Read on to find out about my recommended set of 3 brushes under £10 that are great for class. Classes are very busy and if you have just joined or want to come to a class you may be considering which brushes to buy. Or, you may just need to update some brushes you bought at the beginning that are not performing very well.
My pick for 3 super watercolour brushes under £10 are from Jacksons Art. This is a set of 3 different size brushes, great for laying a wash, getting edges crisp and sharp and for doing all sorts of brush techniques (we will be going through in March in class.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND BRUSHES
Watercolour Brushes Info
As I pointed out in the blog post about acrylic brushes there are various factors to consider:-
Size (is written on the handle, 0 is the tiniest and 28 the largest size)
Shape (filberts, rounds, flats and so on)
Point and spring of a brush - when loaded with paint ideally a little spring or resistance is good when you push to release the colour. This is something that lacks in very cheap brushes. Equally the brush should retain a good point when you wash it, hairs should not splay outwards
they should hold on to all of their hairs!
long handle or short? Short is best for class, long is great for oils
Affordability - spend a little more on watercolour brushes and look after them they will last for years
Sable? Squirrel? If you want the top end and can afford it then great, I enjoy synthetic just as much
What to look out for? Soft brushes that say good for watercolour painting or acrylic painting. Not recommended: hog or bristle brushes (spikier to the touch). Think about their shape, size and choose a range, say a small, medium and larger brush (flat or round for a wash).
Look after the watercolour brush by not leaving it standing down in the water (like you may do for acrylic), This will ruin the shape. If it does happen hold it under very hot water and reshape, dry by standing it up in a jar
Carry your brushes in a brush holder bag, rinse in warm clean water
Don't use watercolour brushes for acrylic painting