-4 months (depending on use). I use Raphael Series 8404, size 2/0, 0, and 1 for detailing, layering, washes, blending, inking, and glazing. I just started using the Raphael brand, and I find them to out of this world amazing brushes. The hold the tip better then anything I have ever used, and a good spring, and body for holding fluids. But I digress... For dry brushing I use cheap Dollar Tree make up/blush brushes. I haven't found anything better, and they last a long time too. Which is weird in my mind. I also use q-tips for absorbing fluids, or removing paint from higher surfaces.
This all works for me, but may not work for someone else. I have found, there is a lot of paint brush snobbery in the hobby (or at least online). "Use Windsor & Newtons Series 7, or your a noob, and will always be a noob!" type thing. You have to find those tools that work best for you, and your painting style. There is no wrong way to paint, anything. As long as you get the results you desire.
Also, cleaning and caring for your brushes doesn't take that long or have to be complicated. I use the "Masters brush cleaner & preserver". After each session of painting, and use fresh water at the start of each session. It takes me 5 minutes at most to treat my brushes (both synthetic and natural). Once my naturals start acting like they are going south I dip them in walnut, poppyseed, or safflower oil (all can be found at art stores or online), and message it into the bristles and let them set over night. This helps restore lost oils to the bristles.
Good video! Bust up that myth, that natural hair brushes are the only way to do things!
The raphael kolinsky sables are amazing. I have used an 8404 size 2 for 80-90% of my painting for 10 years. Take care of them and they last forever, and hold their shape, much better than synthetic.
Raphael had recently had a drastic drop of QA. A lot of people were complaining about receiving faulty brushes. I myself got a top of the line Raphael brush that looked like a bush, each bristle sticking in a different direction, no point of any kind at all.
@L Larby Wow, took that a little personally didn't you? He did say he was taught this in art school and appears not to have gotten it from some random person. You don't think instructors are experts at what they do? The original poster also pointed out that he/she is a professional artist. You don't think that expertise and experience counts for anything?
I've heard that you should use synthetics for oils, because of the need to use white spirits. It makes sense that stuff would ruin a natural hair brush.
@@piotrsmolanski8777 I have bought 4 raphael's in the past 2 months, NONE of them have been great. 2 came with already forking brushes. Literally dipped it in water, and had it split. Both of them were replaced. The other two that I bought, do not hold their shape very well. I am very strict about types of paint and how far I dip them. Not the ferule, and no contrast paint. I'm kind of sad because those were my first "high quality" brushes and it seems I got bad ones.
Bought myself 10 sets of 5 synthetic brushes last year.
They cost me about 15$ for the lot, and I only used 1 set so far.
Just wanted to say thanks... In all this madness of the world, it's great to have some normality... Your video make me feel like you are talking with me and not at me...
Agreed with the talk to vs talk at ... I've commented on other Atom videos where I loved his candor and felt like it was just a casual conversation with a friend. :)
From my experience I must say a more expensive brush is more durable, and of course the quality is much better. But you are right, it takes some discipline to take care of them. I usually clean them with brush soap after each session, and be very careful when storing them. I think I do 100+ hours with one brush, if I use another brush for the rougher work (basecoating, mixing paints, etc). In my opinion the quality offered by those more expensive brushed cannot be beaten.
For miniature painting I have been using Winsor & Newton series 7 for 10+ years now (and painting 99% with a #1), unlikely I will ever change again. For larger surfaces (basecoating, vehicles, bases) I use the AK Interactive synthetic brushes, the are cheap and durable.
The beard and hair are looking superb today. Well done, good work.
I appreciate it. I'm trying to not "let myself go" while staying at home. Thanks for watching!
I'm painting a pirate bust and I want to give him a grey beard. Thanks for the inspiration, uncle atom.
To anyone who understands the concept of diminishing returns, Adam has a video on it, it sounds like real hair brushes are for painters who are well past that point. A crummy painter with really nice brushes and paints will make crummy work. Buy cheaper stuff instead so you can practice more and get better. Similarly, I could got out and buy a $500 pair of headphones but I don't need the clarity for work and nothing I would attach them to would utilize their potential. But I can hear a difference between a pair from the $5 bin and the $50 ones I use right now and it's worth it to me.
Although unlike headsets, brushes are tools. And a skilled craftsman can make excellent work with even mediocre tools. So really, if you're doing ANY level of painting that isn't like, for a Golden Demon or something, you'll still make the mileage with a decent synthetic brush. A funny equivalent is that the 'Eavy Metal team has said a few times they don't use wet palettes at all, something many mini painters claim is a "must have" for even baseline work. Yet the Metal team has managed to make their style so iconic that most people consider edge highlighting mandatory for their minis.
If you want a source for that claim, The Painting Phase made a podcast/video with Tom Hibberd, former senior products designer for Games Workshop.
Beside using a "The Master's" brush cleaner and preserver once a month (literally just dip the brush in and soap it under cold water under the tap for 20 sec) I've never "conditioned" my 2 Raphael brush and I've now used them for more than 2 years and quite an heavy use. I do avoid dry brushing with them and GW metallic paint (but Vallejo are totally fine for me using my natural brushes). They still are both in great shape. Very, very little shedding too. To me that's definitly the way to go. If I compare with most of my hobbyist friend, I definitly saved money in the long run since they buy a new set of brushes every other month at the very least, if not week, while I used the same 2 Raphael brushes for years (and the same old cheap make up brush for dry brushing and the same old Vallejo synthetic brush for dry brushing).
I do agree that a new painter shouldn't have to worry about "maintaining" his brushes when there is so many other stuff to learn and put money into when you get started, but, a good natural brush needs very little care as long as you use it properly and it was a very easy learning curve for me. I think that like you said, between buying new cheap brushes every other week and investing in a set of very expensive brushes (10 to 15 a piece, not that bad really considering the price of the plastic we are slapping that paint on) is totally a matter of preference, what pains me the most is when new hobbyist buys GW and Vallejo brushes for the price of a good natural brush when they could easily go to the art supply store and buy 10 of them for the same price and the same quality.
One of the things I also look at with brushes is the grip section. I've found some great brushes with a much bigger grip (right above the metal), that is even in a triangle shape. It really helped with the fatigue in my hand.
I made the shift the synthetic due to a few reasons but mainly because I don't like contributing to the fur trade. Theres also the fact I look for brushes that are bio degradable for the enviroment. But mostly because there also cheap and I find them easy to use as well. So I feel like I win all around with synthetic.
Awesome video! I truly appreciate how you outline what is reference and what is fact. Very informative!!
Something I do is to have two cleaning pots for a 2 stage clean. Unless the first one is very clear, I clean all brushes in both every time I need to clean them. This helps get the brush as clean as possible. This habit actually started long ago when Humbrol enamel was the go-to paint and you had to clean the brushes with thinners.
Painting is the part of my hobby where I get the most enjoyment. I find it's different tools for different jobs: I use synthetic brushes for metallics, base-coating, washes and other messier/larger applications - metallics will tend to destroy your natural hair brushes due to the metal flakes in the paint itself.
I will use natural brushes for detail, more delicate work or refining, where I need more control. For me, they hold their tip better and have a nice belly for application. They do require aftercare but the aftercare required is usually one or two more steps than you'd normally take after painting with any kind of brush. For me, I don't find the aftercare to be so much of a chore; it just depends on your brush cleaner. I use the 'master brush cleaner and preserve'. Super quick and easy!
Agreed, the aftercare does not take that much extra time as some people try to make you think.
Thanks man I haven’t painted for a while but your videjos are always good to watch. Take care stay in 👍
Stay safe! Thanks for the vid! I’m a huge fan of the “Artist’s Loft” brushes. They take a beating!
I use primarily a 'Rosemary & Co' Kolinsky Sable - Series 8, size 2. Not too expensive but it's a glorious brush for minis. The amount of paint it holds and how smoothly it goes on the mini is crazy and boy to they last! No curling, warping, lost hairs. Not to mention the hairs can form such a fine point you can even do fine details with them - easily! Highly recommended!
You make it sound like the taking care of brushes takes a lot of effort or time. I use synthetics only for metallics and dry brushing, and for everything else I use Rosemary & Co Series 22, or Series 33, sable brushes. For all of this I spend maybe 30 seconds every few painting sessions to swirl the brush in The Masters brush cleaner and that's it. There is no other conditioning, or anything related and these brushes last quite long. Rosemary & Co prices have gone up a bit in past years, but they are still quite cheap at 6 to 8 euros a piece.
As side note I also find it rather wasteful in general to just toss away brushes every couple of weeks because they get bad, but each to their own.
When I was painting (pictures) I always preferred natural bristle brushes and I still use them for weathering or covering a large area with a thin coat. But with miniatures synthetic is better for everything else.
I mostly use white and gold taklon brushes (Royal & Langnickel), and they're dirt-cheap and brilliant.
I use my synthetic brushes for drybrushing and painting my bases. My sables are for blending and I agree if you're painting for just a tabletop standard synthetic all the way! Great content.
Great to hear this. Always feel a little guilty over my brushes not lasting as long as I feel they should. Have focused on cheaper brushes for the same reason.
I have been painting for more than a year now with Chinese low cost brushes and I still use them. Good enough for painting table top + level
As someone looking to imlrove his painting game, I like a mix between them, for most basing and most washes I use synthetic cause i can treat it a bit harsher and they're a little fatter. But I'm really enjoying my newish natural brushes for getting very fine details. So I have a pretty even 50-50 mix for my painting.
I'm going to quit my job and become a Golden Taklon breeder. Thanks for the inspiration!
Watch out for them, they’re wily. Thanks for watching!
I use a mix but mostly synthetic, for all of them I use B&J Brush Cleaner and Preserver when I am done. Takes about 5 minutes but honest it doubles the life of my brushes 👍
Something my brother ( see my previous comment) showed me for keeping and restoring points is a bar of feels naptha ,it actually works awesome to restore some brushes I could have swore only would be good for dry brushing . I have also heard hair pomade works really well though I haven't tried getting a can of dapper Dan yet.
To me the size 2 is the sweet spot. I'm also doing a lot of work with a size 3. They hold more paint and if they have a nice point that makes them the perfect brush.
I always use synthetic to block in base coates and washes but always use sable brushes for highlighting.
I like synthetics for all the reasons you've stated, but I use my Raphael 8404 more then anything else. In my experience, cleaning natural brushes seems to degrade them faster then not. I've found using brush soap tends to break the tip up faster then not using it. If your paints are thin and you rinse them good, I think they tend to last longer. Somewhere along the line someone showed me the 2 cup method for rinsing brushes. One cup with a little dish soap and another with just water. Rinse in the dish soap first then the water. I think it's made my brushes last longer. After a painting session, I just rinse them and use the conditioner to make a point (not clean them). Thanks for your videos...they are always educational.
I have at agree with you. This is all personal preference and not any hard and fast rule. Years ago we were told repeatedly to only use OOO brushes. It was wrong for how I paint. The cheaper Hobby Lobby types work best for me. Your mileage will vary. Oh, and please talk about using other types of brushes, flats and liners, in the future. Your commentary is always valid... Thanks!
I would love to see a video showing off some of your armies... particularly anything from Warhammer Fantasy style minatures... you reference armies a lot and I can only imagine the cool toys in your basement. I think you are a great painter and one that many of us aspire to. All very sincere statements from a regular viewing fan. Hope all is well!
We have a nice store here "sostrene grene" I have been mostly using thier synthetic size 4 brushes, cost next to nothing less than 1 US dollar each. Finding the right synthetic is key. I am just dipping my toes in natural for more careful work.
I find the time taken to look after a natural brush is quickly made up by how much faster I can paint with them, because I can be more accurate, spend less time cleaning up. Will do large areas with synthetic brushes (or natural ones that are on the way out) but details I'll use natural ones. I painted for years with just synthetic brushes (mostly Army Painter) then decided to try a natural brush. Suddenly realised I was a much better painter than I though I was! I find they keep their point much longer too.
I've been "experimenting" with natural hair brushes from Artis Opus. They have been performing well, but the set was quite expensive. In my experience, tiny details are difficult with synthetic brushes. I have never used an airbrush, and find getting smooth base coats very challenging with synthetics.
Great video Atom!
I feel like natural hair brushes are like cars, everyone has their favorite brand. I have only just dipped my toes into this amazing hobby and unfortunately The first series 7 brush I used was not what I was looking for. The taklon brushes I use are fantastic and cheap. I just purchased some detonators and maybe they will treat me well.
Love my detonators!
As lauded as series 7 brushes are, I use them and like them. I also run a chain of art supply stores and know full well that WN quality control has dropped significantly and they have a lot of "bad batches" which really for that price point isnt acceptable. That aside a good one is a great one. Also enjoy synthetics.
I use the Winsor & newton sceptre gold II it's a sable synthetic mix it's a lot cheaper than pure sable but just as good. I do use the Windsor and Newton series 7 as well but keep going back to the sceptre gold.
I can't get a synthetic to keep a point. I've been grossly disappointed in every synthetic I've had, and they've quickly ended up as glue-mops or other junk use brushes, even the high end ones. Nothing beats sable for pointedness and coverage. To each his own, if it works for you, super, more painted minis on the table the better!!
This is also my experience.
Sound quality of this video though! *chef kiss*
Here in the UK we can get a brand of Kolinsky Sable brushes made by Creative Models. £2.50ish each. Done me quite well for a few years, and I'm terrible at brush care. Have a couple of W&N Series 7, £7-£8ish each, and they just would not keep a decent point after a while...
Princeton Select Artiste #2 and #4 Round are my jams.
i personally use my Royale Talens van Gogh synthetic brushes way more than my Winsor & Newton Series 7 . they keep their point and shape really wel and the brush really smooth , i think . The Winsor & Newton Sceptre Gold II series is a mix of redmarter and synthetic and are really good to and a lot cheaper than the series 7.
I see where you're coming from and I agree on pretty much everything you said. I prefer natural hair brushes personally, because I like the way they feel, how long they can last you with proper care and how nicely the paint flows off them. As you said: YMMV, everyone has to find their own preferences.
your voice resonates very well with my The Emperor Protects Water canteen today Adam.. Curious
Started painting about a month back, and I was adamant on getting a set of kolinsky sable brushes. I got a back of Rosemary and Co, and I realized how much I prefer a synthetic for most cases. Faces, eyes, fine lines etc. these things rock but I just don’t have the control or experience when it comes to simply “basing” a model. I feel like I’m working with 90% water and 10% paint most times.
Might try a cheaper Red Sable down the line, but for now I’ll only save these for detail work for sure.
Vallejo brushes are seriously underatted. I have W&N series 7, Raphael, Army Painter, Maestro, Escoda, etc, etc. And I always go back to my Vallejo round Toray triangular brushes (synthetic).
They are a little on the small size so go bigger than what you would think (a size 3 or bigger is closer to a W&N size 2). But they are solid brushes for like $8 with shipping usually (super affordable!😀). The Escoda's and Raphael's are amazing too. I use them on some of my bigger more elaborate projects. But my synthetic round Vallejo Toray (triangle handle) brushes are my daily drivers. They have soft bristles that hold their shape well and has good snap/springy-ness to it. Im honestly surprised more people dont talk about them. Oh, and did I mention that they are super affordable? 🤑
Rosemary and Co make Hybrid synthetic Natural brushes. The ones I got are about 5USD each, they are amazing, almost as good as a Kolinsky 8404, but at 1/4 of the price!
At the LVO I bought some JENTASTIC'S DRUNKEN BRUSH GOOP! at the creature caster booth. I have been using it to clean my synthetic brushes and it works amazing!!!! It makes my brushes last way longer and can only imagine what it will do for real hair brushes, totally recommend this stuff.
I've not heard of that. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for watching!
I'm with Atom on this one. I'm still searching for my favorite synthetic brands tho... I must acquire more multipacks! :-)
I've been buying different packs online, but then I sometimes forget where I bought them from. Learn from my mistakes. Thanks for watching!
Do you have any recommendations?
Goobertown Hobbies German DaVincis synthetic line is very good
Will either one of you be doing a recommendations video? I have a hard time finding good ones in my town.
Try Borciani e Bonazzi brushes. They’re the best synthetic brushes I’ve used in that the paint flows well and they’re durable. I’ve used “the best” kolinski brushes and I personally find them too soft and I think that their durability is overrated. In saying that, I work with majority acrylics and enamels/oils for washes, weathering and the odd bit of blending.
P.S. I gave away 3 brand new series 7 brushes because I like the Borciani that much more. It’s also an easy decision because I know that some poor animal isn’t being trapped and killed just so I can paint tiny pieces of plastic.
Late to the party as usual but I hit a wall very quickly with my painting quality and wasn't happy with the results. I was using cheap paints and cheap brushes, like bargain walmart cheap. Then I watched a few vids on you tube about paints and brushes. Learned a lot but decided to splurge on some citadel paints and washes, up until then i was making my own washes, and three windsor and newton brushes. For me it was night and day. The brushes became a value since three years later all three $12 brushes still have amazing tips (a $5 tin of soap/conditioner lasts me over a year) and while I hate paying $4 for a pot of paint they do work better and faster for me. I'm not great at painting but I can now get miniatures on the table faster and at a quality I'm happy with, just my experience YMMV. 👍
I always had problems with brush control with the Chinese synthetics. I bought a 00 - 4 set of Sables at Pax Unplugged and they make such a difference for me personally. All my flats and dry brushes are synthetic.
Couple years late, but I use a mix.
My natural hair brushes are whatever basic natural hair brushes at hobby lobby are (I think it's masters touch), which run about 5-8 bucks each. They don't get much use, but they get used as needed for details.
The bulk of the work is the synthetic brushes.
Seraphin Squad primed black, color scheme 4 shades of black & orange. The 4 black and shading towards orange synthetic brushes. Faces, hair, and cloth final layers of orange; Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable.
I have a natural w&n brush thats probably 10 years old and still kickin', I actually had to sand and paint the wood because the paint was almost all gone but the bristles were still great xD I enjoy the ritual of cleaning up feels...arty haha. I do use synthetics for a lot of stuff though .dry brushing..metallics. etc
I use synthetic brushes too because they are more easy to find in my country! In special to miniature size! Here in Brazil, marten brushes and kolinsky brushes only exist from 0 to 7. So to have small brushes I need to use brushes used for nail air (like nail paint) and they are all synthetic because nail polish are basic made of explosives... And the solvent to it is acetone, so need more resistant kind of brushes.
Actually, for a lot of miniature painters a size 0 Kolinsky brush is smaller than necessary. I usually take a size 1. Some rarely use smaller than 2.
@@IntergalacticApeMan yeah I have a size 1 and 2 and only really use the 2. The tip is as small as synthetic size 0 or smaller.
I tend to batch paint up to a 100 models at the same time. When doing the same colour for hours on multiple models I like to use a cheap brush. I sometimes forget to pause and clean the brush every now and then so can ruin them as paint will dry in the brush while I am working. I reserve the fancy brushes for the fine occasional work and take more care over them.
Ocean State job Lot (on the east coast in new england...) has some really good deals on brushes... small tips, synthetic or nylon/camel
Im new, but what Ive been doing is using my synthetic brushes for most of the painting, then for detail work I use my natural hair stuff that I can baby more and use properly.
Lol I'm the same way. I use synthetic brushes mostly because I'm afraid to mess up the 2 nice natural brushes I have. They sit pretty in their case, and I admire them while I use the wide array of synthetics I got in a set for about 10$ 🤷
I dropped 20$ on one really good natural brush a couple years back, and it's been one of the best spends I've made in the hobby.
I don't condition it, or do much of anything special to care for it other than washing it out a little better at the end of every painting session. I do have a tin of "brush soap" and if I do something especially nasty, sure, I'll rub the brush on that for a couple seconds as I rinse it, but that's the most I do. That's maybe 30 seconds of extra care, and 15$ extra as a one time spend. (I haven't used up the one tub of brush soap I bought.)
In return, I have a brush that STILL holds a fine, straight tip, two years later. The total cost was about half of what one box of GW minis runs, so a tiny fraction of my total hobby spend.
I DO think folks should start with synthetics. You can get some excellent, cheap synthetics. They just don't hold up. My experience has been that every fine synthetic point I've ever owned (and there have been dozens) have developed tip droop that made them frustrating to attempt detail work with, after just a couple weeks of real world use. I'd say others should have this experience first, when you're first getting into the hobby, because synthetics ARE that much cheaper and you don't know if you're going to stick with this yet. Then after the first or second time you notice tip droop throwing off your minis painting, you'll know WHY you want to swap to one good brush.
Great. Now I want a golden taklon as a pet. Thanks uncle atom.
They don't eat much, I'm told. Thanks for watching!
I have tried Synth and natural alone as well as together with synth handling base coats/metallics and natural handling the detail. I keep going back to the natural because my synth brushes are trash. I do like the idea of using the cheap brushes for the big work, I just gotta locate a good source of synth brushes that maintain their point long enough. Michaels Crafts was not the place it would seem. thanks for the vid and stay safe!
Anyone tried MPF Classic brushes they are from the dental industry, but I have found them to be perfect for miniature painting. Very nice in the hand and not overly expensive.
Do a Google search MPF brushes uk. Also @warcolours brushes are great also, both natural and synthetic. If cheap synthetic brushes is all you need Loew Cornell
Sanford Series 795 White Nylon Brush are good.
100% agreed. I tend to paint rough and also enjoy not having to think about what surface I'm painting so synthetic for me for sure. I enjoy natural hair brushes as but they never last very long for me even with daily conditioning. I'm just one fur cloak away from a ruined $25 brush which just isn't ideal. Synthetic though? Not only will they survive that fur cloak but another dozen after than and then I chuck 'em and grab another set.
bought a pack of 10 brushes for $5 at hobby lobby. I am on the last one with a decent tip after 5 months of painting 70 minis and some vehicles. Although, I am a new painter and am not trying to do intricate detail.
I use synthetic for acrylic metallics so it does not tear up the brushes. I use natural hair brushes for painting with regular acrylics. I have always had an issue with the bristles splitting and curling back with acrylics. With natural hair brushes they don't split or curl backwards. I was fighting at first when I started painting 5 yrs ago. Once I switched to natural hair brushes I was fighting less and painting more. So I will use natural hair for painting regular acrylics and synthetic for metallics.
i prefer natural brushes :D i love to clean them first with shampoo and then put them into conditioner :D before the procedure they are often hard, some color dried inside them and so on... and after the procedure they are better then new! i love the feeling of fresh cleaned natural brushes xD and it needs a maximum of 5min for 3 brushes.
my first 2 brushes were synthetic, i just use them to mix colour after they startet to get worse. it's impossible to restore them for painting details... they are just done ^^
The Finer touch brushes Sam uses are the second batch of brushes I bought. The larger (3,5,7,9) round brushes are ok, but the points on them were all slightly curled within the first half hour of use. The same can be said for the Windsor & Newton Cotman (synthetic), though it is a better brush. I use that one for my metallic fine detail work. The blue Royal and Langnickel from walmart are junk round brushes but their flats work nicely for drybrushing. Unfortunately I'm also massively disappointed with my Raphael 8404 with hair splitting from the main trunk within the first use even after conditioning prior to using it and after every use, never filling it up with paint and cleaning it carefully.
I had a natural brush recently that started splitting the tip in the first use. I was really bummed. Thanks for watching!
I am really not a competitive painter. My guardsmen get no love at all :D but I love the feeling of natural brushes.
The princeton fine art series are not bad for cheap brushes. For fine detail I use escoda brushes which I feel are better than Windsor newton's.
Thanks for your input. I am trying to find some brushes as a gift for my partner to paint his miniatures, and I don't want to buy animal hair. I notice you didn't drop any brand names for good synthetic brushes, but I'm reading the comments to find some preferences. On an unrelated note, the sound quality on this video is like being in a movie theatre. Well done.
Your opinions regarding "nice" brushes are very much like my natural inclinations formed over many years of struggling to keep my nice brushes clean and usable. I am just a clunky brush user and should stand up and accept that for what it is! Thank you for reinforcing my inner view and helping me let go of the idea that I need to be using "better" brushes.
I use both happily, and cleanthem both the same, i'm not a heavy heavy usage. Metallics is definintely a synthetic jobby, that stuff screws brushes quickly. Medium layer brush for everything else.
James wappel method: size 8 synthetic brushes to do all the heavy lifting, then natural hair for final details
Great vid do you use vallejo metallics and you recommend and essential ones as I'm moving away from GW Metallics?
Synthetics (or cheap sable naturals) for Metallics and drybrushing. Natural Kolinsky for thinned layering and edging. The paint flow with natural hair brushes is noticeably better. With naturals they also hold points and don't hook with just a light amount of care. Just a bit of brush soap takes seconds after painting. Even expensive synthetics end up hooking a bit at the point no matter how well you keep them.
For new painters and for teaching, I give out synthetics.
Good video thanks. I would go slightly further and say you are comparing different tools and they are each excellent in their own way. Its like comparing a nail and a screw....they both can attach one piece of wood to another, but they are very different in form and function. That's what I think with the synthetic and natural debate. I use synthetics for fast large area coverage, and naturals for details or leader quality models. Ultimately you are very right...whatever works for you as an individual is what you go for...too many people think that a propainter uses this or an expert uses that, so to be any good at it I must use the same....instead I think just use what works for you.
I got Raphaels and Winsor&Newtons and I find that the Raphaels hold their tips better. People have said W&N are the best and I’m trying to force myself to believe that but everytime I pick up one of my W&N brushes I use it for a while and then put it back and reach for my Raphaels. I’ve used the Raphaels for a year now - they’re still all good and I’m not the best at conditioning them - just following the usual rules and keeping paint from getting into the ferrule by using just the tip of the brush - and a monthly deep clean. But yeah, I can’t shake the feeling that the Raphaels are just more superior. W&N tens to split constantly and mind you - I’ve heard and read the same from others. Ruling out that I had W&N “duds” I decided to add more to my already stupid collection just to find out they all exhibit the same poor qualities in comparison to the superior, yet more affordable Raphaels.
So in conclusion - it’s really kind of like the debate with “the best acrylic paint stripper”. If something works to the point that you’ve integrated it so well into your workflow... there’s no need to change that, unless someone can demonstrably show you a better workflow. In the case of my Raphaels vs W&N, I still can’t convince myself that W&N is better - despite now having more of these brushes vs my Raphaël collection - all because I wanted to try to prove myself wrong to justify the purchase of the W&N brushes.
Thanks for the video! Can you please make one regarding Enamel Washes, how to use it properly? Do you seal you mini with varnish, the brush it on ? Spray it on? Then wipe off then varnish agian? Which varnish works best? so many questions to get the awesome results you get! thanks uncle Atom!
I'm working towards making a video on enamel washes. I need to try a few other techniques within enamel washes first. Thanks for watching!
I used natural ones before and I found I never liked them. I guess it is because I only used whatever brush the stationery store carried and they only had synthetics and I gotten used to them. My synthetic brushes last me weeks before I had to toss them. But they are not that expensive. 2.75 SGD to 3.75 SGD depending on size for Ashley Series. The argument for naturals is some say that they are more durable and thus you don't need to replace them as often as synthetics and thus help save the environment.
My friend (who is one of the better painters I know) sent me a link to a 144-pack of synthetic brushes for like $27. 24 each of size 1-6, and honestly, I can't think of a better deal. They die quick, but it still outpaces any nicer brush I've used on a cost-basis!
Sables are for watercolor. That’s the section of the store they’re sold in, and if you search for brush reviews they’re all from mini painters and watercolor artists. They have high water holding capacity and are very soft, too soft for my preference. Since highly thinned paints behave like watercolor, they are great for glazing, and their softness works fine when blending. Thus, display painters love them.
The lack of stiffness/snap is a killer for me. Series 7 is alright but the other brands of sable do not snap back when pressure is applied. They’re floppy. Maybe I got a bunch of lemons but I doubt it. Sables require a featherlight touch I’m not gentle enough to paint detail with a rafael, though I do use sables for blending and glazing.
Lastly, I don’t get these stories of people who bought a natural brush and it took their painting to the next level. Good synthetics like princeton synthetic sable have equal or better points and holding capacity and way better snap. Their main problem is that they're nearly as expensive as sable and don't last for years so they're more expensive to own. I don't have to maintain them though, and I prefer the "stroke feel" of a snappier brush. Princeton's velvetouch line is only $3-4 though and is almost as good.
I started with army painter's terrible brushes and the series 7 I bought was indeed a revelation. However, on Doctor Faust's advice I got a princeton heritage synthetic sable and now I rarely touch my sables unless I'm feeling nostalgic.
Since I switched years ago to series 7, I haven't looked back (even with metalics). I find the paint goes on smoother than I get no brush strokes like I did with synthetics. I splurged a year ago on a Citadel Artificer and that lasted me 6 months like a typical GW brush. I'll stick with my series 7 since I get them 50% cheaper than retail. Just bought the miniature brushes, size 1 and 0 for 26 dollars, same price I paid for that singular Artificer brush (which is now my wash and basing brush). The only damaging factor I have encountered im my experience has been my kids using them without my knowledge lol. There is a painter snobish attitude towards synthetics and it's silly. I just don't like the snap a synthetic has and I can't work with them.
Where are you getting S7's at 50% off?
@@Boombocks_Studio texas art supply. 12.50 for a size 1
@@GiftofChaosStudio do they sell online?
@@Boombocks_Studio they sure do man. texasartsupply.com
Regardless of what brushes or paint you use whatever you do DONT clean them and then put them upright in your brush holder to dry! The fluid will seep below the Ferrell and take paint particles with it. It’s that which splits the points and hardens them. I should point out I worked for Winsor and Newton for 8 years and used to lecture on brush care and usage.
Interesting, I'll have to look into a different storage solution. Thanks for watching!
Tabletop Minions the best thing is to wash them and then lay them flat on a paper tissue, this helps draw the water or white spirit away from the hairs. I use acrylic and have had some of my sables for years, but as you point out some synthetics are also good, and looked after both will last. Thanks for the video!
I prefer synthetic. I but ones that claim "synthetic sable" they are often a little stiffer and seem to hold their shape. My end of a session routine is to clean and then soap them, shape them with the soap on it and let it dry caked with some bar soap on them. Start of each session I swish it in my water cup which adds a little soap to my water and gets the brush ready to use. I have a few cheap brushes that last months before they graduate to other uses.
My brother is an artist and professor at a pretty well known art college. He told me recently never use a natural hair brush with acrylic paints only oil based paints, also never use synthetic brushes with oil paints.
I just found your monument hobbies brushes at my hobbyshop. Is this new? Can we look forward to a rundown on your choices?
Another point. I paint 15mm historicals, so have little reason to use large cheap brushes to block paint. I've no interests in Warhammer 40K models which ......don't get me started! You say that your natural brushes "shed" faster. This might be perhaps because it's difficult not to start using them to dry-brush. Often I use wet/dry brush techniques where there is a fine line between applying the paint sufficiently wet to lubricate the hairs. At some point the paint becomes too dry and while you are only applying light pressure, you are then effectively drybrushing. Dry brushing kills natural hair. For dry brushing I like small flat synthetics. Finally enamels and metallic paint destroys natural brushes.
Which specific synthetic brushes do you like best?
I have never had a synthetic brush maintain a point. What brand should I try?
I paint Necrons so I probably should switch to synthetic. I use the normal GW ones. Generally really like those but they are a little expensive
I think people really exaggerate natural brush damage, i dont do a huge amount of painting but mine last 6-9 months with a good tip easy and i use them for everything including pva glue(tho I always clean properly after that)
I personally like Sam's take: Mostly synthetic, with the occasional sable thrown in. Right now I'm mostly sable brushes to be honest, and I love them, but I think it's a matter of not finding a good synthetic yet. I haven't taken the time to try yet, I'll give it a shot!
Have you tried the Abteilung 502 or Momument Hobbies synthetics?
I'd like to go back and try some synthetic brushes if there were decent known brands to pick from that could maintain consistent quality. My experience with them has been frustrating to say the least. Of the ones I've used, maybe two would hold an acceptable point while being used. The rest seemed to turn into fans.
The only reason I can see using them is purely budget. And then I went through more synthetic brushes in the same amount of time as my main two natural hair brushes. Synthetic brushes are ok for quick base coats, however I have personally never had satisfying results with them on anything past base coats.
Well you can paint with cheap synthetic brushes and they always have their uses for certain things. However if you ever mess around and paint with a really good kolinsky sable hair brush you'll be spoiled by how much paint it holds, and how smoothly the paint flows off the brush onto the model. It's night and day and I've literally gotten into a fight over a roommate who jacked one of my favorite brushes.
They don't get thrown away every 3 weeks if properly cared for either unlike synthetics which I find go fuzzy pretty quickly no matter what. I paint faster with a high quality brush because the paint acts like I want it too, and I enjoy the experience more.
If you paint a lot, top-end natural hair (Kolinsky) brushes cost less per figure than synthetics. This is because they last for dozens of figures (or hundreds of figures if you take good care of them), not 2-3 figures. Natural hair brushes are _much_ more resilient than synthetics. When I teach beginner classes, I recommend Kolinskys, because they make painting more fun. But if you're not going to get those, get the cheapest brushes you can find, because both the really cheap and mid-range nylon brushes will hook anyway and then they're trash.
FWIW, "good care" takes about 5 minutes per painting session and a total of about $3 in materials.
I'll note that I avoided good brushes for decades, for pretty much exactly the reasons you adduce. I consider that to be my biggest mistake in the beginning of my painting career. When I switched, I had more fun and became a better painter essentially immediately.
But there's no one true way to paint, so if what you have works for you, great.
I like to use synthetic brushes to slap to basecoat then I switch to my nice expensive brushes for details. Works great for me
Do you have any brands you typically use? I've been burning through brushes and after watching this, I realized they were all natural sable.
Saw the killteam tower i made Uncle Atom? Im still working on it though