Brushes

Miniature Painting Brushes — The Complete Range

The right brush makes more difference to your painting results than almost any other piece of equipment. At Colours of Warriors, we stock 251 brushes from 14 brands — from affordable synthetic starter sets to premium Kolinsky sable brushes used by competition painters. Whether you need your first brush to get started or you're looking to upgrade to a professional tool, you'll find exactly what you need here.

Visit our store in Pilsen, Czech Republic, where you can hold and compare brushes in person, or order online with delivery across the EU.

Brush Materials — What's the Difference?

Miniature painting brushes are made from three main materials, each with distinct characteristics that suit different painters and techniques:

Synthetic brushes — made from nylon or polyester fibres, synthetic brushes are durable, affordable and resistant to damage from acrylic paints and mediums. They are the most popular choice for Warhammer and tabletop painting. Modern synthetic brushes have improved dramatically in quality and the best synthetic ranges (Artis Opus, RedGrass) match or exceed natural hair for most miniature painting techniques. We stock 76 synthetic brushes across all brands.

Kolinsky sable brushes — made from the tail hair of the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), Kolinsky sable is widely considered the gold standard for miniature painting. The hairs hold an exceptional point, have a strong snap (spring back into shape after each stroke) and carry significantly more paint than synthetic brushes — reducing the need to constantly reload. Preferred by advanced painters for blending, glazing and fine detail work. We stock 43 Kolinsky brushes from Abteilung 502, Winsor & Newton, DaVinci and AK Interactive.

Rotmarder (Red Sable) — a natural hair option between synthetic and Kolinsky in both price and performance. Softer than Kolinsky but with good point retention and paint capacity. An excellent mid-range choice for painters who want natural hair performance without the premium Kolinsky price.

Brush Brands — Who We Stock

Army Painter — our bestselling brush range, ideal for beginners and tabletop painters. Synthetic brushes at accessible prices with a clear purpose-built naming system. Our most popular individual brushes: Basecoating, Precise Detail, Super Detail, Highlighting and Hobby Drybrush. Available individually and in sets including the popular Masterclass Drybrush Set.

Artis Opus — British premium synthetic brushes designed specifically for miniature painting. The Series D and Series S ranges use Dura-Tek synthetic fibres that outperform many natural hair brushes for snap and point retention. 30 brushes in stock. A top recommendation for painters looking to upgrade from basic synthetics without moving to natural hair.

Winsor & Newton — one of the most respected names in fine art brushes, Winsor & Newton's Series 7 Kolinsky sable is the benchmark that all other miniature painting brushes are measured against. Used by professional painters worldwide and the consistent choice at painting competitions. 28 brushes in stock across multiple sizes and ranges.

DaVinci — German fine art brushes with an excellent reputation for quality Kolinsky and synthetic options at competitive prices. The Maestro and Casaneo ranges are particularly popular among miniature painters. 18 brushes in stock.

Abteilung 502 — Spanish premium brushes designed for figure and miniature painting, including the Top Line Marta Kolinsky range — some of the finest Kolinsky sable brushes available for detailed work. 30 brushes in stock across round, flat, filbert, angular and Kolinsky ranges.

Citadel — Games Workshop's own brush range, designed around the Citadel paint system with purpose-specific brushes for each painting step (Base, Layer, Shade, Dry, Technical). Synthetic construction at a mid-range price. 26 brushes in stock. The most familiar starting point for Warhammer painters.

RedGrass — Wargamer synthetic brushes from the makers of the popular RedGrass wet palette. The Wargamer range is optimised specifically for miniature painting techniques and has earned strong reviews from the hobby community. 3 brushes in stock.

Green Stuff World — a varied range of synthetic brushes covering standard miniature painting as well as specialist techniques. 33 brushes in stock including detail, flat and specialist shapes.

Scale75 — Spanish premium brushes from the makers of Scale75 paints, designed for the detailed blending and glazing techniques that the Scale75 paint system requires. 12 brushes in stock.

We also stock brushes from AK Interactive, Monument Hobbies, Warcolours and Vallejo.

Brush Types — Which Shape to Use for What

Round brushes — the most versatile and most commonly used brush shape in miniature painting. A good round brush holds a fine point for detail work while also holding enough paint for base coating. Most painters build their entire workflow around round brushes in sizes 0 to 3.

Flat brushes — ideal for base coating large flat areas, blending and wet blending techniques. The flat edge allows precise control of paint application on armour panels, cloaks and vehicles.

Dry brushes — specialised stiff-bristled brushes designed specifically for drybrushing technique. Unlike regular brushes, drybrushes benefit from stiffer fibres that distribute the minimal paint load across raised surfaces effectively.

Filbert and angular brushes — specialist shapes for specific techniques. Filbert (oval tip) works well for blending transitions. Angular brushes allow precise application in awkward angles and are popular for edge highlighting and basing work.

Which Brushes Are Best for Beginners?

For new painters, we recommend starting with three to four purpose-specific synthetic brushes rather than a large set of unknown quality:

For base coating — Army Painter Basecoating or Citadel Base brush (size 2 or 3). A larger brush that covers ground quickly on big surfaces.

For layering and general work — Army Painter Precise Detail or Citadel Layer (size 1). The workhorse brush for the majority of your painting time.

For fine detail — Army Painter Super Detail or Citadel XS Detail. A small brush for eyes, gems and fine work.

For drybrushing — Army Painter Hobby Drybrush or Citadel Drybrush. A dedicated stiff brush that protects your regular brushes from the abrasive technique.

Once you're comfortable with the basics, upgrading to Artis Opus synthetics or Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky is a meaningful step up that many painters notice immediately.

Brush Care and Accessories

A well-maintained brush lasts significantly longer than a neglected one. The most important habits are rinsing brushes thoroughly between colours, never leaving them standing in water and shaping the tip to a point after each painting session.

We stock a range of brush accessories to help extend the life of your brushes:

Brush soap and cleaner — removes dried paint from ferrule and bristles, essential for maintaining brush shape over time. The Masters Brush Cleaner is the most widely recommended product in the hobby community.

Brush repair gel — reshapes bent or splayed bristles and helps brushes retain their tip between sessions. Abteilung 502 Magic Gel for Brushes is the most popular option we stock.

Brush holders and cases — protect your brushes from damage during storage and transport. Available in our brush accessories section alongside cleaners and repair products.

Brushes at Colours of Warriors

We're a specialist hobby shop based in Pilsen, Czech Republic, stocking 251 brushes from 14 brands — from €3.71 synthetic starter brushes to premium Kolinsky sable for advanced painters. Our store at Zbrojnická 116/2 is open Monday to Friday 13:00–18:00, where you can hold and compare brushes in person before purchasing. We ship across the Czech Republic and the EU.

Questions? Contact us at obchod@coloursofwarriors.com or +420 737 281 727.

Frequently Asked Questions — Miniature Painting Brushes

What brushes do I need to start painting miniatures?
Three to four brushes cover everything a beginner needs: a medium round for base coating (size 2), a small round for general work (size 1 or 0), a very small round for detail (size 00 or XS) and a flat drybrush. The Army Painter range offers the best value for starter brushes — the Basecoating, Precise Detail, Super Detail and Hobby Drybrush are our most popular individual purchases.

What is the difference between synthetic and Kolinsky brushes?
Synthetic brushes are made from nylon fibres — durable, affordable and resistant to paint damage. Kolinsky brushes use natural sable hair that holds a finer point, carries more paint and snaps back into shape more precisely. Kolinsky is preferred by advanced painters for blending and glazing; synthetic brushes are perfectly adequate for all tabletop quality painting and many advanced techniques.

Are Citadel brushes good quality?
Citadel brushes are reliable mid-range synthetic brushes — good quality for the price with a clear purpose-specific range. They are not the best synthetic brushes available (Artis Opus and RedGrass outperform them) but are widely available and supported by extensive tutorial content. A good starting point that can be upgraded as your skills develop.

When should I upgrade from synthetic to Kolinsky?
When you find yourself frustrated by your brush losing its point during fine detail work or struggling to maintain smooth blending transitions. The upgrade to Kolinsky — specifically Winsor & Newton Series 7 or Abteilung 502 Top Line Marta — is one of the most noticeable improvements an intermediate painter can make. Many painters find that a single quality Kolinsky size 1 becomes their most-used brush.

How do I make my brushes last longer?
Three habits significantly extend brush life: rinse thoroughly in clean water between colours; never leave brushes standing in water (this bends the bristles permanently); and clean with brush soap at the end of each session to remove dried paint from the ferrule. A brush repair gel helps reshape the tip and keeps it performing like new. Browse our brush accessories for cleaners and repair products.

What size brush should I use for base coating?
For base coating Warhammer infantry models, a size 2 round brush covers most areas efficiently. For vehicles and large models, a size 4 or 6 flat brush speeds up the process considerably. For base coating very small models or tight areas, drop to a size 1. The Army Painter Basecoating brush is our most popular choice for this purpose.