🖌️ All About Miniature Painting Brushes

Good miniature painting brushes are the most important tools in a miniature painter’s arsenal. It affects your precision, control, paint flow, and ultimately, your final result. Here’s a complete guide to everything you need to know about brushes.

🔹 1. Brush Types (Shapes)

Each brush shape serves a different purpose. The most commonly used are:

• Round / Detail Brush
  Pointed tip for fine work like eyes, highlights, edges, and lines.
• Basecoat Brush
  Slightly larger round brush for applying base colors to broader surfaces.
• Drybrush
  Flat or domed with stiffer bristles. Used for drybrushing textures and raised details.
• Flat Brush
  Straight, flat edge — great for large surfaces, blending, or terrain pieces.
• Glaze / Wash Brush
  Soft bristles that hold a lot of liquid. Ideal for applying washes and glazes evenly.

🔹 2. Brush Hair: Synthetic vs. Natural

• Synthetic (Nylon or Taklon)
  More affordable, vegan-friendly, but wears out faster. Good for rough techniques or beginners.
• Natural Hair (e.g., Kolinsky Sable)
  Holds a finer tip, excellent paint retention and control. More expensive but lasts much longer with proper care. Perfect for detail work.
  ➤ Popular choice: Winsor & Newton Series 7 (Kolinsky)

🔹 3. Sizes and Labels

Miniature painting brushes sizes range from large to incredibly tiny. The smaller the number, the finer the tip:

• Sizes 0, 00, 000 (or 1/0, 2/0, 3/0)
  Ideal for tiny details like eyes, lines, and edge highlights.
• Sizes 1–2
  Versatile for general use, layering, and basecoating.
• Sizes 3+
  More suited for large models or terrain. Rarely used for 28–32mm figures.

⚠️ Note: Sizes aren’t standardized — a size 1 from one brand may differ from another.

🔹 4. Brush Care Tips

A well-maintained brush can last for years:

• Avoid hot water — it can break down the glue in the ferrule (metal part).
• Rinse thoroughly after every use.
• Use brush soap like The Masters Brush Cleaner to remove dried paint.
• Re-shape the tip gently with your fingers.
• Store upright or flat, never tip-down.

🔹 5. What to Look for When Buying

• A sharp, clean tip that springs back into shape.
• Hairs tightly secured in the ferrule.
• Comfortable handle and balance.
• Avoid cheap “craft packs” or novelty brushes — they often shed and fray quickly.

🔹 6. Recommended Brands

• Premium Natural Hair:
  Winsor & Newton Series 7, Raphael 8404, Da Vinci Maestro
• Affordable and Reliable Synthetic Options:
  Army Painter Wargamer Series, Citadel STC Brushes, Rosemary & Co, Green Stuff World
• For Drybrushing:
  Artis Opus Series D, or even repurposed makeup brushes!

🔹 7. Discover the Top 10 Miniature Painting Brushes.