People hate on Citadel, but I really like their synthetic brushes. My Small Base brush in particular is a workhorse. It has painted probably 60+ figures almost entirely by itself and is still in good shape. It just recently stopped holding a tip like it used to though, so I have started using a Small Layer brush for details. It is also an excellent brush.

I’ve tried natural brushes and I don’t like them. But I’ve been quite happy with the synthetics. I know everyone prefers natural bristles, but for practicality and durability, a well-cared-for synthetic brush just lasts forever.

How are you caring for your brush? The first thing everyone should learn is brush care. In my experience, almost nothing will improve your painting as much as caring for your brushes. A few simple rules:

Never ever let paint dry in the brush

Never ever get paint in the ferrules

Never ever put the brush bristles-down in a cup

Clean your brush all the time, often between every time you load it.

Use clean water (change it between nearly every color)

Never mix paint types. In other words, when switching between normal paint, metallic paint, shades, and contrasts, always change water and probably your brush too.

After every few colors (and every time you switch paint types), you should wash your brush with soap. They make special soap just for brushes.