Paint Brush Guide

Best for: coats, hats, legs, backs, large panels and base colors.

More brush width means you can cover a large area with fewer passes. That's a huge help on giant pieces where hundreds of tiny overlapping strokes can make the finish harder to keep even.

For the large nutcrackers and blow molds we paint, I like the idea of having a dedicated 1–2 inch wide synthetic brush for the biggest sections.

Best for: medium-to-large sections, belts, cuffs, straight trim and blocking in color.

The straight brush edge is helpful when you're working beside molded lines or creating a cleaner edge.

Flat brushes are also more versatile than people realize. Turn one sideways and use the narrow edge for a thinner stroke.

Best for: curved trim, collars, cuffs, hat details and raised molded edges.

The pointed side of an angled brush gives you a lead edge to follow while the wider part of the brush carries paint.

Best for: faces, buttons, controlled medium areas and details.

The pointed tip gives you control while the fuller body of the brush can still hold paint.

Think of it this way: larger round brushes can handle medium sections. Smaller rounds are for details.

Best for: cheeks, curves, soft edges and blending.

A filbert is flatter through the body but has a rounded tip. That rounded shape is useful when you don't want the hard, squared edge a flat brush can leave.

Best for: eyelashes, thin outlines, tiny trim, mouth details and other “please don't breathe” areas. 😂

A tiny detail round or spotter is useful for very small controlled marks, dots and delicate details.

A liner or rigger has longer, thinner bristles and is useful for longer fine lines.

Best for: stenciling, dabbing, sponging, texture and some broad simple applications.

Foam brushes can be useful little project tools, but they would not be my first pick for detailed molded areas, tight curves or precision edge work.

Use them where the technique makes sense—not because they were the first thing you found in the junk drawer. 😂