With miniatures, the brush matters more than the paint. Even the best colour ends up in the wrong place once a brush loses its point. That is why you will only find three brands here, the ones miniature painters actually use: da Vinci from Nuremberg, AK Interactive and Abteilung 502.

Kolinsky or synthetic?

Kolinsky sable holds more paint and snaps back to a sharp point after every stroke. It is the brush for layering, glazing, eyes and fine highlights – for example da Vinci MAESTRO series 10 or MINIATURE MAESTRO series 70.

Synthetics are cheaper and tougher. Use them for primer, varnish, metallics, pigments and glue – everything that would ruin sable hair. That is exactly what NOVA series 1570 is for. If you prefer a brush without animal hair, COLINEO series 5522 is a synthetic that imitates sable.

Which size for which miniature

• 28–32 mm miniatures – a round brush in size 0 or 1 handles most of the work. For eyes, heraldry and tiny markings, use the micro detail MICRO-MAESTRO series 100 in sizes 20/0 to 5/0.
• 54–75 mm figures and busts – large areas need a bigger paint reservoir: size 2 and up, or the extra-long hair of MAESTRO series 35. For soft transitions on skin and cloth, try the cat's tongue NOVA series 1375.
• Drybrushing and textures – short stiff brushes such as DRY BRUSH series 140 or the AK Dry Brush. A good sable brush would wear out quickly on edges.

Watch the numbering. Sizes are not consistent between makers or even between series – MINIATURE MAESTRO size 2 has a 2 mm body, while the classic series 10 in the same size measures 1.7 mm. Choose by hair length and body diameter, which are listed with every brush.

Choosing and caring for your brushes

Every series and size is compared in our guides Which da Vinci brush for miniature painting and Which AK Interactive brush should you buy. AK brushes are grouped into families by the colour of the handle end.

A good brush lasts for years if you never let paint dry near the ferrule and wash it with brush soap, such as the conditioning da Vinci 4033.