Princeton Aqua Elite, Series 4850, Synthetic Kolinsky Watercolor Paint Brush, 4 Piece Set

Here's a review for the Princeton Elite brush: As an intermediate watercolor artist, finding the right brush has been a game-changer, and the Princeton Elite brush is exactly what I needed. This brush feels incredibly comfortable to hold and provides the perfect balance between control and flexibility. The bristles are soft yet resilient, making it easy to create both fine details and broader strokes with precision. What I love most about this brush is how smoothly it glides across the paper, holding just the right amount of water and pigment. Whether I'm working on delicate washes or more detailed sections, the Princeton Elite consistently delivers excellent results. It has quickly become my go-to brush, making my painting process not only easier but also more enjoyable. the Princeton Elite brush is perfect for someone at an intermediate level in watercolor. It's reliable, easy to use, and truly enhances the painting experience. Highly recommended!

These are a bit stiffer than the Neptune brushes, which are meant to emulate squirrel hair. I do like these in appplictions where a bit stiffer control is called for. Princeton brushes are good quality. I have no complaints about these. If you want a softer brush with more water capacity, I'd say to go for the Princeton Neptune's. Left to Right: Rosemary sable blend- best water retention and softness. Princeton aqua elite set. Note the Rosemary number 8 sable blend- round is a teeny bit longer, and a bit fluffier and softer. It has a better flexibility without being too stiff overall. But that one brush was like 14$... And worth it. The Princeton AE #8 round is quite good too though. This set gives a nice mix of brushes. Next are the Neptune brushes. I LOVE USING THE 1/4" dagger. It holds water like a champ, soft and flexible yet allows for great control- and gives a wide stroke AND a sharp point. They are softer than the Aqua Elites, but they have a better point than other brushes I have with genuine squirrel. Those are the two silver barreled travel brushes shown, Rosemary travel mop and filbert, both pure squirrel. Last to the right are velevet touch Princeton brushes. Those are soft but a more synthetic uniform feel than these aqua elites. I like all of these brushes. My favorite of these four included in the set is the oval (cat tongue) wash. Woo! Use the side for narrow line. Use the tip for sharp detail. Use broad side for a wash or larger area. I like using this to fill in an area that has a corner on one end and then broadens out, or for fitting a wash in amongst other details, like a sky against other architectural elements. You can point the tip into a small area and then press down into and turn the brush to get the bigger open area adjacent to the detail with one brushload of paint instead of using a small then leave before and then blending them together to match up the two sections to make them flow together. Compare sizes. Richeson grey matters travel 12 round, Aqua elite travel round 10 (not in this set) Rosemary blend travel 8 Rosemary blend travel 1/4" dagger, Princeton AQ elite size 8 round. This set incudes good sizes for detail and wash, and the cat tongue and round are the ones you'll go to for everything else.

Perfect for project in painting class

I'm new to watercolor and chose the Aqua Elite 4850 series brushes after reading blogs and watching YouTube reviews. I love them. It's so important to have really good tools when you're learning a new skill. You need to know whether it's your technique or not so great equipment. I have another, more expensive artist grade brush that doesn't perform at all as well. I never even reach for it now that I have a range of the Princeton brushes. Someday I'll try a few other brands that I've heard a lot about, but I'm very happy with results I get with these brushes. They hold their point, snap back into shape, don't shed and hold enough water.

Being brand new to watercoloring, I did some research on what kind of brushes to get. I wanted something that wouldnt leave bristles in my paint but that was also affordable. The blogs I read recommended this brand and material and size range of brushes. I ordered the set and am very pleased with the quality of the brushes, how comfortable they are to use, how easy they are to clean and reshape and how effective they are at delivering paint. They were also reasonably priced for a set. Very pleased!

Holds water well and keeps a fine point.

I am in love with this brush set! The softest brushes ever! Easy to clean and quickly dry with air. It doesn`t leave a mark on the paper and holds the watercolor perfectly. I tried this on a store, then researched from Amazon and immediately bought it! I will keep buying from this brand and the store is also awesome!

These are my new favorite brushes! If I had known the difference it would make, I’d have invested in quality brushes sooner.