Winsor and Newton series 7 brushes are professional water color brushes. They are handmade in England using a lacquered handle, nickel ferrule and kolinsky sable fur. They are considered the go to brush for many miniature painter because of the fine tip and full body. They are on the high side of the spectrum when it comes to price, running around $12 for a 3/0 to $40 for a size 4.

Read about the Kolinsky Brush embargo here

I wouldn’t say these are a Beginner’s or advanced only brush. Honestly sooner you start with these, the better. There is a learning curve using these, as they Suu behave differently then other natural and drastically different then most synthetics.

Why would you spend this much money on brushes? First they are awesome, simple as that. They keep a razor sharp tip for a long time. See the picture above? I took the when I first received the brushes back is 2009.

This is the size 1 that I took a picture of mid-May 2014. As you can see the point is still needle sharp. These brushes also have a large body allowing them to hold a good amount of paint. Also since the fur is soft, it’s less prone to leaving brush stokes in the paint.

Now this brush can’t be all rainbows and kittens. It did have a few downsides. The biggest being the initial cost of the brush. Even if you just buy the size 1 your looking at spending $20. You will also need to get some brush cleaner and conditioner. This is the key to keeping the brush clean and the natural oils in the hair of the brush. My personal choice is The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver. The large container is $10 and will last you forever.

This stuff will clean synthetic brushes but doesn’t condition them.

Painted using W&N Series 7

The Winsor and Newton Series 7 has been my go to brush for over 5 years now. I tend to use the size 1 or 2 for a majority of my painting unless I am painting very large models or something very fine. Some people may laugh but using these brushes can make you a better painter, or at least allow you to realize your full potential as a painter. One thing to note about the Series 7 brushes is they do run a bit small compared to other brushes. So a size 2 is equal to around a 1 for most other brands.

In closing, I honestly say that if you are serious about painting then you need a good Kolinsky brush in your kit. You don’t have to buy them all. A size 000, 1 or 2 and maybe a 4 is all you need. I do 90% of my painting with my size 2 now a days, before that it was mainly my size 1 (which has lasted 4 years of use). While they are expensive and do require some taking care of they are also very forgiving to abuse that would kill lesser and synthetic. In the long run a brush like this will save you money compared to buying cheaper brushes as their longevity is horrible.

Comparable products: DiVinci Maestro, Raphael 8404, Escada, Rosemary and Co