I have recently had trouble with a couple of brand new sable hair brushes from very well respected brands. They split into a fork, almost immediately that I started using them.
I'd recently watched a video about how these brushes were made and I realise that a significant part of the manufacturing process is the quality control at the end to weed out those that are just not going to stay in shape. That's the reason for buying a more expensive sable hair brush rather than a mass produced synthetic bristle brush that costs next to nothing.
This is mainly a review of sable brushes for painting miniature plastic figures using acrylic paint. Most of my painting with these brushes is on resin 3D printed 28mm to 32mm figures.
Criteria
My main requirements for a brush for miniature painting is that it has a tip that stays in a sharp point while holding enough paint to work with.
I have plenty of budget brushes which work well but they frequently need care during use to maintain the point.
The Brushes
Based on other people's recommendations, I've bought a number of different brand's sable hair brushes from their series most commonly used for miniature painting. I've ended up with a few different types because my experience of them is not as consistent as the reviews would imply.
They all hold their point for longer than a synthetic brush. My main issue with synthetic brushes is that they invariably end up with a curl at the end. Some sooner than others.
I prefer normal dimension bristles for most work. I find the shorter versions, favoured by some, do not hold enough paint, so I only use them when needed. When I do, this is typically with a size 00 Winsor and Newton Series 7 miniature. The series 7 miniature is not to be confused with the series 7 (not-miniature) that the rest of this testing refers to.
Brush Care
I won't go into detail on this subject, but all the brushes have been well looked after. In use, I try to avoid getting paint beyond the belly. This minimises the paint that gets in to the ferrule which over time, in my experience, is the ultimate demise of most brushes.
The Test
I decided to try out the same paint task with all of the respected brands brushes that I owned in a size zero.
Not a long test, a few details on two figures with each brush.
The Results
To set the record straight at the start, ALL OF THESE BRUSHES ARE GOOD. They are just not as consistent as I would like.
All of the split hairs shown could be reshaped and the brush was then usable again until the next time.
Da Vinci Maestro series 10
- Bristles: Sable
- My experience: Stray hairs almost immediately.
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| Da Vinci Maestro series 10 |
This series has a very slightly shorter bristle than the others I tested. A good compromise size between the very small miniature brushes that hold too little paint and the standard size. It might suit those wanting only one brush.
Artis Opus series S
- Bristles: Sable
- My experience: Good point but a stray hair after a short while.
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| Artis Opus series S |
Winsor and Newton series 7
- Bristles: Sable
- My experience: A stray hair and split into a fork after using for a short while.
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| Winsor and Newton series 7 |
Raphael series 8404
- Bristles: Sable
- My experience: Nice point but split into a slight fork after being used for a short while.
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| Raphael series 8404 |
My biggest complaint with the Raphael brushes that I received, was the sticker.
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| Sticker on the Raphael brushes |
The sticker was difficult to remove and I could only get rid of the residue with WD40.
Rosemary and Co series 401
- Bristles: Sable blend.
- My opinion: This is the only brush in the test which included some synthetic hairs in the mix. Guess what, the end curled! It also developed a fork.
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| Rosemary and Co series 401 |
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| Rosemary and Co series 401 |
Unlike the other brushes tested, when dry the bristles on the series 401 separate and do not hold their point. The point forms again when wet.
Conclusion
My expectations are too great!
All of them needed to be cleaned and reshaped from time to time. Despite the limitations I encountered, my observation is that sable hair brushes form and retain their point with less irritations compared to brushes with other types of bristle.
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