Accessible and versatile, watercolour painting is loved by artists of all abilities, and a set of specialised brushes is an easy way to enhance your work. The bristles on watercolour brushes are designed to efficiently absorb water, giving artists more control when achieving their desired effects.
We’ve included a wide range of brush types, shapes and sizes in our watercolour brush roundup, including both sable and synthetic designs. So whatever your project, or watercolour painting style, take a browse through our guide to the best watercolour brushes and take your artwork to the next level!
You can jump to our short buyer’s guide for more on what to consider when buying watercolour brushes.
Looking for inspiration? We’ve gathered 30 easy watercolour ideas for you to explore.
Best watercolour brushes
Winsor & Newton Foundation Watercolour Brushes
Best introductory set
Specs: Mix of round, filbert and flat brushes | 6 brushes | Golden synthetic filament hair
You’re in good hands with Winsor & Newton paint brushes, especially with their six piece Foundation watercolour brush set, ideal for beginners. There's also a lot of brush stroke variety in this set, with a selection of round, filbert and flat brushes. At such great value, the Winsor & Newton Foundation set is a great introductory option, allowing you to explore watercolour work without spending a fortune.
Plus, thanks to the brushes’ neat size, this makes for a handy travel set. Why not take them on your holiday and enjoy a spot of watercolour painting when you’re soaking up your beautiful surroundings?
You can also check out the best travel watercolour sets if you’re a portable painter with a love of landscapes.
Pros: Trusted brand, great value
Cons: Small brushes not suitable for larger pieces
Transon Round Watercolor Paint Brushes
Best round watercolour brushes
Specs: Round brushes | 8 brushes | Goat hair
Round watercolour brushes offer amazing versatility, as you can use them for everything from detailed work, to broad lines and fills. We’d recommend opting for a pack of round brushes in a range of sizes to give you the greatest flexibility.
Transon’s Round Watercolour Brushes are made with goat hair, a more affordable alternative to traditional sable hair. There are eight different sizes in the pack so you can play around with varying strokes. You can also use the Transon brushes with acrylic and gouache paint so there’s no limit to your creativity with this set!
Pros: Affordable alternative to sable, suitable for acrylic paint
Cons: No variation in brush type
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Sable Hair Detail Paint Brush Set
Best for fine detail
Specs: Detail brushes | 6 brushes | Sable hair
Sable hair is a popular choice for watercolour enthusiasts, due to its impressive absorbency. Paint brushes made with sable hair also tend to have fine tips, which allows for greater control when working in fine detail.
While natural paint brushes can be expensive, the Sable Hair Detail Paint Brush Set, available from Amazon, is comparatively affordable. We particularly love the look of the wooden handles, which suggest a rustic professionalism that’s perfect for any home studio. Pop these brushes in your favourite jar and you’ve got yourself the perfect art desk accessory!
Pros: Ideal for detail, ergonomic handles
Cons: Not suitable for large-scale projects
DA VINCI Casaneo Synthetic Watercolour Wash Brush
Best animal hair alternative
Specs: Round brush | 1 brush (various size options) | Synthetic fibre
Cass Art is well worth a browse when you’re on the lookout for top-quality paint brushes. The retailer stocks Da Vinci Casaneo synthetic watercolour wash brushes which have been made with a synthetic fibre, developed to mimic Kazan squirrel hair.
In addition to your watercolour projects, you can use these paint brushes for gouache painting, and calligraphy too.
The Da Vinci Casaneo brushes are sold separately, but there are a range of sizes available so you can make up your own set that’s tailored to your painting needs.
Pros: Alternative to animal product, high colour-absorbing capacity
Cons: Costs will add up, as brushes sold separately
Gathered’s complete guide to watercolour painting
Discover what materials you need, the best techniques and how to avoid common mistakes with our guide on everything you need to know about watercolour painting.
Da Vinci Casaneo Synthetic Watercolour Mottler Brush
Best for large-scale projects
Specs: Mottler brush | 1 brush (3 size options) | Synthetic fibre
If you have a large blank canvas that’s crying out for a beautiful watercolour scene, a trusty Mottler brush is an absolute must-have. Perfect for covering large areas, such as a sky scene, Mottler brushes are an efficient way to get your painting off the ground.
Mottler watercolour brushes are also a useful match for priming, varnishing and glazing. This particular design from Da Vinci Casaneo is made from synthetic fibres and comes in three different sizes.
Pros: Great for backgrounds
Cons: Expensive for just one brush
Cass Art Sable Brush, Set of 5
Best sable brushes
- Buy now from Cass Art (£24.95)
Specs: Round brushes | 5 brushes | Sable brushes
Round brushes are a super choice for detailed work, and thanks to the short handles of the brushes in Cass Art’s sable brush set, you’ll have more control than ever.
The brushes are dainty in size (6, 4, 3, 1 and 00) so you can perfect those final touches that give your art that professional edge.
Pros: Short handles for intricate work, natural brushes
Cons: Only small brush sizes included
SAA Imitation Sable Series, Brush Set of 5
Best sable alternative
- Buy now from SAA (£40.45)
Specs: Mix of rigger, flat and round brushes | 5 brushes | Sable imitation brushes
Made from a Japanese synthetic material, the SAA imitation sable brushes are designed to replicate the high quality of a sable brush with a durable, synthetic alternative.
With a mix of rigger, flat and round brushes, and the most popular brush sizes, this pack is sure to make a handy all-rounder. Get plenty of use out of this set, and your creations are bound to benefit!
Pros: Springy elasticity, range of brush types and sizes
Cons: Most expensive multi-set on this list
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Daler-Rowney Graduate Watercolour Set
Best value
- Buy now from WHSmith (£6.99)
Specs: Mix of round and flat wash | 4 brushes | Synthetic brushes
Daler-Rowney has been around for hundreds of years, so if you’re looking to stock up on reliable art supplies, the brand has got you covered. The affordable Graduate watercolour brush set is designed for students and hobbyists.
There are four synthetic watercolour brushes of varying sizes (three round and one flat brush). A great present for budding artists looking to work on their watercolour skills, or a budget-friendly way to keep your personal paint brush collection in tip-top form!
Pros: Super value, beloved paint brush brand
Cons: Three of the same brush types in the set
So now you’ve got your brushes, but what paper works best for watercolour paint? Read our guide to the best watercolour paper for Gathered’s top tips.
da Vinci Watercolor Series 5280 Deluxe Paint Brush Set
The da Vinci Watercolour brush set would make the perfect gift for a keen painter. Set 5280 is a luxurious 4-brush watercolour collection, housed in an exquisite mahogany box, complete with complimentary brush soap.
What to consider when buying watercolour brushes
With brush shape, type, size and material to think about, choosing your watercolour brushes isn’t always a straightforward task! As always with all paint brushes, the tools you need will depend on the style and scale of your projects.
Brush types and shapes
Flat
Due to the sharp, straight edge of flat brushes, they’re ideal for painting lines.
Round
Round brushes come in a range of sizes and as a result, are highly versatile. Great for creating everything from paint washes to lines of all sizes.
Fan
Fan brushes offer a more delicate design and are ideal for softening edges, blending colours and adding texture.
Rigger
Perfect for painting lines in watercolour, rigger brushes feature extra long hairs.
Pointed
Pointed brushes are designed for precision work. The brush won’t hold as much water in comparison to larger brushes, but it allows you to nail the finer detail.
Brush Sizes
Watercolour paint brushes come in a variety of sizes (often numbered 00 to 20) to suit your fine detail work, washes, and everything in between. A pack of varied brushes is always useful to ensure you’ve got a range, or you can usually choose the specific size of brush you’d like if it’s just the one you’re after.
You may find sizes differ between brands so it’s just a case of shopping around and creating a mixed collection that covers all of your brush strokes and styles.
Brush material
Natural
Natural animal hair brushes have often been the preferred choice for artists as they’re renowned for their responsiveness and natural ability to hold paint and water. Sable brushes are popular amongst watercolourists as the brushes absorb water well, and allow for enhanced control and precision.
Synthetic
If you’d rather avoid animal products, there are plenty of synthetic brushes available, and they’re usually more affordable. Made from materials such as nylon and polyester, synthetic brushes offer great durability and are generally easier to clean than their natural counterparts.
For more on paint brushes, head to the best paint brushes for artists and discover the best brushes for acrylic, oil and gouache.
How to choose your watercolour brushes
If you’re new to the watercolour scene, we’d recommend opting for a mixed pack of watercolour brushes from a trustworthy brand.
Try out different brush strokes, and play around with shading and textures to see what feels right for you. Once you build up the confidence, you may wish to experiment with a sable brush as while they’re often more expensive, they’re incredibly popular with watercolourists and can produce stunning results!
Test out your new watercolour brushes with inspiration from Gathered!
If you’ve got all of the necessary equipment to get started with your watercolour project, now all you need is some inspiration! Learn how to paint a watercolour cactus and add a splash of colour to your home.
