Rosemary & Co Travel Brushes (full range) updated July 2021

Some of my collection of Rosemary & Co travel brushes in their roll.

I've written about Rosemary&Co brushes before here, but wanted to update the Travel brushes (affiliate link), also called Reversible or Pocket brushes. 

This is the largest range of travel brush sizes and styles currently available and being a direct-to-artist manufacturer, the prices are very reasonable.





I caught up with Rosemary at the Amsterdam Urban Sketchers Symposium in July 2019, where, once again, she was one of the sponsors. I was able to see some of the new brushes they had created, as well as some that had changed a bit. Here is the complete range at that time, including the old and new versions of a couple of them. The full range was mostly natural hair, with some a mix and one a full synthetic. As I love natural hair brushes I hadn't actually tried the synthetic, but I recently bought it so I had it for my students to try!

As you can see, most of these are well loved. I've been using them a long time! The sables are Kolinsky sable, the mixes are a mix of sable and synthetic and there are a few squirrel brushes as well.

Rosemary&Co Travel (or Pocket or Reversible) brushes - R0, R1, R2, R3, R3 (new larger case version), R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 (new larger case version), R8, R9 (ferrule version), R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16 (new).

Here is a closer view for a comparison of the brush head shapes and sizes.

Close up of Rosemary&Co Travel brushes - R0, R1, R2, R3, R3 (new larger case version), R4, R5, R6, R7,
R8 (new larger case version), R8, R9 (ferrule version), R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16 (new).

And now a bit more detail. The links below are affiliate links.

This first photo shows the Kolinsky Sable Pointed Rounds. From top to bottom you can see - 

R0 - pointed sable round size 4 - this is a lovely delicate brush, great for fine detail.

R1 - pointed sable round size 6 - suitable for smaller sketches or details.

R2 - pointed sable round size 8 - a great size for up to A4 sketches.

R3- the original pointed sable round, size 10. This brush was too large for its case.

R3  - the new larger case version of the R3 pointed round sable. The larger case is a great improvement :-) This brush will easily be used for A4 and above sizes.

These equate approximately to a size 4, 6, 8 and 10. They are great sable brushes with a good point. If you just want one travel brush, I'd recommend considering the R2 (size 8) for smaller sketchbooks or the new R3 (size 10) if you work larger. Add the R1 if you want a smaller brush for detail.

From the top you can see -

R4 - ¼" sable flat is shown. This brush is now made with the 'red dot' synthetic sable hair developed in 2020. 

R5 - sable rigger size 6

R6 - sable filbert size 6

R7 - ¼" sable comber - an interesting brush for special effects in sketches.

R8 - the old version of the sable quill size 2/0 

R8 - the new larger case version of the sable mop size 2/0. This is one of my favourite brushes.

R9 - original quill version of the medium squirrel mop, also seen as a ferrule brush (next photo). 

From the top you can see -

R9 - ferrule version of the R9. The R9 is another excellent choice if you just want to get one brush, and the ferrule version may feel more familiar in your hands. Squirrel brushes are very soft and great for larger washes.

R9 - Previous quill version of the R9. 
R10 - Golden synthetic pointed round in size 8. 

R11 - Red Sable blend designer in size 10. 

From the top - 

R12 - ¼" red sable dagger. This is the brush I requested be added to the range many years ago.

R13 - Red sable blend size 8 round

R14 - Small squirrel mop now made with a ferrule

R15 - Squirrel hair oval point size ¼"

R16 - ⅜" red sable dagger in the new larger case, introduced in 2019. I really like this brush, even though I do most of my paintings using rounds. Some of my students use only the dagger brushes - they also work as a single brush to use for everything.

I've used Rosemary & Co travel brushes a lot over the years. It's quite a remarkable range and as a company they are prepared to listen to feedback and improve the brushes or add to the range, which is terrific.

They are exploring different ways to add labels, different handle types, different hair shapes. Getting the larger cases took some research and effort but was requested by the artists who are using the brushes. I'm particularly enjoying the larger dagger and the new larger case R8. My previous old version was almost worn out!

Update - June 2021 - the range has expanded further.

The new 2020 catalogue includes all the brushes, as seen here, and a new website is about to be launched. I'll add the links to each brush once they are available.

It is well worth getting the 100 page Rosemary & Co brush catalogue as the brushes are shown actual size - something that is difficult to do in digital media.

For a little while, there were three round sable mix brushes designed for students but these have been replaced. These are the newest brushes in the range.

R17 - Pointed Cat's Tongue size 4. This is a golden synthetic hair.
R18 - Triangular point golden sable size 8. This is a three-dimensional dagger brush!
R19 - (not shown) Red Dot pointed Round, size 12, added since the catalogue was produced.
R20 - Red Dot short flat size 6. This replaces the original Kolinsky sable version of this brush, but they look the same.

R21 - Pocket Pure Kolinsky Mop 3/0 size I am really enjoying this as I love the 2/0 sable mop - this is a smaller option.
R22 - (there is no R22)
P23 - Pocket Snowdrop Pointed Rond size 8 (synthetic)
R24 - Pocket Eradicator small (a synthetic brush for erasing and lifting - a watercolour essential!)

There were also a couple of limited edition brushes available for a little while, and more may come up from time to time. One was a ¼" kolinsky sable short flat that is just perfect for my colour charts and another was a limited edition Kolinsky sable mop. 

Happy painting.

Da Vinci Travel Brushes

Da Vinci travel brushes - size 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10,

followed by the Caseneo in a size 8 and a size 10 dagger (Slant brush)

I've posted about the Da Vinci brushes previously here, but I wanted to focus this time just on their travel brushes.

They have three main ranges - the Pure Kolinsky 1503 range, the Caseneo 1593 synthetic squirrel range, and the Cosmotop Spin synthetic 1573 range.

All are made with the screw on caps so they are very secure while painting or when capped for travel.

(There is also a series 4156 travel range and a series 910 travel range with retractable brush tips, but I haven't tried any of these.)

I love the Kolinsky range, and have used the number 8 to sketch with for years, especially when I am teaching. It is a great size and shape for up to A4 sketch books. It holds a lot of water and comes to a lovely point.

In the same range, you can see the size 3, 4, 5 and 6 - the first four. There is a big jump in size from the 6 to the 8 as the barrel size goes up. There is another jump in barrel size for the 10. Click here to see the full Maestro range. I find I use the number 8 and 5 or 6 for just about all of my sketches. There is a set with the 4, 6 and 8 in a travel wallet that is a great option for travel sketching.

Also pictured above is the size 8 Caseneo pointed brush and the size 10 dagger - a new shape recently released and really useful as a general purpose brush. It can be used to lay on larger washes, for finer lines or for more random leaf and foliage marks.

Smaller sized pointed brushes are available in this excellent synthetic hair.

As well as the slanted or dagger brush, a travel flat and a lovely mop were released in 2019 - shown left. By 2023 the liner brush and the pointed round complete the Caseneo Travel range.

The Caseneo are wonderful synthetic squirrel brushes that really perform well. Click here to see the full Caseneo range.

To see the full Cosmotop Spin synthetic range click here.

Da Vinci is a German company, and one of the largest brush manufacturers in the world. I've been very happy with all the brushes I've used. 

Happy painting!

Rosemary and Co Brushes

I've been posting a series of chats about different brushes and here is another favourite range - Rosemary and Co, made in the UK and shipped directly to artists. These are lovely brushes that are available directly to artists so the prices are really worth a look. While I have updated the information shown here, you can see the full range of travel brushes in this post

I've included a Raphael 8404 and a Lamy Joy pen for scale. Links below are affiliate links.

Rosemary &Co Pocket/Travel/Reversible brushes and a few others.

8404
R0

R1
R2
R3


R4
R5

R7

R8
R9


R12

R13
R14
R15
Small eradicator

1/2" Dagger

SP


Lamy Joy

Rosemary R0 - about a size 2 sable
Rosemary R1- about a size 4 - this is a lovely second travel brush for those who like to add more detail.
Rosemary R2 - about a size 8 - this is a fabulous first sable brush for travel. It works beautifully for A5 to A4 sketchbooks.
Rosemary R3 - about a size 10 sable pointed. This is now available in a larger casing.
Rosemary R4 - 1/4 inch flat sable One Stroke. I use this for doors and windows, and making colour charts of course :-) It is now made from a synthetic sable fibre called Red Dot
Rosemary R5 - Sable Rigger
(Rosemary R6 is not shown but is a Kolinsky Filbert brush.)
Rosemary R7 1/4" sable comber
Rosemary R8 - sable mop about the same size as the R2 and a lovely brush. I love mops.
Rosemary R9 - squirrel mop - this (or the R2) is the brush I generally recommend as a first travel brush. Being squirrel, it is softer than the R2 sable, but also has a lovely point. the quill version has been replaced with a ferrule version.
(Rosemary R10 - not shown - is a synthetic pointed brush.)
(Rosemary R11 - not shown - a red sable synthetic mix size 10 pointed round)
Rosemary R12 - sable and synthetic mix 1/4" dagger - the brush I requested Rosemary to create and   another excellent choice for a single travel brush. Daggers can be used in so many ways for different   effects - the tip for fine detail and drawing and the full width of the diagonal for for larger washes.
Rosemary R13 - extra pointed sable mix size 8
Rosemary R14 - small squirrel mop
Rosemary R15 - 1/4" oval squirrel wash brush
Rosemary Eradicator (small) also available in medium and large. This is a precision correcting brush that is also perfect for lifting out veins in leaves or windows in urban sketching. One of my key brushes. It is also available as a travel brush - the R24.
Rosemary 1/2" dagger sable and synthetic mix. I really like this in the 3/8" size (now available as a travel brush - the R16) and of course the R12 pocket brush.
Roger Jones Brush - Massive size 12 SP sable extra pointed tip - suitable for large washes and fine detail.

Lamy Joy (for scale)

There are also some new brushes that have been added to the travel range - smaller squirrel quills and others. I've added labels to my brushes but R&Co are adding more labels to their range for easier identification. I also tend to add my name label to my tools too!

Rosemary has a massive catalogue of brushes for all mediums and the hard copy is available with true to life photos for perfect size comparisons. I've focussed on the travel/pocket/reversible range but the other brushes I've tried have been lovely too.

Here are some more studio brushes.

Rosemary and Co studio watercolour brushes.

From left

Lamy Joy for scale

Rosemary & Co Series 769 Sable nylon blend 1"

Rosemary & Co Series 769 Sable nylon blend 1/2"

Rosemary & Co Series 79 Pure Sable Round size 10

Rosemary & Co Series 32 Tree & Texture 1/2"

Rosemary & Co Series 32 Tree & Texture 3/8"

Rosemary & Co Series 32 Tree & Texture 1/4"

Rosemary & Co Series 779 Sable Blend Sword 1/4" 

Rosemary & Co Series 22 Kolinsky Sable size 8

Rosemary & Co Series 22 Kolinsky Sable size 7

Rosemary & Co Series 22 Kolinsky Sable size 6

Rosemary & Co Series 22 Kolinsky Sable size 4

Rosemary & Co Series 22 Kolinsky Sable size 2

Raphael Series 8404 Kolinsky Sable size 4 for scale

Next, here are some of the Rosemary & Co special effect brushes I have tried. The three combers on the left create different effects - grasses etc. I don't use these a lot but I am always curious about different brush shapes and what they can do :-) The first is a Series 2240 Filbert Comber 1/2", then a series 2250 comber 1/2" and then a series 2230 Spiky Comber 1/2".

As mentioned above, I really like the eradicators, and use the small one all the time. It is shown on the right (as well as in the first picture of this post). The others are the Large and Medium Eradicators.

Here is the type of machine I use to make labels. I lend out my tools all the time so usually make sure I name them, but I also add labels where helpful. This is the Brother P-Touch. There are many models but mine looks something like this. It is battery operated. You can get a range of different tapes - transparent, coloured and various widths. There are also numerous font sizes and styles.

Brother P-Touch 2300 label maker

Happy painting!

A Question of Brushes

Working in watercolour requires only a few tools and materials, which, if carefully chosen, will last for a very long time. You need paper, paint and brushes. Water containers, spray bottles, sponges, pencils, pens, inks and other tools and equipment can be added of course but these are the basics.

Paper is actually one of the most important materials. Working with good quality paper is possible even with cheaper brushes and student quality paints, but cheap paper won't work even with the best paints and brushes. I'll talk more about paper later too - though my most used paper is Arches 300gsm medium for my work for exhibition. For sketching I like the Moleskine watercolour sketchbooks for more careful work and the Stillman & Birn Alpha sketchbooks for general purpose. (Click on the links to see these blog posts.)

There are so many brushes available that it is difficult to know where to start. I will add an extensive section to my website at some stage but thought I'd make some brush suggestions that you may find helpful depending on a) your budget and b) your needs.

Watercolour brushes are made from Sable (of various quality), Squirrel and Synthetic, by and large. Don't use hog or other harsh haired brushes for watercolour except for special effects and only use watercolour with your watercolour brushes. Keep your acrylics and oils away! I don't even use gouache or inks with my best brushes but only with synthetics but if you choose to, wash them out well.

Natural haired brushes are better for laying down paint, synthetic brushes can be useful for picking up or lifting out paint. I often use a squirrel with pure water and a sable with paint to be able to soften edges quickly.

Travel brushes - Isabey squirrel quill, Rosemary & Co squirrel quill and Rosemary red sable dagger,

If you are only working in a sketchbook, you will generally be working smaller and may want the portability of travel or pocket brushes. I have a more extensive section on travel brushes on my website here at the bottom of the page, but here are some interesting options to consider. The top one is an Isabey squirrel quill. Squirrel brushes are softer than sables and this is a lovely brush for 'drawing' with paint. I enjoy using it exclusively for smaller works (A6 size) and as a detail brush for larger works. It is called a size 2 but is larger than a sable size 2 might be. It is similar in size to a Raphael 3/0 squirrel quill series 803. Sizes vary by brand so I will try to show the brushes in the same scale for comparison.

The middle brush is a Rosemary & Co Squirrel Mop. This is a wonderful brush and probably my most used brush as I use it for teaching demonstrations and for plein air sketching. It is called an R9 on her website and is about the same size as many sable size 8 brushes, though the length of the brush head may vary between brands. This carries a lot of water if you want it to but has a very fine tip so can be your 'only' brush if you are able to restrain yourself and only get one brush ;-)

The bottom brush is one I asked Rosemary to add to her range. It is a sable/synthetic mix dagger brush. The dagger shape allows the brush to be used on its tip for fine detail, along its full dagger edge for wide strokes and twisted for interesting textural strokes. It can also be a stand alone brush, though it takes some getting used to. It is called an R12.

If you plan to be working from home or a studio you can use full size brushes. You can also put these in a protective case and travel with them of course.

Below is an excellent beginner set. These are Daniel Smith synthetic squirrel mix brushes in size 4 and 8, with a 1" flat brush for larger washes, wetting the paper and interesting flat brush effects. Many of my students begin with this set and later may add a fine sable pointed brush for finer details or a larger squirrel brush for larger washes of colour. The 1" flat brush is also available in the series 24-3 synthetic squirrel mix. It's a great brush. I quite like the clear acrylic handles on this wash brush - they can be used to 'scratch' details into a wash or other painted area.

Starter watercolour set - Daniel Smith #4 and #8 squirrel synthetic rounds and 1" flat.

Here is another range of synthetic brushes. These are the Princeton Neptunes in rounds size 4, 8 and 12 with a Silver Cat's Tongue wash brush. You don't need a flat 1" AND a cat's tongue but this shape appeals to some people much as a dagger brush appeals for its versatility. You might choose the #4 and 12 and the 1" wash brush from above.

Starter watercolours set Princeton Neptune rounds #4, 8 and 12 with a Silver cat's tongue wash brush.

There is also a delightful 1" Mottler in the Princeton range that has a very small handle so is suitable for travel - you can see it in the photo below. These are soft brushes - softer than a sable - but I like the ones I have tried and have heard really positive reports about them from a number of watercolourists so they are well worth considering. I'll try the Mop at some stage...

The Princeton Neptune range of brushes from Dick Blick website

The 'best' brushes for watercolour are considered to be the Kolinsky sables, though many also love working with the softer squirrel quills. I tend to use the sables for smaller sizes and the squirrels for larger sizes due to their water holding capacity. These days there are better quality synthetic brushes available that may rival the natural hair brushes, though I haven't tried them all :-) Aim at all times to buy fewer higher quality brushes and get to know them and use them well rather than more lesser quality brushes. If you can only afford one sable, make it a smaller one at first as the point will be very useful for fine detail. Note that the cost of sables goes up exponentially as you go us in size, but the cost of synthetics does not - longer sable hairs are simply very rare. So for larger brushes a synthetic sable such as the Escoda Ultimo may be a far more affordable choice than a pure sable.

This set shows a #2 sable by Raphael series 8404. Raphael make another range with longer points with a slightly creamy tip instead of orange. Below are a Raphael series 803 squirrel mop in size 0 and 1. These will hold a lot of paint and though they have a point they take a little more practice to control than the sables or synthetics shown above. I haven't tried many other brands of squirrel mops as I love these ones. The only drawback is that you have to be careful not to catch your fingers on the wires that bind the brush together.

Natural hair brush watercolour set with Raphael sable #2 and Squirrels size 0 and 1.

And here is another set of synthetic brushes. These are also Daniel Smith with clear acrylic handles. They point well but are very affordable. A 1" or 1/2" flat or cat's tongue could be added to this set.

Synthetic starter set with Daniel Smith aquarelle brushes.

There are many other combinations of brushes you may wish to consider depending where you live and what is available to you. Your main 'workhorse' brush should do the bulk of your painting. the better quality brush you get for this purpose the more you will be able to do with it and the more you will enjoy it. I suggest a size 8 is a good 'workhorse' size for larger or smaller works, provided it has a good point. If you have the budget for a sable, consider Raphael, Escoda, Da Vinci maestro, Rosemary and others and you'll have a wonderful 'best friend'.

If you plan to travel, consider the Rosemary R9, Da Vinci #8 travel, Escoda #8 and others. The Da Vinci #8 (top below) is a gorgeous brush - a recent purchase - that screws into it's protective handle very securely. I have always avoided this model as it looks 'clunky' compared to the others, but the brush is wonderful and it is getting a lot of use. Below are the Rosemary R9 squirrel Quill, the Rosemary Sable Quill, The Isabey squrrel Quill, the Rosemary Dagger and the Rosemary sable flat 1/4" that I use for colour charts. These are the brushes I have with me all the time.

With any brush you use, take care with it and it will last well. Try not to put it deeper into your water container than you need to - water can seek into the handle and soak into the wood, split the paint and spoil your brush.

Wash only in water most of the time. Occasionally, wash with Masters Brush Cleaner and Conditioner or another gentle soap or shampoo and rinse. The Masters product can be used as a long term conditioner and left in the brush. To do this, wash and rinse the brush, gently squeeze out the water then brush over the soap again. Shape the brush with your fingers and allow to dry on its side.

Never leave a brush sitting in your water container. They don't like it for all sorts of reasons mentioned above, but it will also ruin the brush tip.

Try to treat your brushes with care when you are loading up with paint - wipe over the watercolour paint rather than digging into it. Good habits are worth getting into. (See also my post about only half filling the pans with paint for more on brush care here)

Store your brushes flat to dry so the water doesn't set in the ferule. Once dry they can be stored upright in a jar. If you are storing them for a long time keep them in an airtight box to keep moths out. They love brushes and will eat a hole right through them :-(

Finally, if you are using travel brushes, dry them off as much as you can before replacing their covers. If they dry completely they are difficult to get back into the covers so you can just dampen your fingers to reshape the bristles and put them away. Make sure, whether using travel brushes or using the little plastic sleeves that can protect the brush, that you don't catch any stray hairs as you are putting the 'lid' on.

Just like paints and pigments, there is no one perfect brush set for everyone but I hope this will help get you set up. If you want to know about specific brushes or see other comparisons let me know and I'll add more if I can.

Plein air paint brushes

I have tried a number of travel, (or pocket, or reversible) brushes over the years and they are wonderful tools to have. Here are some examples.

The brush heads

From left in all photos - Isabey squirrel quill
Rosemary & Co Squirrel Quill
Rosemary & Co sable quill
Arches Squirrel Quill #3
Art Spectrum sable #6
Art spectrum sable #2
Escoda sable #2
Escoda sable #4
Escoda sable #6
Rosemary & Co trees
Synthetic round
Synthetic flat
Synthetic filbert

A range of travel brushes

The same brushes closed for travel

My absolute favourite is the first one, the Isabey squirrel mop - it has a gorgeous fine tip for drawing with and holds enough paint for small sketches. For larger washes or larger work the next two brushes are lovely. The Arches brush comes into its own for larger than A4 work, which I don't often do Plein air. It is stiffer than most squirrel mops so is almost more like a sable. The next 5 sables are all excellent brushes. The Rosemary tree brush is unusual. The final three are synthetics and once again a larger size than I generally use for plein air. 

I also use some water brushes when outdoors. They are very convenient if you need to do a quick sketch in an awkward spot too.

2014 update - see more on my website at the bottom of this page of plein air sketches.