Art Fun Cheap

The brushes that come with cheap watercolors are usually just junk. Generally they are not worth even trying to use. (Save them to use for glue and other one-time uses.)

That’s why, as I mentioned in Cheap, Fun Watercolors, I was surprised to find that the brush that came with Coloriffic watercolors was quite good. That set was the exception to the rule.

Serious watercolor brushes can be quite expensive—and fragile. Nowadays there are some really good synthetic brushes that are cheaper and better than some natural hair brushes. But they can be somewhat expensive, too.

Waterbrushes

One answer is to use the plastic waterbrushes made by Niji, Royal Langnickel, and others. They are popular because you can fill the barrel with water, put the brush in your purse, briefcase or backpack and be prepared to paint anywhere. They use very little water, and they never leak!

Waterbrushes by Niji (top) and Royal Langnickel with caps on.

Waterbrushes make it possible to paint anytime. At about $6 to $10 for a Niji brush, they are cheap compared to good-quality traditional brushes. They are also really nice to paint with, easier to control and easier to clean. Niji even makes a flat brush that is about 5/8 inch wide for washes.

I generally use waterbrushes at home so that I don’t need a big container of water beside me to rinse brushes in. I don’t have to keep replacing the rinse water, and I don’t have to worry about accidentally spilling it. (If you have children or pets, that can be a big concern.)

I had heard bad things about cheaper waterbrushes, but I got a set of three Royal Langnickel waterbrushes on sale for about $8 and I love them! To me the quality is quite good. I especially love the largest and smallest Langnickel brushes.

My only complaint is that the caps are not as tight as the caps of the Niji waterbrushes. I have lost one Langnickle brush cap. Without the cap, I can still use the brush at my desk (and I do), but I can’t carry it in my purse anymore. I have never had a Niji waterbrush cap come off in my purse, and I have carried one constantly for two or three years.

Bargains on Natural Hair Brushes

Another option is to watch for sales or bargains on good quality natural-hair brushes. I’ve found sable brushes for $5 to $7 at beauty supply stores.

Look in the manicure section of any beauty supply store. I’ve even found them for as little as $2 on the clearance table.

What Kind of Brushes Do YOU Use?

What kind of brushes do you use with fun watercolors? Do you carry them with you constantly to use in your sketchbook?

Do you use waterbrushes? What brand? How do you like them?