New painters often assume they need a huge set of brushes. In practice, most Warhammer 40,000 painting gets done with three or four good ones. What matters far more is the quality of the point and how well you look after them.
The short answer: get a medium round brush for basecoats, a detail brush with a sharp point for highlights and small details, a large soft brush for washes, and an old or dedicated brush for drybrushing. Clean them properly and they'll last.
How many brushes do I need?
Three to five covers almost everything. One for basecoats, one for detail, one for washes and one for drybrushing is a complete starter set, with a spare detail brush as a useful extra.
What brush sizes should I buy?
Size numbers vary between manufacturers, so judge the brush rather than the number. A detail brush around size 0 or 1 and a basecoat brush around size 2 suit most painters. Look for a sharp point and a decent belly that holds paint.
Do I need tiny 000 brushes for detail?
No. Very small brushes hold so little paint that it dries on the tip before you finish a stroke. A size 0 or 1 brush with a good point paints finer lines than a poor tiny brush.
Synthetic or natural hair?
Synthetic brushes are cheaper and hard-wearing, which makes them ideal for basecoats, metallics and rough work. Natural hair brushes, such as sable, hold more paint and keep a sharper point for longer, which helps with highlights and detail. Many painters use both.
Are expensive brushes worth it?
For detail work and edge highlighting, a quality brush makes a real difference. For basecoats, drybrushing and washes, cheap brushes are fine. Spend money where the point matters.
What brush do I use for drybrushing?
A stiff, dedicated drybrush, or simply an old brush you no longer use for detail. Drybrushing wears bristles out quickly, so never use your best brush. Our guide to drybrushing covers technique.
What brush is best for washes?
A large, soft round brush that holds plenty of liquid. It lets you apply washes in one smooth pass rather than dabbing, which helps avoid tide marks.
Should I use a separate brush for metallics?
Yes, ideally. Metallic flakes are hard to clean out completely and can contaminate other colours, so keep an older brush just for metallics.
How do I clean my brushes?
Rinse the brush often during a session and never let paint dry in it. At the end of each session, work a little brush soap into the bristles, rinse, and gently reshape the point before letting it dry.
Why is my brush curling or splitting?
Paint drying near the metal ferrule pushes the bristles apart, and pressing too hard or leaving a brush standing in the water pot bends the tip. Keep paint on the front half of the bristles and never rest brushes on their tips.
How should I store brushes?
Store them flat or bristles-up once dry, with their protective caps on if they came with them. Keep them away from heat and don't let anything press on the tips.
When should I replace a brush?
When the point no longer comes back to a sharp tip after cleaning. Don't throw it away; an old detail brush makes a perfectly good brush for washes, drybrushing or metallics.
Do brushes matter more than paint?
For fine detail, a good brush often makes more difference than which paint you use. Good brushes paired with properly thinned paint on a wet palette make highlights and small details like lenses and gems far easier.
What brush should I use for brush-on primer?
A larger, soft brush that you keep just for primer. Primer dries quickly and is hard on bristles, so clean the brush straight after use and never use your detail brushes for it.
How do I stop paint drying on the brush?
Thin the paint slightly, reload little and often, and rinse the brush every few minutes. A wet palette helps too, because the paint stays at the same workable consistency for the whole session.
What's the best way to break in a new brush?
Rinse it in clean water to remove any protective gum from the factory, then use it for a few basecoats before trusting it with fine detail. That way you learn how much paint it holds and how its point behaves.
More hobby guides
- How to Edge Highlight Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- Drybrushing Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures: A Complete Beginner Guide
- How to Make and Use a Wet Palette for Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- How to Thin Paints for Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- How to Paint Lenses and Gems on Warhammer 40,000 Miniatures
- Warhammer 40,000 Hobby Guides & Free Tools
Warhammer 40,000® is a registered trade mark of Games Workshop Limited. This is an independent hobby guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Games Workshop.