Which Brush?
A plain-English guide to choosing miniature paintbrushes — sable or synthetic, which brush for which job, and how to make them last.
Choose Kolinsky Sable…
for detail, blending and display painting — anywhere the finest point and the best paint flow matter. Sable's natural belly carries more thinned paint, so you get smoother, more continuous strokes.
Choose Synthetic…
for basecoating, dry brushing, metallics (which are abrasive) and affordable everyday brushes. Synthetics shrug off harsh paints and solvents that would wear out natural hair.
Or Own Both
Most experienced painters do: sable for the moments that count, synthetics for the workhorse jobs. It's the cheapest way to keep a sable point sharp for years.
The Right Brush for the Job
Smaller details don't always need smaller brushes — a well-pointed size 0 or 1 paints a finer line than a tired 10/0.
Eyes & Fine Detail
A sable round in size 0 or 1 covers most detail work. Keep a 10/0 for genuinely sub-millimetre jobs.
Basecoats & Blending
A larger round or a flat. Basecoating is workhorse painting, so a synthetic such as the Vernissage Midi set is fine.
Edges & Lines
An angular liner for crisp edges, recesses and lettering, or a small flat for edge highlights on armour and weapons.
Dry Brushing & Texture
Always a dedicated synthetic dry brush — flat oval, round oval or deerfoot — for chainmail, fur, terrain and weathered metal.
Metallics & Inks
Synthetic. Metallic pigment is abrasive and wears natural hair quickly — keep a separate brush just for it.
Wargaming Armies
The Micro & Gaming range — a hard-wearing sable/synthetic blend built for 28–32mm figures and long batch-painting sessions.
A Sensible Starter Kit
You don't need a drawer full of brushes. Start with one or two quality sable rounds for detail — a size 0 and a size 1 — a synthetic brush for basecoating, and a dry brush for texture.
A set is the easiest way to get the spread of sizes in one purchase. The Alex Paints Essentials set gives you sable rounds in sizes 0, 1, 2 and 3; add a Vernissage synthetic set and a dry brush set and you're covered from basecoat to final highlight.
Moving on from the brushes in a starter paint set? A sable round is the upgrade you'll notice most: more paint in the belly, a sharper point, and a point that comes back after a rinse.
Brand new to painting? The Start Painting Today Beginner Bust Kit puts a first project in one box: the Alex Paints Essentials brushes, a 1/12 scale resin bust of a British Life Guard (1815) and a turned wooden display base. A bust is a forgiving first subject — big enough to learn base coats, shading, highlights and your first face. £35.95, saving £4.45 on buying them separately.
Make It Last
Keep Paint Off the Ferrule
Load only the front two-thirds of the hair. Paint dried in the metal ferrule is the number-one brush killer.
Rinse Often, Wash After
Rinse through the session, then clean with brush soap until no colour comes out.
Reshape the Point
Draw the damp brush to a point every time, and let it dry tip-up or lying flat.
Never Rest It on the Tip
Don't leave brushes standing in water, and store them upright or flat.
Keep Jobs Separate
Dry brushes and metallic brushes stay apart from your fine detail sables.
Common Questions
Is Kolinsky sable worth the money?
For detail and blending, yes. A good sable holds a finer point and more paint than most synthetics, and cared for properly it lasts for years.
Are synthetics good enough for beginners?
Yes. They're affordable, forgiving and durable — ideal while you build skills. Many painters keep using them alongside sable.
Can I dry brush with sable?
No. Dry brushing quickly wrecks a fine sable point. Use a dedicated synthetic dry brush instead.
What size should I start with?
A round size 0 or 1 covers most detail work, with a larger round or flat for basecoating. A mixed set is the easiest way to get the range.
Based on Hawk's guides Kolinsky Sable vs Synthetic Brushes and How to Care for Kolinsky Sable Brushes.