A few months ago I bought a no. 2 red sable brush at Utrecht art supply (a chain store in the U.S. ) with the intention of using it as a general purpose brush (mixing paint, etc.). I was so impressed with it that it became one of my most used brushes. I've now used it on 3 figures and it has held up well. The cost: $2.79! It is not as good as my Series 7s, but it beats most of the other second tier brushes I've tried that cost a lot more. It's great for the more general painting jobs like blocking in colors, but it holds a very nice point - nice enough for some pretty fine detail work.

I just grabbed a few more different sizes yesterday. Hopefully the first one wasn't just an oddity. For the price, it sure is worth the risk.

These would be great brushes for those on a tight budget or for beginners that want to start out with a bit less of an investment. If you want to try them, look for the watercolor brushes with the dark red handles that say "Utrecht Pure Red Sable 225".

Barry

Barry,
Thanks for the heads-up on this brand. I've seen it in "the Art Store" (that's the store's name - honest to God ) but was hesitant to pick some up. Now I will. By the way, you may want to check out the Loew Cornell brushes; they're really nice and equally low-priced as the one you found.

Pete,

I have some Leow-Cornell brushes that I use for "dirty work" kinda jobs like mixing paint or smoothing putty. They are great for those types of things since they are tough and sturdy but I've never had much luck painting with them. The bristles seem to immediately curl at the tip, making them next to useless. The only ones I have seen are the "orangish" bristled synthetics. Do they have a sable line?

Barry