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Specialist Crafts Brush Guide
The Most Comprehensive Range of Brushes Ever!
We offer a great selection of high-quality brushes all manufactured using the finest materials. You get more brush for your money with Specialist Crafts. Turn the page for our actual brush size chart. Our huge range of synthetic and natural hair brushes are all available in various convenient sizes, look out for budget beating Bulk Packs!
We have two ranges covering every artist’s needs!
Hair Type
Choosing the hair that best suits your purpose can save you time, money and trouble.
Synthetic Fibre
Synthetic Fibre brush hairs are man-made fibres, usually nylon, polyester, or Taklon, designed to act like natural bristles.
They’re tough, easy to clean, and don’t get damaged by water or solvents, making them perfect for acrylics, water-based and oil paints.
The tips can be shaped and textured to hold and release paint smoothly, so you get consistent, precise strokes. Plus, they’re a cruelty-free alternative to animal hair brushes, a reliable and ethical choice without sacrificing performance.
Tynex
Tynex brushes use a special type of DuPont nylon fibre that’s been designed to balance strength, flexibility, and smooth paint release.
The bristles are durable, resist fraying, and keep their shape even after repeated use, which makes them a favorite.
They are suitable for thicker types of paint and can be tapered/flagged at the tips to hold more paint and lay it down evenly, giving you clean, controlled strokes.
Easy to clean and long-lasting, Tynex brushes are a reliable choice if you want the performance of a high-quality synthetic brush with the feel of natural hair.
Hog Hair
Hog hair brushes are made from natural hog bristles, which are strong, stiff, and naturally split at the ends to hold plenty of paint.
These are suitable for all manner of paints, especially oil and acrylic because the firmness of the bristles makes it easy to push around thick paints and create bold, textured strokes.
While they’re rougher than softer brushes, that toughness is exactly what makes them perfect for expressive styles and techniques like impasto.
Pony Hair
Pony hair brushes are made from the mane or tail hair of a pony and are known for being soft and able to hold a good amount of paint.
They don’t come to a fine point like sable or other high-end natural hairs, but they’re great for smooth washes, blending, and covering larger areas. Softer than hog bristles and less springy than synthetic fibres, pony hair brushes are a solid choice for watercolor, gouache, ready mised and tempera powder.
They’re a valuable and cost-effective option.
Synthetic Sable
Synthetic sable brushes are made from fine man-made fibres designed to feel and perform like natural sable.
They have a sharp fine point, lasting shape and good spring, making them perfect for detailed work, smooth strokes, and delicate painting.
While they may not hold quite as much paint as real sable, they’re cruelty-free, easy to clean, and more affordable, giving a reliable, high-performing option for watercolors, inks, and other fluid paints.
Hake
Hake brushes are large, soft brushes, usually made from goat or sheep hair, that can hold plenty of water or paint.
Their wide, flat shape and gentle flexibility make them perfect for smooth washes, blending, and covering large areas evenly.
Popular in watercolor, ink, and decorative painting, hake brushes are ideal for creating soft gradients and seamless applications without visible brush marks, making them a favorite for effortless, fluid painting.
Specialist Crafts Brush Size Chart
The numbers shown on each brush shape correspond to the Specialist Crafts brush sizes. Why not compare other manufactures brushes? Youll see that you get more brush for your money from the Specialist Crafts range.
