AK Interactive builds its brush range around one idea: a brush should be cheap enough that you are not afraid to use it on varnish, enamels or dry brushing, and good enough that it still holds a point. Almost the whole range is synthetic fibre, which is exactly why it survives the jobs that destroy natural hair – thinners, pigments and abrasive techniques. One Marta Kolinsky sable sits at the top of the range for the work where natural hair genuinely wins.

The five families, and how to tell them apart

Every AK brush is colour-coded at the end of the handle, so you can identify it across a table without reading the label.

How to choose

If you are starting from nothing, three brushes cover a 28 mm figure: AK Synthetic Brush – Round 0 for general work, AK Synthetic Brush – Round 3/0 for detail and AK Synthetic Brush – Flat 2 for base coats and varnish. The same ground is covered in the softer Tabletop fibre by the set AK Tabletop Brushes Set – 3 Brushes, which is cheaper than its three sizes bought separately. Add a dry brush such as AK Dry Brush – M as soon as you paint a base, and pick up the Effects & Details shapes one at a time, when a specific job asks for one.

Frequently asked questions

Are AK sizes the same as other brands?
No. Brush sizes are not standardised – an AK size 0 is not a da Vinci size 0. Compare the shape and the intended use, not the number on the handle. The da Vinci brushes range is sized differently again.

Synthetic or sable?
Synthetic is springier, cheaper and indifferent to harsh thinners – the right choice for varnish, enamels, oils, pigments and dry brushing. Sable holds more liquid and keeps a finer point, which is what glazing and wet blending need. Most painters own both and keep them apart.

How do I make them last?
Never let paint dry inside the ferrule: load only the outer two thirds of the hair, clean the brush before the paint sets, reshape the tip and dry it point-up. Cleaners are in thinners and cleaners.

Paints to go with them are in the AK 3rd Generation range.