Watercolor Brushes for Beginners: What You Actually Need (And What to Skip)
By Dalton Scolman
Let's start with some genuinely good news: you need way fewer brushes than you think.
Walk into an art supply store and you'll find walls of brushes in dozens of shapes, sizes, and hair types, some of them with little labels like "Level 2" or "Professional Series" that make you feel like you need a degree just to buy the right one. It's a lot.
But here's the thing. Most watercolor painters, even experienced ones, reach for the same two or three brushes in every single session. The rest sit in a cup looking decorative. So before we talk about what to buy, let's talk about what you actually need, and why less is genuinely more when you're starting out.
The One Brush You Need First
If you only buy one brush, make it a round brush in a medium size.
A round brush is exactly what it sounds like: the bristles come to a rounded point at the tip. It's the most versatile brush shape for watercolor because it does two things at once. Press lightly and use just the tip, you get a fine line. Press more firmly and use the belly of the brush, you get a wide, fluid stroke. One brush, dozens of uses.
The size that does the most for beginners is a 6 or 8. Sizes in watercolor brushes are not standardized across brands (a "6" from one brand might be slightly bigger or smaller than a "6" from another), but generally a 6 or 8 gives you a belly big enough to hold a useful amount of water and paint, with a tip that can still handle some detail work.
That's it. That's your starter brush. Everything else comes later.
Natural Hair vs. Synthetic: What's Actually Worth Knowing
You'll see brushes made from kolinsky sable, squirrel hair, goat hair, and various synthetic fibers. The natural hair options have a reputation for being the gold standard, and the best ones (kolinsky sable in particular) are genuinely beautiful to paint with. They hold more water, they release paint more smoothly, and a well-cared-for kolinsky brush can last decades.
They're also expensive. A single professional kolinsky sable round brush can cost more than your entire first supply kit. That's not the place to start.
Here's the good news: synthetic brushes have gotten really, really good. The technology has improved so much in the last decade that experienced watercolorists sometimes struggle to tell the difference in blind tests. Modern synthetic brushes hold more water than older versions, spring back to their point reliably, and are significantly easier to care for. They're also cruelty-free, which matters to a lot of people.
For beginners, a good quality synthetic brush is the smart choice. You get solid performance, you don't have to be precious about it, and if you decide watercolor isn't for you (unlikely, but possible), you haven't spent a small fortune finding out.
Brands worth knowing at the student to mid-range level: Princeton (their Heritage 4050 and Aqua Elite series are consistently recommended across the watercolor community), Winsor and Newton Cotman, and da Vinci Casaneo for the squirrel-style synthetic if you want something especially good at holding water for big washes.
The Three Things That Make a Good Brush
When you're shopping for a watercolor brush, these are the three things that actually matter.
Spring. This is how well the brush returns to its original shape after you've pressed it against the paper. Good spring means your brush snaps back to a point reliably after each stroke. Poor spring means it flops around and loses its shape. You can test this in a store by wetting the brush, pressing it against your palm, and watching what happens when you lift it. Does it come back to a point? Good. Does it stay bent and splayed? Put it back.
Water capacity. The belly of the brush (the widest part between the tip and the ferrule) is where your water and paint live while you're working. A brush with good water capacity holds enough liquid to complete a full stroke without needing to reload every three seconds. This matters enormously for laying down smooth washes. A brush that can't hold water makes watercolor exhausting.
Point. For a round brush, the tip should come to a clean, fine point when wet. This is what lets one brush do both broad strokes and finer work. If the tip splays out or looks fluffy even when wet, that brush won't give you the control you're looking for.
The Other Brush Shapes: When They're Useful
Round brushes cover most situations beautifully, but a few other shapes are worth knowing about for later.
Flat brushes (sometimes called one-strokes) have a square, rectangular shape that's great for painting architectural edges, creating clean geometric shapes, and laying down washes over large areas efficiently. If you paint buildings, lettering, or anything that needs a straight-edged mark, a flat brush is useful. Most beginners don't need one right away, but they're not expensive and they're handy when you need them.
Mop brushes are large, round, extremely full brushes designed for covering big areas with water or paint quickly. If you're painting large backgrounds or wide washes, a mop is incredibly satisfying to use. Definitely a "nice to have later" rather than a starting necessity.
Detail brushes (also called riggers or liners) are tiny, with very long thin bristles that hold a surprising amount of paint and allow you to paint extremely fine lines. They're used for grasses, branches, rigging on boats, tiny details. Specialty but wonderful for the right subject.
Filbert brushes have an oval, rounded-end shape that's lovely for painting petals, leaves, and soft organic shapes. Popular with floral watercolorists in particular.
For most beginners, start with one or two rounds and add other shapes only when you find yourself genuinely wishing for them.
The Waterbrush: A Whole Different Thing
A waterbrush deserves its own section because it's genuinely different from a traditional brush, and it's absolutely worth knowing about.
A waterbrush has a barrel (usually clear plastic) that you fill with water. As you paint, water flows from the barrel into the bristles. Squeeze the barrel gently and more water comes through. You rinse between colors by squeezing a little water out onto a paper towel and wiping the tip.
The result: you never need a water jar. At all. This makes waterbrushes the tool of choice for painting anywhere on the go, in a coffee shop, on an airplane, in a park, in a waiting room. No jar to carry, no jar to knock over, no jar to refill.
For travel painting, urban sketching, and watercolor journaling, a waterbrush is practically essential. Paired with a DryColor sheet format like Peerless, you have a complete paint setup that fits in a jacket pocket and works anywhere with no setup at all.
The most commonly recommended waterbrush for beginners is the Pentel Aquash. It's affordable, widely available, and reliable. The Kuretake Bimoji has a softer, more flexible tip that's lovely for expressive loose work. They come in different tip sizes (fine, medium, and broad are the most common), and starting with a medium is the most versatile choice.
One honest note: the tips on waterbrushes are usually synthetic and don't come to quite as fine a point as a good traditional round brush. For loose journaling and travel sketching, that's completely fine. If you want to do very detailed studio work, a traditional round brush will serve you better. Many painters use both, the waterbrush for on-the-go and traditional rounds at home.
Brush Care: The Habits That Actually Matter
Good brushes can last years, even decades, with a little care. Cheap brushes treated well will outlast expensive brushes treated badly. Here are the habits that actually make a difference.
Never leave a brush standing tip-down in water. This is the single most common mistake beginners make and it's the fastest way to ruin a brush. The bristles bend against the bottom of the jar and the bend becomes permanent. The water also seeps into the ferrule (the metal part connecting bristles to handle) and can loosen the glue holding everything together. Rest your brush flat on the table or prop it horizontally when you're not actively using it.
Rinse thoroughly after every session. Watercolor paint is water-soluble and easy to remove when fresh. Swirl the brush gently in clean water until the water runs clear, reshape the tip with your fingers, and lay it flat to dry. That's genuinely all you need for regular maintenance.
Don't scrub the brush against your paint. Especially if you're using pan paints, the temptation is to grind the brush into the color to load it up. This flattens and splays the bristles over time. Instead, load the brush with water first, then touch it gently to the paint and let the water do the work of lifting the pigment. This is actually easier with DryColor sheets since the color activates immediately on contact with a wet brush, no scrubbing required.
Reshape while wet. After rinsing, gently use your fingers to form the bristles back into their natural shape while they're still wet. They'll dry in that shape. Doing this consistently keeps a brush in good condition for a long time.
Don't use watercolor brushes for other things. Masking fluid is the big one here. Masking fluid will destroy a good watercolor brush almost immediately. If you ever use masking fluid, use a cheap old brush or a silicone tool, never your good rounds.
Occasional deeper cleaning. Every few weeks or months depending on how much you paint, use a gentle soap (a mild hand soap or artist brush soap like the Masters Brush Cleaner) to work out any pigment buildup that's accumulated near the ferrule. Work up a lather in your palm, swirl the brush gently, rinse thoroughly, reshape, and dry flat.
A Simple Starter Brush Kit
Here's what an ideal beginner brush setup actually looks like:
One size 8 round brush in a good synthetic (Princeton Heritage 4050 or Aqua Elite are both excellent, Winsor and Newton Cotman is widely available and perfectly solid). One Pentel Aquash waterbrush in medium for painting on the go. That's two brushes total and honestly everything you need to get started, paint outdoors, paint at home, try techniques, journal, and figure out what you love.
Later you might add a flat brush, a smaller round for detail work, a mop for big washes. But right now, two brushes. Go.
FAQ: Watercolor Brush Questions
How many brushes do I need to start watercolor painting?
One or two, genuinely. A size 6 or 8 round brush handles the vast majority of watercolor work. If you also want to paint on the go, add a waterbrush. That's a complete kit. Most experienced painters have preferences but regularly use only a handful of brushes from whatever collection they've built up over the years.
What is the best brush for watercolor beginners?
A medium round brush (size 6 or 8) in a good quality synthetic is the starting recommendation from almost every watercolor teacher. Look for good spring, solid water capacity, and a tip that comes to a clean point when wet. Princeton Heritage 4050, Princeton Aqua Elite, and Winsor and Newton Cotman are all solid starting points.
What is the difference between natural hair and synthetic watercolor brushes?
Natural hair brushes (kolinsky sable being the most prized) traditionally offer superior water retention and a very smooth paint release. Synthetic brushes are more affordable, easier to care for, cruelty-free, and have improved dramatically in quality over the last decade. Modern premium synthetics perform very close to natural hair. For beginners, synthetic brushes are the practical choice.
What is a waterbrush and should I get one?
A waterbrush is a brush with a water reservoir in the handle. You fill it with water and it feeds through to the bristles as you paint, eliminating the need for a separate water jar. It's the best tool for painting anywhere on the go and is particularly well-suited for journaling, travel painting, and urban sketching. If you want to paint outside your home studio at all, a waterbrush is worth getting.
Why does my watercolor brush lose its point?
Usually one of three things: the brush is being pressed too hard against the paper (use a lighter touch and let the tip do the work), it's being left tip-down in water (which permanently bends the bristles), or it's simply a low-quality brush where the bristles don't have good spring. Reshaping the bristles while wet after each session helps maintain the point over time.
Can I use any soft brush for watercolor?
Technically yes, but brushes made specifically for watercolor are designed to hold more water in the belly and have better spring than brushes made for other mediums. An oil painting brush or an acrylic brush used with watercolor will perform noticeably worse. Watercolor-specific brushes, even affordable synthetics, are worth using for the medium.
How do I take care of watercolor brushes?
Never stand them tip-down in water. Rinse thoroughly after every session. Reshape the tip with your fingers while wet and lay flat to dry. Occasional gentle soap cleaning every few weeks removes buildup. Treat them gently and good brushes will last for years.
Go Get One Good Brush
Seriously. Just one size 8 round and a waterbrush and you have everything you need to start painting watercolor right now.
Don't let the wall of options at the art supply store intimidate you into buying a set of fifteen brushes you'll never use. Start small, see what you reach for, and add from there.
And if you want a paint that your new brushes will love, Peerless DryColor sheets are particularly satisfying to use with a good round brush. The color activates instantly, no scrubbing required, which means your brush stays in better shape longer and you get straight to the fun part.
Explore DryColor sheets at peerlesscolorlabs.com
One brush. Some paint. A little water. That's genuinely all this takes.