Whether you’re a beginner painter or an experienced artist who just needs a refresher, let’s brush up on the most important tool in your painting arsenal: your oil paint brushes.

There are two sizes of Round Brushes. There are also small and bigger sizes of Flat Brushes. There are three sizes of Bright Brushes. This brush is actually a short version of a Flat Brush. This is like a flat brush, only with a rounded shape. Each type of brush produces a different stroke. One type of paint brush that is extensively used in oil painting is Fan Brushes. And that is what makes this set an amazing choice if you’re going to be doing a lot of oil painting. Priced at a mere $11, you’re getting plenty for what you’re paying. We'll keep to just four basic brush shapes - round, flat, filbert and rigger that I'd recommend with which to get started, plus a quick mention about painting knives, which are such an important tool in the oil painter's armoury. The round brush is self-explanatory and its point allows good detail to be created, while the belly of the. Kolinsky sable brushes are used for watercolor, acrylic, and oil paint and are a great choice for detail work, thanks to the fineness of the bristles. See the best brushes below. Natural bristle paint brushes are excellent for oil-based paints, stains and clear-coats. Tip: Rough surfaces will break the tips off of natural bristle and prevent a smooth finish. Nylon is much more durable than bristle, so choose a synthetic brush for painting rough surfaces - even when using oil-based paints.

Resplendent Grapes via Dorothy Lorenze, using medium and small round sable brushes.

A little trial and error may be required when working with a new oil painting brush, but this blog post should point you in the right direction. I’ll explain distinct types and shapes of oil paint brushes.

Buying oil paint brushes

While it’s not all about price, it’s a good idea to get the best quality you can afford. Professional materials do not a “professional” make, but supplies that perform well will reduce your level of frustration.

Some excellent oil paint brush brands include:

Two qualities to look for in every oil painting brush are “spring” and “shape” resiliency. A brush should have enough spring to respond well to your hand when you make a stroke. It should give a little — but not too much — so you get the stroke weight you desire. A higher quality brush holds its shape, meaning the hairs don’t spread too much when loaded or stay spread after use.

Parts of a oil paint brush

Starting with the basics, there are three parts of a paintbrush: bristles, ferrule and handle.

Bristles

These are the “hairs” that carry the paint. Bristles can be stiff hog’s hair or softer sable (or other soft natural hair) or synthetic. In a quality brush, the ends will taper to a fine edge, allowing more control.

Ferrule

The ferrule is the metal band that secures the bristles and connects them to the handle. Avoid filling your brush with paint up to the ferrule. If paint dries at the ferrule juncture, it’s harder to clean and will spread the bristles, making the brush lose its point.

Handle

Handles are long or short, wood or plastic. Long-handled brushes are classic and allow you to take a farther view to keep your composition in perspective. When you hold your brush toward the end of a long handle, it touches the canvas in a more sensitive way, creating a more lyrical painting. Think of your brush as an extension of your arm and fingertips rather than a writing utensil.

Types of paint brushes

The two distinctly different types of brushes for oil painting are bristle and sable.

Bristle brushes

While all brushes have bristles, it’s the stiffer hog’s hair brushes that are referred to as bristle brushes. The stiff hog’s hair grabs more paint so bristle brushes are great if you work thickly or like to accentuate brushstrokes.

Sable brushes

Sable brushes are soft and can be made from actual weasel hair (yep, sables are a kind of weasel), squirrel, rabbit or synthetic fibers. These soft brushes are perfect for finer details and smoother blending. Do not fear the synthetic brush — many newer ones are excellent.

Art Paint Brushes

We usually think of bristle brushes for oil and sable for watercolor. But sable-type brushes are wonderful for oil painting. Just remember, if you work in both media, do not go back and forth between oil and watercolor with the same brush. Chaos will ensue!

Oil paint brush shapes

Fan

This is literally a fan-shaped arrangement of bristles. It’s a sweet-looking little brush, meant to be used for blending and subtle texture. Truthfully, the spread of hairs is generally so fine that I don’t find it especially useful for oils unless the paint is thin. But a fan brush does look cool in your paint box!

Round

Round brushes are said to be less versatile because the stroke doesn’t vary, but that’s exactly the attribute needed when painting details! That’s why smaller rounds are great for detail. Large round bristles work OK for oils, but save the soft rounds for watercolor. A heavily loaded, round sable brush can be unwieldy for oil painting.

Filberts

This is like a flat but with rounded sides, so it creates a softer edge and blends better than a flat. My first favorite brushes were Robert Simmons Titanium filberts because they had the coverage, control and blend-ability I was looking for.

Flats

Long, flat, rectangular brushes. Longer brush hairs carry more paint, so flats can cover more area per load. Held flat against the canvas, it creates smooth edges and sweeping strokes. Used on edge, relatively thin lines are possible. Sometimes flats are described by measurement, such as ¼” or ½” rather than brush sizes (more on brush sizes below).

Brights

These are similar to a flat brush, but the hairs on brights are shorter. This allows a bit more control than the longer flat brush. Smaller bright bristle brushes are my go-to for texture, whether painting trees or fabric.

Lemon Light painting via Dorothy Lorenze using large and medium synthetic filberts

Understanding oil paint brush sizes

Brushes sizes range from super fine to an inch or more. They are numbered low to high, 0000 (or 4/0) being less than 0, and up to 24. Different brands will vary somewhat, so a No. 6 from one might be slightly larger than a No. 6 from another.

In oil painting, large bristle brushes are best for washes and the broad areas of backgrounds. Mid-size bristle brushes with sharp edges can also be used for some detail. Finer details are best accomplished with small, round, sable brushes.

Confused yet? Don’t fret. Start by investing in a few high-quality mid-to-large bristle brushes, and a couple of small-to-midsize sable brushes. See how they feel and which perform best for your style of painting. Six brushes should be enough to start. Spend some time with them. Because art supplies are like workout gear — no matter how much gear you buy, nothing improves until you use it!

An artist’s greatest tool is their brushes. From having better control on the amount of paint applied to achieving more precise line work, the right kind of brush plays a huge role.

But will buying a set which is considered as one of the best model brushes among your peers be enough? Well, the answer to this question is No”.

Thus, to make sure that you can buy a brush set that suits you, here a buyer’s guide along with reviews of the 4 most well-loved sets have been provided. So, without further ado, here we go:

Paint 12pc by D’Artisan Shoppe – Best for Beginners

Aren’t you tried of flaking paint on handles? The manufacturer claims that designing them like this will allow the user to reach small or tight spots or points and get precise outcome. Micro detailing on figurines, airplanes, cars, dolls, ships and other models can be done with accuracy.

The design plays a huge role and the set contains fine tipped brushes. The company also mentioned that these brushes can be used for rock painting and creating illustrations of botanical or wildlife.

The model brush set contains 12 pieces, and if you are a beginner then they will be plenty to master your craft. It is an affordable synthetic alternative option which contains 12 miniature paint brushes which includes Flats (0 and 1), Liners (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1), Rounds (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1), Brush Holder and Dust Bag to keep moths away. It is hand crafted individually and also double crimped which provide non-loose ferrules or bristles.

• The synthetic best model brushes set is suitable to work with different types of paints like oil, watercolor, enamels, acrylic, gouache and also citadel.
• It is designed with ergonomic handles (triangular shaped) which allows the user to work with them for a long time minimizing the downsides of fatigue.
• It comes with portable case (plastic) which allows easy storage and also helps to carry it anywhere. The company also provides a dust bag which provides extra protection.
• All round brushes come with protective covers to reach you in pristine condition.
• Easy To Clean – 7 layers of UV coated paint on handles means no flaking paint off your handles.

• If not taken care of properly, the synthetic hair tend to fall off.
• Not suitable for professionals.

MyArtscape – Best Value for Money (Best Price)

Best Detail Paint Brushes

The detail paint brush set containing 12 pieces happens to feature the best Korean filament as per the manufacturer and also promises to have durable handles that do not lose their shape overtime.

Aren’t we all tried of the brushes losing their shape constantly?

The manufacturer even paid attention when it comes to the quality of the brushes.

The company even uses robust, strong packaging which ensures the ferrules or hair is not damaged in transit.

It is a great value for money product as at an affordable price, the company is providing Flats (0 and 1), Liners (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1) and Rounds (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1). With these 12 brushes, the user can enjoy art painting, detailed face or portrait painting, wargaming, model airplanes, miniatures, airplanes, army figurines and Warhammer 40K.

• The brushes are super fine which allows detailing with ease.
• It claims to have durable handles as well.
• It comes with a 1-year replacement guarantee and can be returned without any hassle.

• The handles or the shape is not ergonomic.
• Does not come with a box or bag for storing.

Virtuoso – The All-Rounder, Perfect for all (Editor’s Choice)

Are you a beginner trying to find best model brushes to start? Are you a professional looking for a set to take your craft to the next level? Or are you looking for set with which you can practice with and then use it after you have become an expert? Keeping these needs in mind, the manufacturer tried their best to produce this15-piece set made with good quality, durable materials.

The specialty of this set is that the brushes have thicker and shorter handles. The designing of the handles allows the user to use it comfortably while being able to produce precise lines. The Korean filament are super fine and comes with anti-shedding bristles.

The 15 pieces consist of a wide range of brushes including Flats (0 and 1), Rounds (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1) and Liners (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1). As per the manufacturer, the user can paint with oil, enamel, watercolor and acrylic paints. The bristles play a huge role behind the popularity of this brush set. It is made withfaux hair which a durable and crimped securely ferrules that can use for face painting, miniatures, adult coloring books, different complex figurines, models and doll houses. The company even mentioned that the paint brushes can be used for nail art as well.

• All brushes are inspected by experts and packaged in such a way so that they are not damaged in transit.
• Made to be durable and long-lasting.
• It comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee.

• It is not suitable for all types of paints.
• It is bit on the expensive side.

Nicpro – Professional’s Go-To Choice

Are you a professional looking for that best model brushes that can cater to all your artistic needs?

This 15-piece set is known to be a favorite of many professionals who swears by this brush.

The best thing about this brush set is their uniquely designed handles.

As per the manufacturer, the design of the handles was made in this unique shape for two reasons. Firstly, the user can paint with them for hours without issues like straining or cramping. And secondly, the design prevents them from rolling away keeping the workspace organized and clean or mess-free.

With this model brush set you will get Spot (0 and 1), Flats (2/0, 0 and 1), Rounds (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1) and Liners (4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 0 and 1). With these brushes achieving fine detailing work will be made easy. The company claims that the brushes can be used to paint on action figures, models, doll houses, dolls, rocks and other such subjects. If you mainly work with watercolor, oil and acrylic then this brush might will help your work.

• It is made with synthetic hair which do not cause hair shedding or splitting.
• The company provides a portable container made with good quality plastic and a dust bag which helps the user to protect the brushes as long as possible.
• It comes with a no-question-asked replacement or refund.

• It is not suitable for all kinds of paints.
• It is bit expensive.

Buyer’s Guide for best model brushes

Contents:

• Should I purchase faux hair or synthetic hair?
• Will long handle be good choice for me or short handles?
• Which size of paint brushes will be best for me?
• Does buying a brush set with guarantee means perfect purchase?

To help you further understand which brush set will be the right one for you, here are some common FAQs which you need take into consideration when buying a model brush set:

Should I purchase faux hair or synthetic hair?

Synthetic hair tends to get stiffer when wet (allowing precise outcome easily) and works best with acrylics, whereas with faux hair not only you can achieve fine strokes you can add a subtle softness to your work.

Will long handle be good choice for me or short handles?

The purpose of long and short handles is to create a desired distance from the painting surface. While long handles work best when you are working on a model/figurine, short handles are usually the standard size of a pencil or pen which feels more comfortable. Short handles are best for beginners while long handles provide much advantage allowing a beginner to turn into a professional with practice.

Best Detail Brushes

Which size of paint brushes will be best for me?

Even if you tend to work on somewhat similar subjects, having a wide range of options to work with will help you to improve craft. So, it will be best to go for a set which offers a wide range of sizes rather than few standard sizes.

What Are The Best Brushes For Oil Painting

Does buying a brush set with guarantee means perfect purchase?

All the best model brushes set comes with some kind of guarantee, however to truly get the best out of your brushes, maintaining and cleaning is a must. Even though buying brush set with a guarantee acts as a safety net, make sure to buy durable and easy to clean brushes to maintain the brushes’ integrity for years to come.

Super Fine Detail Paint Brush

There you have it; reviews of some of the best model brush sets and also a buying guide to help you choose the right one for you. It has been said that these manufacturers are looking for ways to further develop their designs yet as of they work perfectly. So by taking the things mentioned here into consideration, shopping for the right model brush set for your work will be an easy task.