da Vinci COSMOTOP watercolour brush set 4230 – 4 brushes

da Vinci COSMOTOP set 4230 – four watercolour brushes for details and washes

The da Vinci COSMOTOP watercolour brush set 4230 contains four brushes for watercolour and silk painting: three round brushes and one oval brush in sizes 0, 6, 8 and 10, all with short wooden handles. One set covers fine lines, soft gradients and larger areas, without having to hunt down individual brushes.

The fibres are mixed: the size 10 brush (series 5530, Mix B) combines natural hair from marten, squirrel and polecat with a small proportion of synthetic fibre. The other three brushes (series 5580 and 5584, COSMOTOP SPIN) are made of golden synthetic fibres. The natural hair mix holds plenty of water and paint, while the synthetic fibres are soft and springy.

Which brush for which job?

The four sizes cover a wide range. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the number, the finer the stroke.

• Size 0 (series 5580, round): fine lines, small details and outlines
• Size 6 (series 5580, round): medium areas and shapes
• Size 8 (series 5584, oval): broader areas and soft edges
• Size 10 (series 5530, Mix B, round): large areas, glazes and colour gradients

Working with the set

For gradients, dampen the paper, pick up plenty of diluted paint with the size 10 and let the colours run into one another. Then add the details with the smaller brushes on dry paper. The same principle applies on silk: use the size 10 or size 8 to fill areas, and the size 0 and size 6 for outlines and fine work. The short handles sit close to the ferrule and give you more control on small formats.

Care

After painting, rinse the brushes in clean water, shape the hairs and leave them to dry lying flat. Do not leave them standing bristles-down in a water jar, otherwise the tips will bend. This applies especially to the natural hair brush.

da Vinci COSMOTOP set 4230 product details

• Manufacturer: da Vinci, COSMOTOP series, set no. 4230
• Contents: 4 brushes
• Size 10 brush: series 5530 (Mix B), round brush, natural hair and synthetic mix
• Size 0 and size 6 brushes: series 5580 (COSMOTOP SPIN), round brushes, synthetic fibre
• Size 8 brush: series 5584 (COSMOTOP SPIN), pointed oval brush, synthetic fibre
• Handle: short, hexagonal, wood
• Ferrule: seamless, nickel-plated brass
• Suitable for: watercolour painting, silk painting