Natural Hair Brushes

OPTIMO - Kolinsky Sable

Kolinsky Sable is considered to be the finest hair available for watercolour painting. The Optimo Kolinsky Sable range is comprised of the perfect combination of female and male sable hair, giving it excellent colour carrying capacity. With superb softness and natural spring, Kolinsky hair is the superior choice for watercolour painting. It is also a material that is revered in acrylic and oil painting to create portraits or finalise small details to add a finishing flourish to artwork.

Available individually as Optimo Travel Brushes in sizes 2 - 12, or in the Escoda Optimo Travel Brush Set with Leather Case, which contains all sizes from 2 - 12 presented in a stylish leather case. All of the brushes have a round profile.

RESERVA - Kolinsky-Tajmyr Sable

The hair of the male Kolinsky Tajmyr Sable is considered to be the finest possible material with which to make a watercolour brush. Consequently, Escoda select only the best quality male sable hair to use in their Reserva brushes. The hair is sourced from Kolinsky Sables that come from the Taymyr peninsula in northern Siberia. This fine hair forms a superb point offering full control and the ability to add in fine detail. Sable hair has a phenomenal ability to retain liquids, so your washes will last longer and your brush will not need to be loaded with colour as frequently.

Available as travel brushes in sizes 6, 8 and 10 in the Charles Reid Reserva Collection, and in a round profile in sizes 6, 10 and 12 in the John Yardley Signature Collection.

AQUARIO - Squirrel Hair

Aquario brushes are made from the tail of Squirrels from the central Russian city of Kazan. It is the softest of all natural hairs used in the manufacture of brushes. The natural characteristics of the hair mean that the Aquario range has excellent liquid retention, making it an excellent choice for watercolour painting.

Available as Mops in the Joseph Zbukvic Aquario Signature Collection in sizes 14 and 18. These brushes were developed and created following strict instructions from Zbukvic himself and are intended for use on larger pieces of work. Due to the scarcity of the Kazan Squirrel hair, the brushes in this set are limited edition.

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