Watercolor Brushes- Equipment I use to create my colorful paintings.
I get asked all the time about which brushes I own and use.
I own EVERY brush known to man. I have bought them all. Admittedly, I have a brush problem.
Buy the Sterling Edwards brushes (I own them), and you can paint just like Sterling Edwards!
Well, we know that isn’t true- and I have met Sterling Edwards a few times and he’s a super nice guy. I do like his brushes (especially the beveled ends). But his brushes don’t make me paint like him…
As a painting teacher- my advice is simple: You have to find the brushes that work for you.
Here are the brushes I use everyday:
Richeson Silver Velvet #6
Richeson Silver Velvet #2
These brushes hold great tips and a lot of water- all at a reasonable price.
I also love the Richeson 1/2″ flat. I mainly use this brush for lifting color- you can get straight edges with the long flat edge:
The flat brush also has a beveled bottom- perfect for scratching details into wet paintings.
These brushes hold a lot of water and have great tips. I try to replace the rounds once a year (tips do get worn down eventually- the flat lasts me several years before replacing).
My other preferred brushes are the Harmony Squirrel Quill brushes. These are natural hair brushes (you can use synthetic hair too) that hold a ton of water and color. If you want to cover a large area of your painting quickly, you want to use a mop brush:
Harmony Squirrel Mop #6 Brush:
Harmony Squirrel Mop #2 Brush:
I also use a #4 Rigger brush to get details:
And a tiny spot toner 2/0 for itty bitty details:
These are the 7 brushes I use for 90% of my work.
These links are tied to my Amazon Affiliate program. I do earn a little commission if you purchase these brushes- it helps to pay for paint. If you take a class from me, you will see these brushes sitting on the top of my palette every day.
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA
Ryan Fox Painting
(919) 645-8345