Choosing the right paint brushes can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re deciding between buying a full brush set or selecting individual brushes one by one.
Both options have their advantages, but the right choice depends on your experience level, painting style, and goals.
Let’s break it down clearly so you can make the best decision.
1. What Is a Brush Set?
A brush set includes multiple brushes in different:
• Shapes (round, flat, filbert, fan)
• Sizes (small detail → large wash)
• Functions (detail, blending, background)
For example, sets like:
A beginner-friendly large brush set with multiple shapes and sizes for all painting styles.
or
or
ARTIFY 24 PCS Long Handle Paint Brush Set, Expert Series
A versatile multi-media brush set designed for acrylic and oil painting.
A versatile multi-media brush set designed for acrylic and oil painting.
These are designed to give you everything you need in one purchase.
2. What Are Individual Brushes?
Individual brushes are sold separately — each brush is chosen intentionally based on:
• Technique
• Medium
• Personal preference
For example:
ARTIFY Natural Squirrel Hair Watercolor Mop Brush#6
A high-quality squirrel hair brush designed for precision and multi-medium use.
A high-quality squirrel hair brush designed for precision and multi-medium use.
or
ARTIFY Professional Goat Hair Watercolor Brush#10
A specialized round brush ideal for big scale paintings.
These are typically used by artists who know exactly what they need.
Brush Set vs Individual Brushes (Quick Comparison)
|
Feature
|
Brush Set
|
Individual Brush
|
|
Cost per brush
|
Lower (bundle value)
|
Higher
|
|
Variety
|
High (many shapes & sizes)
|
Limited (you choose manually)
|
|
Best for
|
Beginners / exploration
|
Advanced / specific needs
|
|
Convenience
|
One purchase
|
Multiple decisions
|
|
Quality consistency
|
Mixed (varies per brush)
|
Higher (you choose premium)
|
|
Long-term use
|
Some brushes unused
|
Fully optimized
|
3. When You Should Choose a Brush Set
A brush set is the best choice if:
✔ You’re a beginner
You don’t yet know which brush shapes you prefer — a set lets you experiment.
✔ You want value for money
Buying in a bundle is usually cheaper per brush.
✔ You want convenience
No need to research each brush individually.
💡 Many artists recommend having a variety of shapes early on to explore techniques.
✨Recently, we collaborated with Stephanie Law to co-design a watercolor brush set, created to support expressive watercolor techniques and fluid artistic control.
You can explore the set here → ARTIFY × Stephanie Law Signature Watercolor Brush Set – Artist Series
4. When You Should Choose Individual Brushes
Individual brushes are better if:
✔ You already know your style
For example:
• Portrait → round + filbert
• Landscape → flat + fan
✔ You care about performance
Higher-end brushes often:
• Hold more paint
• Keep shape longer
• Offer better control
✔ You want fewer but better tools
Some artists even prefer just 2–3 high-quality brushes over a full set.
5. The Smart Strategy (What Most Artists Actually Do)
Here’s the truth:
👉 Most artists use both.
Step 1 — Start with a set
• Learn brush types
• Practice techniques
• Discover preferences
Step 2 — Upgrade selectively
• Replace frequently used brushes with higher-quality individual ones
This approach gives you:
• Exploration + efficiency
• Low cost + high performance
6. So… Which Should YOU Buy?
👉 Choose a Brush Set if:
• You’re a beginner
• You want to try multiple styles
• You’re building your first toolkit
👉 Choose Individual Brushes if:
• You already know your workflow
• You want premium performance
• You paint regularly or professionally
Final Thought
A paintbrush is more than just a tool — it directly affects how your paint moves, blends, and feels on the surface.
You don’t need every brush.
You just need the right ones for your process.
✨ Beginner Tip
You can check out a full-feature beginner brush set here
👉ARTIFY 25 pcs Enhanced Synthetic Brush Set, Expert Series
If you’re just starting out, a well-designed brush set is the easiest way to build confidence and explore techniques without overthinking.
👉ARTIFY 25 pcs Enhanced Synthetic Brush Set, Expert Series
If you’re just starting out, a well-designed brush set is the easiest way to build confidence and explore techniques without overthinking.
*New to painting? Read our beginner guide here → 5 Mistakes Beginners Make When Buying Brushes and How to Avoid Them
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