The 5 Best Gouache Brushes For Artists in 2024

Painting with gouache is almost a magical process, the paint is silky, creamy, and vivid, the opacity is unmatched, and the brushes… Well, brushes are a completely different topic. Filbert, flat, round, fine, detail, natural, synthetic, mixed, Princeton, Windsor, Silverbrush, Trekell… between the different types of brushes, the use of each, the sizes, and the brands that produce them, finding the best brushes for gouache seems like an odyssey…

But don’t worry, finding the best brushes for gouache is actually quite simple. You don’t need to own every type and size, or buy the most expensive brands to master gouache painting; in fact, some cheap and a few high-quality ones will do the job.

In this article, we’ll go through it all. We’ll learn about the various types of brushes, and how to use them for gouache, and guide you through selecting the best brushes, brands, and sizes to suit your style and journey. 

Let’s get started!

Anatomy of a Brush

The anatomy of a brush consists of three main parts, the head, the crimp, and the handle. Learning the parts of a brush will help you differentiate good-quality brushes from low-quality ones, understand the type of brush you’re using, and find the brush you need.

Handle

The handle is the long part that you use to hold the brush, it’s usually made from wood but it can also be made from rubber or plastic. There are two main types of handles: long handles and short handles.

Long handle brushes are used when you’re painting standing up and short handle brushes are used when you’re painting sitting down or working on details close to the painting.

Handles usually have information about the brush printed on them, like the brand, the size, and sometimes the type of brush. 

Ferrule and Crimp

The ferrule and crimp are the metallic, middle part of the brush. The ferrule holds the bristles together while the crimp is the part that connects the ferrule and the handle. 

The crimp is easily identifiable by its indentations on the handle and is the first thing you must check when buying a brush since a loose crimp means low-quality brushes. The handle should feel firm around the crimp, and it should be preferably sealed to prevent water damage.

Head

The head of the brush is where the bristles are, and it can be divided between the belly and tip. The tip is the most differentiating factor that will directly influence how a brush paints. You can find different types of brushes with different tips, like round, flat, filbert, fan, etc.

The belly is a term used to refer to the area where the bristles are thicker and fuller. Not all brushes have the same amount of bristles, and the ones with a thicker “belly” are usually great for holding large amounts of paint, water, or medium.

Types of Brushes for Gouache

Among the many different brushes, the ones you can use for gouache make a small list. The best types of brushes for gouache and the ones we recommend are: Round, flat, fan, liner, and Filbert, however, it’s all about preference. Remember, you can always try and experiment with other types of brushes or vary the sizes until you find what suits you best.

Flat

A Flat brush is a must-have in any painter’s arsenal, this versatile brush can make a wide variety of traces, from thick strokes to thin lines and marks. A Flat brush is great for filling or “blocking” large areas very quickly and is very easy to use. One large (1 inch) and one smaller (4 inches) flat brush are what we recommend.

Round

The Round brush is the favorite of many watercolor and gouache artists, this versatile brush can be used to make thick, organic lines, is great for detailing and allows you to control the flow of the paint better only by changing the amount of pressure you apply to your brush. One medium (¼ inches) and one small (1/16 inches) are what we recommend.

Fan

A fan brush is always nice to have around, especially when you need to add texture to your work or for those loose, expressive strokes here and there that add life to any painting. A good quality fan brush will always be on the stiffer side despite its material, and we recommend getting a number 2 or 4 since those are the most comfortable to work with.

Liner

A liner brush might not seem like the most obvious option on the list, and some might think that a fine detailing brush is enough, however with time and use you’ll come to find that small detail brushes are sometimes not enough. They don’t really hold that much paint and controlling the consistency for long strokes can be tricky and you can end up with irregular, patchy lines instead of clean, perfect strokes.

Filbert

A filbert brush is an oval-shaped brush with a flat body, perfect for organic strokes and those areas where a round brush doesn’t offer much control. This brush is also great for blending and shading and is the ideal brush to paint flowers like petals and foliage in general. We recommend having a single filbert brush of ¼ inch size which will be more than enough.

Fine

A Fine brush is always a must-have. This brush is perfect for outlining, detailing, correcting, and even signing your work. Depending on your style and type of work you might want to get different sizes, but we recommend getting a 0 and a 000 for those extra small details like eyelashes, grass blades, or fine details on skin or fur.

Best Brushes for Gouache in 2024

1. Best Brush Set for Gouache Overall — Princeton Velvetouch Mixed Media
2. Best Value Gouache Brush Set – Rosemary & Co Set #55
3. Best Budget Professional Brush Set for Gouache  — SilverBrush: Silver White Set
4. Best Gouache Brush Set for Beginners on a Budget – MJJYPET Paint Brush Set 
5. Best Gouache Brush Set for Beginners – Himi Paint Brush Set

#1. Best Brush Set for Gouache Overall — Princeton Velvetouch Mixed Media

Selection Criteria

• Handle type: Wood.
  • Our Score: -/-
• Material: Synthetic Hair.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Tip: Round 4”, Long Round 8”, Angle Shader, 3/5”, Wash 3/4”.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Size: 4”,8”, 3/5”, 3/4”.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $27.32
  • Our Score – 9/10

About Princeton Velvetouch Mixed Media

Princeton Velvetouch Brushes are high-quality synthetic brushes, perfect for water-based and mixed media. They’re very soft, yet firm and can hold a good amount of paint, making them great for gouache and watercolor.

The Velvetouch media collection offers a good range of brush shapes and sizes, and although this set only contains a few of them, is the perfect starting point to try and test the brand for artists of any level.

Princeton is well-known in the art world for its brushes’ durability, which maintains their shape after years of use, and this set is no exception. It’s priced reasonably according to the quality of the set and the brand, and it can even be considered a budget option compared to more expensive brushes, however for them to last, one must not neglect taking care of the brushes’ maintenance.

Pros

• Versatile use.
• High-quality bristles.
• Durable design.

Cons

• Higher cost.
• Limited sizes.
• Specific care needed.

2. Best Value Gouache Brush Set – Rosemary & Co. Set #55

Selection Criteria

• Handle type: Wood. 
  • Our Score: -/-
• Material: Synthetic Hair.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Tip: Evergreen Short Flat, Golden Synthetic Short Flat, Pointed Sable Mixture, Shiraz Rigger, Evergreen Angular , Evergreen Egbert, Badger Fan.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Size: 2”, 4”, 6”,12”, 18”, 5”, 1/4”.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $ 69.94
  • Our Score – 9/10

About Rosemary & Co. Set #55

Rosemary & Co. are known for their high-quality handmade brushes. This set might not be as affordable as our first option, however, it’s surely a good investment since it has been carefully crafted for gouache. The set includes all the brushes you might need and more, making it an amazingly versatile brush set. 

The set features not only synthetic bristles but blends made with sable hair, which makes it a great set for Watercolor too.

Additionally, the brand is well-trusted and preferred by many artists, both beginners and professionals.

Pros

• Excellent value.
• Handmade quality.
• Good variety.

Cons

• Limited availability.
• Longer drying.
• Stiffer bristles.

3. Best Budget Professional Brush Set for Gouache  — SilverBrush: Silver White Set

Selection Criteria

• Handle type: Wood.
  • Our Score: -/-
• Material: Synthetic Hair.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Tip: 2 Round ,1 Script Liner Brush, 1 Stroke Brush, 4 Short Handle Brushes.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Size: 4, 1, 1/2, 10.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $25.21
  • Our Score – 9/10

About Silverbrush: SilverWhite Set

Silverbrush is another well-respected brand that makes very high-quality brushes for Watercolor, gouache, and acrylic artists.  Silverbrush makes their brushes with specially formulated synthetic bristles that mimic the water and paint retention properties of natural hair brushes.

These brushes are extremely durable, versatile, and even though this set only has four brushes, you can find the whole selection in the brand’s store. The price point makes this set quite affordable compared with other more premium collections of the brand, keeping the quality and durability.

Pros

• Affordable price.
• Professional quality.
• Good resilience.

Cons

• Fewer sizes.
• Synthetic bristles.
• Less versatile.

4. Best Gouache Brush Set for Beginners on a Budget – MJJYPET Paint Brush Set

Selection Criteria

• Handle type: Wood.
  • Our Score: -/-
• Material: Nylon Hair.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Tip: Fan, Lener, Round, Glaze, Angle, Flat, Filbert.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Size: #1 al #15 (8”, 7.5”, 8.4”, 7.7”, 8.2”, 8.3”, 8.5”, 8.9”, 9.2”).
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $16.99
  • Our Score – 9/10

About the MJJYPET Brush Set

On the super budget-friendly section we have the MJJYPET Brush Set, which offers a wide selection of brushes for mixed media, including different sizes and types, as well as a sponge and spatula in a nice case. This set is perfect for beginners since it has enough brushes to test and try to figure out what feels better in their hands and what suits their techniques the best.

This set is incredibly affordable for the variety they offer, taking away the guilt of the first learning moments that many beginners feel.

Still, once you’ve figured it out which brushes and sizes suit you the best, it’s always a good idea to invest in a couple high-quality brushes since the experience will always be different.

Pros

• Budget-friendly.
• Beginner-friendly.
• Easy maintenance.

Cons

• Lesser quality.
• Limited durability.
• Basic selection

5. Best Gouache Brush Set for Beginners – Himi Paint Brush Set

Selection Criteria

• Handle type: Wood.
  • Our Score: -/-
• Material: Nylon Hair.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Tip: Wide, Fan, Liner.
  • Our Score- 9/10
• Size: 244, 225, 219, 206, 195 mm or 215, 205, 198, 198, 195 mm.
  • Our Score – 9/10
• Price: $9.99
  • Our Score – 9/10

About Himi Gouache Paint Brush Set 

Who doesn’t remember the wild popularity of Himi Gouache paint during the COVID-19 quarantine? The company that made those jelly-like paints in the cute containers had amazing pigmentation and were super soft and creamy and also made brushes specially designed to work with gouache. 

And just like the paints, these synthetic brushes come in a cute, well-packaged box, perfect for a gift, and are also of exceptional quality. Overall, this is a great brush set for beginners, comes in the perfect sizes to work with the Himi gouache containers, and is also very affordable.

Pros

• Ideal for beginners.
• Affordable cost.
• Easy to handle.

Cons

• Basic quality.
• Fewer options.
• Less durability.

How to Find Good Quality Gouache Brushes

Handle Type

Choosing the right type of handle for your painting style is crucial when buying brushes. Long handle brushes can be extremely uncomfortable to use when working sitting down or when trying to paint up close, while short handle brushes can be not enough, especially when painting standing up. 

Inspecting a brush up close gives us a quick idea of the quality and build, however, when making online purchases it’s not that easy. Before you test and use your brand new brushes, always make sure to check the handle beforehand, make sure the crimp is tightly adjusted around it and nothing moves, and if it does, then immediately file for a return since that means the brush is poorly built and won’t last.

Material: Natural vs. Synthetic 

The material of the brush’s bristles is also important. You can find synthetic bristles, natural bristles, and blends or mixes, each with different properties.

Natural hair bristles are extremely soft, hold a lot of water, and are also very expensive. These brushes are best for Watercolor techniques, though can also be used for gouache but will need an extra level of care and proper storage.

Synthetic Brushes are easily available in many different stores, much cheaper and much more affordable. Synthetic Brushes are also very soft, and easier to maintain, however, they don’t have the water-holding ability natural animal hair does, and also are prone to damage from harsher paints and solvents.

Another issue with synthetic Brushes is the quality, since they are overly abundant in the market, quality control is almost an impossible task which has reduced the options to only a few brands that kept consistently making good quality brushes, and even created affordable yet good options by making blends between natural hair and synthetic bristles.

Type and Size

The tip of a brush affects directly the painting style of an artist, experienced artists probably already have their favorites, however, those who have recently started their gouache journey might need some help.

We’ve made it easy and compiled a list of brush tips and sizes that will be perfect for starting with gouache.

• Flat Brush
  • Use: Versatile for wide and thin strokes, filling large areas.
  • Sizes: 1 inch (large) and 4 inches (small).
• Round Brush
  • Use: Good for organic lines and detailed work.
  • Sizes: ¼ inch (medium) and 1/16 inch (small).
• Fan Brush
  • Use: Adds texture and expressive strokes.
  • Sizes: Number 2 or 4.
• Liner Brush
  • Use Ideal for long, continuous strokes.
  • Sizes: Suitable for detailed needs.
• Filbert Brush
  • Use: Perfect for blending, shading, and organic shapes.
  • Size: ¼ inch.
• Fine Brush
  • Use: For outlining, detailing, and fine corrections.
  • Sizes: Size 0 and 000.

Price

The price range you will find when purchasing brushes is quite broad. You’ll find brushes for less than $1 and others that cost more than $300 each, and while investing in high-quality brushes from the beginning is always a good idea, overspending on brushes or going out of budget is never a good idea.

If you’re a professional artist or do have the budget for quality materials, then getting a professional set is a no-brainer, however if you’re just starting your artistic journey,  thinking of switching mediums, and don’t really have the budget for an expensive set, then settling for semi-professional sets or getting one brush at the time might be the best choice.