Comparing Synthetic Watercolour Brushes

This film shows me comparing three different synthetic-sable watercolour brushes as I try to find a possible replacement for my beloved Winsor and Newton Series 7 sable brushes. All trialled brushes are round and size 1. I was working on leaves, so the butterflies don

This follows on from my blog on Paintbrush choice for botanical illustrations: https://lizzieharper.co.uk/2021/09/eq...

The illustration is of Mexican milkweed Asclepias curassavica, and the finished illustration includes the Monarch and the Queen butterfly. This plant provides nectar for the adult butteflies as they migrate across mainland America, and the leaves are food for caterpillars.

I subsequently made another film and blog testing synthetic brushes:    • Comparing Synthetic Watercolour brushes  P...  . The accompanying blog can be found here:
https://lizzieharper.co.uk/2022/03/pa...

In this film I trialled Winsor & Newton Synthetic sable:

https://www.winsornewton.com/uk/brush...
Researched retail price (autumn 2021) £5.80 (on sale for £4.06)

Rosemary & Co. Red Dot Spotters:

https://www.rosemaryandco.com/red-dot...
Researched retail price (autumn 2021) £3.40

and Princeton Aqua Elite:

https://www.cassart.co.uk/painting/br...
Researched retail price (autumn 2021) £5.80

I wanted to find an alternative for ethical and economic reasons. All three tested were good. The Rosemary and Co. was excellent. The other two had less reliable tips, and the hairs of the brushes were too long for my liking. Again, it's a personal thing.

I must thanks Ineke and others who commented freely and generously on my blog with suggestions of other brushes to try.

In all cases, these trials are not paid for by any brush manufacturer, and I've purchased the brushes myself. this allows me to be totally candid and honest in my review.

Hope the film isn't too boring or repetitive, and that perhaps it helps someone out there who might be looking for a good, cheap, and ethical alternative to Winsor and Newtons Series 7 brushes:

Winsor and Newton series 7:

https://www.winsornewton.com/uk/brush...
Researched retail price (autumn 2021) £17.05 (can be found on sale for £11.10)


From the comments and feedback section, here are other suggestions you guys have made:

Rosemary & Co Red Dot designer
Raphael Karell Short handled synthetic
Jackson's Kite synthetic kolinsky sable
Princeton Velvet touch range
DaVinci Casaneos
Loew-Cornell 7020 Ultra Rounds (about to be discontinued)


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