Brush Brands and What to Purcahse: Level 1, 2, 3 what?

Walking down the brush aisle of any craft store and you will see what I am talking about: Level 1 Beginner, Level 2 Student, Level 3 Professional; or there about. This gives a beginner the idea that until they get "good" they should save money and go cheaper on their brushes. This is akin to purchasing student grade paints, and will only lead to frustration (I use that word at lot). These paint brushes are not worth the money and in the end they really are not that much cheaper, please do not purchase them.

That being said, paint brushes are the most expensive piece of equipment a beginner will purchase, and therefore should be purchased wisely. Frustratingly, unlike with paint brands, there is little useful information on the internets about different brush brands. What is more, and a little embarrassing to admit, I have very little experience with various paint brush brands.

I did however, find one poll here:

As I mentioned in my post about brush types, I primarily use synthetic brushes. When I found a great synthetic I stuck with it and did not try any others. I don't think that this was a mistake, since I love the brushes I use, but I do think that I would like to try some of these other brushes and then update this post with my findings (this may take a while). Below is a list of the brushes I will be trying.

Synthetic Sable
Winsor and Newton: Monarch Series
Escoda: Modernist Tadami Series and Opera Series
Robert Simmons: White Sable Series
Silver Brush: Monza Synthetic Mongoose and Ruby Satin Synthetic Series

I will be comparing them to my current favorite, Black Gold by Dynasty. Which are awesome.

Synthetic Hog Bristle
Robert Simmons: Titanium Series 

For hog brushes I currently use Robert Simmons Signet and I love them. We shall see how the synthetics work out. I have used Connoisseur brushes and do not like them, as well as Princeton, which are fine but not awesome.

Purchasing your first set of Brushes:

As I set out to make a list of brushes I realized I was making a very long list. In order to keep things as simple as possible I have found a couple of packages for both sable and hog bristle that I think will give any beginner a good start.
Note: All of the below brush recommendations are made according to my current brush use: Black Gold and Signet. 

Sable Brushes
Package 1: Contains three rounds, one flat, and one filbert.
Package 2: Contains two rounds, and three flats.
Alternative Package 2: Contains three small rounds, one large flat, and one small flat.
In addition to the two packages I would also purchase one large flat, size 10.

Hog Bristle Brushes
To start you really only need two brushes: one large flat or filbert size 12 and one round size 6 (ignore the image on both, they have linked the wrong brush image to the size).

If you cannot afford two sable packages, I recommend purchasing package 1 from above, along with these two recommended hog bristle brushes.

For alternatives to my recommendations, read here and here.

Purchasing Additional Brushes: 

Having a ton of different types of brushes can look fun, but in the end if you are only using the same five brushes then you have wasted a lot of money. Understanding your own personal preference is paramount for not wasting money, so continue with the above recommended brushes until you know which types you prefer. Once you know what types of brushes you prefer, begin purchasing more of those types in various sizes. Ideally you would want two or three of each brush in each size, one for dark colors and one for light colors.

Which Brush to use When:

There are two simple rules to follow, and then break:

1. Start your painting by using hog bristles and finish it using the softer, smoother sables.

2. Always use the largest brush possible. It is silly to paint a vast background using a flat size 2. Pick up that size 12 and have at it. That being said, sometimes the 2 is the largest brush for the job.

When to Replace your Brushes: 

This is dependent on two things: how well you clean your brushes and how rough you are on them while you paint. I had a professor who would replace his primary brushes every one to two paintings, but I for one do not have that kind of money. Thankfully, a good brush should last you at least 6 to 12 months. However, it is important to remember two things:

1. Holding onto an old, used brush can be just as frustrating as painting with a bad, cheap one.
2. Purchasing brushes is not a one time thing, as they do not last forever. YAY! :(

My next post will be about how to clean and care for your brushes. Also if you have any brushes that you recommend or would like me to try out, please leave a comment.

For more about painting check out my main Tips and Techniques page.