By The ARTnews Recommends Editors

When deciding on the best paint brush for your project, it’s important to consider the brush-head material as well as its size and shape. A quality brush will hold a good amount of paint, facilitate a smooth stroke, and won’t shed or split. Natural bristle brushes are made with coarse animal hair and are intended for oil and acrylic paints. A high-quality paint brush will feature bristle tips that have flagged, or split, ends that hold their shape and help hold and distribute paint better. The silver cap on the brush handle is called a ferrule and keeps the bristles in shape and maintains their flex. Brushes come in many different shapes: from fan to round, with the most versatile being the trusted flat-headed brush. To help you choose, we’ve rounded up the best brushes below. 

This natural hog hair set of 15 brushes includes the most units per pack. Designed with natural wood-color handles, these brushes have a classic look and rustic feel. The long handles make for controlled and precise mark making; white copper ferrules keep the bristles in shape and are double crimped so as not loosen while you work. Featuring all the brush shapes, including fan, round, and flat-tipped heads, you’ll be spoiled for choice with this all-in-one pack.  

Featuring high-quality hog hair bristles, these resilient brushes have a long handle and are made with corrosion-resistant ferrules. The bristles are hand set into the ferrules for a secure hold, and the coarse hairs retain their shape even after heavy use. Featuring one fan-tip brush, three flat brushes, and a round-tip brush, this pack doesn’t have quite the number of brushes per pack as the option above, but it covers all shape bases. 

For classroom painting projects, pick up this pack of ten flat-tipped bristle brushes. Kids will be able to get a good grip on the fat stubby handle and would have to work hard to bend the sturdy hog-hair bristles out of shape. Recommended for children aged three and above, the color-coded handles help teach color recognition, and the flat-headed bristles make for an easy stroke. 

For those in the market for a one-brush pack, look no further than this high-quality pick. Available in sizes ranging from one to 14, the perfectly scaled brush for your project is here for you. The brush is constructed with a unique tapered design that causes the bristles to interlock, allowing them to hold more paint and the head to stay in its original shape. Made from hog’s hair and with an ergonomic handle that’s wider at the grip and thinner at the end, this is a professional-grade brush that performs exceptionally well.

This set of four flat-headed hog-hair brushes includes assorted sizes ranging from two to eight. The hand-shaped bristles interlock for better pigment-holding ability and are double oiled for extra spring and endurance. The nickel-plated brass ferrules are rust resistant and keep bristles from falling out or bending. Manufactured via certified green processes and constructed, with extra-long sustainable wood handles, these brushes are not only artist grade but environmentally friendly. 

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