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I have some excellent watercolor brushes (you know - bristles on a stick), but I'm wondering about the refillable water brushes. I had some - many moons ago - and didn't love them. I know that some people DO love them, so my question is: which ones would you recommend? I know that quality can vary widely, and I trust what fellow SCSers have to say about products that they use, so any/all input is more than welcome! Thanks!
I just bought some after putting it off forever. They came 3 in a pack for 5.99 at HL. They were in artist paints section. I've forgotten the brand.... Sorry! But they work fine. I had seem way more expensive ones over in stamping section. Not sure why there was such a huge difference in price.
There's a big difference in price because of a big difference in quality. And I don't love them either, Sue. But if I were going to get one, I would get the Niji.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I believe it was Jen McGuire (though it might have been Julie Ebersole) who recommended Kuretake Aqua brushes as being much improved over the kind of Aqua brushes like you mentioned. I had the same "blah" experience with Aqua brushes in the past, so I purchased one to see if I liked it.
The Kuretake did feed water more consistently onto the page than my old ones which were either too dry or soaked the page. So it was definitely an improvement. However, after experimenting with different watercolor mediums, I decided that the new Aqua pen worked well with some Windsor Newton pan watercolors and not so well with the Peerless.
What I found was that the shorter, stubby, tidy tip on the Aqua brush worked great to soften pan paints and it was handy to be able to squeeze the pen and have water added to the color.
I did not like the Aqua brush when using Peerless watercolors because the brush tip wasn't lush enough to pick up a decent quantity of paint. And there was no way I was going to give a push of water onto the Peerless sheet because if you load water onto to the sheet, it activates LOTS of the mineral colorant and creates a mess!!!!
Maybe you should buy one new Aqua brush (check out some of the watercolor videos to see what they are using and their opinions). Then when you get your Peerless, test out your stick & bristle brushes and compare it to the Aqua brush. You may find that you love the Aqua brush with Peerless....sometimes I'm the Lone Ranger when it comes to product preference! Ha...;)
Well, I'm thinking that I'll probably stick with regular brushes... I'm a "less is more" painter, for starters, and I'm also something of a control freak. It sounds like I may be doing exercises in frustration all over again with the water brushes. That said, I may get brave and buy one of the Niji brushes, just to see what I think. If I remember correctly, the 3-pack were the ones I didn't love. I appreciate all of the suggestions, though, truly!
IMHO none of the water brushes are worth it and I've tried the expensive and cheap. It's always a problem of too much water or not enough and some the brushes frayed. The overall best is the Kuratake and I like the yellow barrel (don't know what size this is).
I still use the water brushes but without water in them just because I have them. For me nothing beats a good old fashioned regular brush.
My experience is similar...too much water or too little. Lack of control. I do like them, with too much water, if I'm picking up color from watercolor crayons.
And I have a plethora of watercolor brushes to use. If I want control I use them.
I tried the water brushes but didn't like them. They leak at the wrong time. I would much rather buy 2-4 (ok 6) good quality normal brushes.
Somehow I came across a black brush on my desk one day and loved it and researched it and bought more like it. The silver brush is on my wish list too(rec . By sandy allnooks)
It's the majestic royal and Langnickel.
Here is the link. Amazon.com: Majestic Royal and Langnickel Short Handle Paint Brush Set, Shader, 6-Piece
__________________ Creativity is intelligence having fun. - Albert Einstein
I've had one of the Kuretake aqua brushes for about a year. I've really enjoyed using it, but recently some of the brush 'hairs' have started poking out in strange directions, which can ruin a painting if not careful. I've never used it that much, but maybe that sort of wear is to be expected after a year. I don't know. It feels so natural in my hand and I love painting with it. I may try a different brand next time around.
__________________
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar... (-Wordsworth)
I tried the water brushes but didn't like them. They leak at the wrong time. I would much rather buy 2-4 (ok 6) good quality normal brushes.
Somehow I came across a black brush on my desk one day and loved it and researched it and bought more like it. The silver brush is on my wish list too(rec . By sandy allnooks)
It's the majestic royal and Langnickel.
Here is the link. Amazon.com: Majestic Royal and Langnickel Short Handle Paint Brush Set, Shader, 6-Piece
The brushes I have are Royal and Langnickel, as well, and I really like them. I was just hoping for a water-and-brush-in-one that I could be happy with when traveling...
I've used the Kuretake water brushes for years, and I like the way they flow - or at least I'm used to it. Wish the bristles were more durable - the ends do tend to fray.
This is another one I got "somewhere"... it must have come in a set. Actually mine doesn't say Faber Castell on it, it says T-Prime, but the build is the same. It has a similar feel and flow to the Kuretakes, easier to fill, and holds a bit more water.
By the way, definitely don't get cheap ones - I bought some last year for a class that were about $1 apiece... they didn't have any kind of flow mechanism, and they would pull color from the project back up into the brush. Very frustrating. Stamphappy1650 was there and can testify!!
The first ones I bought were the cheap ones that come in a set of 3 sizes. One has a red ferrule, one blue and a green one. The quality of these leaky brushes were so bad that I tossed them and didn't try an aqua brush again for about 6 years. Now I usually use Kuretake brushes, but I have a weakness for the Zig Detailer when it comes to fine lines, lettering or tiny areas where I am not trying to float color.
I like using water brushes in my adult coloring books, also great for shading on cards.
See article titled "Guide to Water Brushes" on JetPens.com - Japanese Pens and Stationery posted 9/1/15.
Great amount of detailed information that might be helpful.
__________________ Have a creative day, every day.
I bought an expensive one and loved it. I saw some cheaper ones in a set and bought them---immediately threw them out. I then bought more of the expensive ones in various sizes and am a very happy camper. I love how they stay wet long enough to do a good portion before they need to be "squeezed" for more water. I use them for all my watercoloring mediums---pencils, crayons, pan, and the lids of my ink pads. Mine say Kuretake on them.
Thanks for more input - good information all around! I think that I'll follow some links and do some reading up and come to some kind of conclusion soon. I'm sort of out of commission on the crafting front for a few weeks. Caring for a toddler and her mom (who is recovering from back surgery) doesn't leave a lot of playtime. The good news is that my daughter is recovering well and my granddaughter is delightful!
Follow up to the Peerless watercolor question...
), loaded with a modest amount of water can be touched to the Peerless color sheet and pick up a nice, workable amount of color. The natural sable will lift the color off of the sheet, leaving a light colored spot on the sheet, which shows that you removed some color. The supple bristles of a quality watercolor brush allow you to stroke the color onto your project, giving a much more natural look to your watercolor. It's hard to discribe because it is a combination of tactile and visual - it feels different when you are painting and the natural flow of the paint from the watercolor brush is much more lush and natural than the Aqua brush, when using the Peerless. Just my opinion, but I'm sticking to it!
