Round paint brushes

A round paint brush has hairs held in a round ferrule and shaped to a point, so you can paint both a fine line and a broader stroke simply by changing the pressure on the brush. This makes it a basic brush for watercolour, and it also works well with acrylic, oil and gouache. Here you’ll find round paint brushes sold individually in different sizes, as well as sets of round paint brushes from Da Vinci, Princeton, Daler Rowney, Kreul and Royal & Langnickel. Most have synthetic hair, while a smaller proportion use natural hair – sable (kolinsky), squirrel, goat or hog bristle.

What can you use a round paint brush for?

A round paint brush handles lines, outlines, details and smaller areas. In watercolour painting, it holds plenty of water and paint while keeping a sharp point, so you can paint glazes and fine details with one brush without dipping it as often. Small sizes suit miniatures and figures, medium sizes suit everyday painting, and large sizes suit underpainting and larger areas. Size numbers vary between brands, so compare brushes within the same range.

Liner, rigger and script brushes are round paint brushes with longer hairs. They hold more paint, so you can paint a long, fine line, tree branches or a signature without a break.

Which hair should you choose for round paint brushes?

• Synthetic hair – springy, keeps its pointed shape and stands up to frequent washing; suitable for acrylic, watercolour and gouache. Some ranges imitate natural hair, such as Princeton Aqua Elite, which imitates sable, and Princeton Neptune, which imitates squirrel.
• Sable hair (kolinsky) – holds plenty of water and forms a sharp point; a classic choice for watercolour.
• Squirrel and goat hair – very soft and absorbent, for watercolour glazes and larger areas.
• Hog bristle – stiff enough to carry thick oil or acrylic paint.

A long handle suits painting on canvas and working at an easel, while a short handle suits paper and detail work at a table. If you want several sizes at once, take a look at paint brush sets. For brushes selected by technique, visit watercolour brushes, and find other shapes among all our painting brushes.

How do you keep a round paint brush pointed?

After painting, wash the brush in soapy water; if you’ve used oil paint, clean it with thinner first. Gently shape the wet hairs into a point with your fingers and leave the brush to dry flat or with its point facing up. Never leave it standing point down in a glass of water – the hairs will bend and the point will no longer return to its original shape.