Watercolour Paint Brushes for Beginners – Which Brushes to Buy

Watercolour Paint Brushes are available in two different shapes: flat (fan shaped) and round (crayon shaped). If the shape is not very clear with the way the bristles are lying, simply examine the shape of the metallic ferrule which holds the bristles on the handle; the ferrule will be either a round or flat shape. Just about every shape of paint brush is available in numerous choices if hair. It is possible to get stiff bristles or soft hairs in the majority of paint brush shapes, in the same way you can find high priced or inexpensive paint brushes in virtually every shape.

The size of the Paint brush is indicated with a numbering system where the larger the number, the larger the paint brush. Very small paint brushes are numbered 0 (zero), however the size of even smaller brushes is indicated be more than 1 zero (e.g. '00'). As a rule, the higher number of 0’s, the smaller size of the brush. Three zero's (000) is generally the smallest size available. One further measurement with flat brushes is the width, which is in some cases indicated in inches instead of numbers.

You may find a great deal of discrepancy in the sizes of paint brushes. The numbers which indicate the size can vary considerable between manufacturers, countries, and also even between different shipments of stock within the exact same brand. Part of the reason for this is due to many brushes being hand made. It is very easy for an artist to get used to using one specific brush and you may notice differences when you replace your favourite brush with one of the same manufacturer, brand & size. It is for this reason that the number which indicates the size should only be used for general comparison.

There are three brushes which are essential to have when you are just starting out at watercolour painting are:

The #10 round brush, for many watercolour artists, is a workhorse. It has a tiny point with which a high level of detail can be painted. A broad stroke can be achieved by pushing down on the brush or using its side. You could spend much of your time painting with a round #10 brush, but other paint brushes are so useful that you will probably want to have a wide selection of different brushes.

A Half-inch flat brush is useful for painting angular shapes such as when depicting buildings in your paintings. An even bigger flat brush can be used to cover a large area with watercolour paint such as a background. It is worth remembering that, the sizes of some flat brushes are indicated by numbers and the size of others may be indicated by their width.

#000 liner brush is very similar to the round brush, with the exception that it has much longer bristles. The extra length of the hairs means that it is very useful for painting long, straight and thin lines. This type of brush is also known as a riggor or script brush.

With these three basic watercolour brushes, watercolour paints and paper you are now full equipped to start your first painting in this exciting and versatile painting medium with endless creative possibilities available to you.