rubens 3 Piece Synthetic Squirrel Watercolor Brush Set Review
Three synthetic squirrel rounds in sizes 2, 4 and 6 on short handles, built to hold water for long washes without reloading.
| Brand | rubens |
|---|---|
| Brush count | 3 |
| Sizes | 2, 4 and 6 |
| Shape | Round |
| Hair | Synthetic squirrel |
| Handle | Short wooden |
| Best for | Watercolour painters who want washes and gradients without constantly reloading, and a brush that still holds a point |
Product Overview
Watercolour is the one painting medium where how much water a brush holds matters more than how stiff it is. A brush that runs dry halfway across a wash leaves a hard line that cannot be fixed afterwards, so capacity is the first specification to look at, and this set is built around it.
Synthetic squirrel is the material choice, and it is a deliberate one rather than a cost compromise. Natural squirrel hair is the traditional benchmark for water holding in watercolour, so synthetic versions are engineered specifically to imitate that capacity using fibres that absorb and release in a similar way.
There is an interesting detail in the claim. rubens describes a balance of flexibility and snap, and snap is exactly what natural squirrel is famously short of: real squirrel hair goes limp and will not hold a point under load. A synthetic imitation can keep the water capacity and add back the spring, so this is a case where the synthetic has a genuine advantage over the thing it copies.
Three brushes in sizes 2, 4 and 6 is the correct spread for a small set. It runs from fine detail through mid-size work to broad strokes, and because these are all rounds, each one can do fine or broad work depending on how much of the belly is pressed down.
Score Breakdown
This verdict is based on the manufacturer's stated specifications, the current Amazon listing and its product images, the confirmed materials and design, real buyer ratings, and our research into the product category. Scores are consistent editorial judgments, not laboratory measurements, and we did not receive a paid sample.
Key Features
Chosen to imitate the traditional benchmark for water holding, which is the specification that governs watercolour brush performance.
Natural squirrel goes limp and will not hold a point, so a synthetic that keeps capacity and adds spring improves on what it copies.
Sizes 2, 4 and 6 run from fine detail to broad strokes, and each round can vary its mark by how much of the belly is pressed down.
The right convention for watercolour, which is painted close to a flat surface rather than at arm's length from an easel.
A risk specific to watercolour, since a brush kept wet will corrode at the metal and the corrosion loosens its grip on the hair.
Harder to recover from on paper than in oil, because a hair lying in a drying wash either stays there or leaves a mark when lifted.
rubens notes the packaging, which makes it a set that can be given rather than only bought for oneself.
Design and Build Quality
The handles are short wooden, which is the right convention for watercolour and the opposite of the long handles used at an oil easel. Watercolour is usually painted on a flat or slightly tilted surface with the hand close to the paper, and a short handle gives better balance and control at that distance.
rubens frames this as reducing hand fatigue during long sessions, which is fair. Watercolour work tends to involve sustained periods of fine control rather than broad arm movement, so where the weight sits in the handle matters to how the brush feels after an hour.
The ferrule is described as high quality and locking the bristles to prevent shedding, with rust-resistant construction that holds up to frequent water exposure. Rust is the specific risk here that does not apply to oil brushes: a watercolour brush is wet constantly, and a ferrule that corrodes stains the hair and eventually loosens its grip on it.
The shedding point is worth taking seriously for a different reason in watercolour than in oils. A loose hair in wet oil paint can be picked out. A loose hair lying in a drying wash either stays in the painting or leaves a mark when removed, so shedding is harder to recover from on paper.
No dimensions are published. There is no hair length, ferrule diameter or overall brush length given, and brush size numbers differ between makers, so a 6 here is not necessarily a 6 elsewhere. The colour attribute reads as scarlet and the size as a silver set, which describe the handle finish rather than anything about performance.
Performance in Everyday Use
The use case rubens names is washes, gradients and intricate blending without constant reloading, and that is precisely what high water capacity buys. A loaded brush that can carry a wash across a full sheet lets the paint stay wet edge to edge, which is the only way to get a gradient without banding.
Blending depends on the same property. Soft hair that holds water can lift and move pigment that has already been laid down, which is how watercolour transitions are made. A stiff brush pushes paint around and scrubs the paper surface instead, and on watercolour paper scrubbing shows.
The media range is stated as watercolour, gouache and ink, which is a coherent list. All three are thin and flowing, all three benefit from a brush that releases evenly, and all three suit a brush that can hold a point for line work. Ink in particular rewards the snap that the synthetic adds.
The limitation is shape. All three brushes are rounds, so there is no flat for clean edges and no mop or wash brush for covering a large sky quickly. A size 6 round will do a small wash, but anyone painting full sheets will want a larger flat alongside this set rather than instead of it.
Judged for what it includes, the specification is right: the material chosen for water capacity, short handles matched to how watercolour is actually painted, and a ferrule specified against the two failures that affect wet brushes. A gift box is included, which rubens notes, and that does make it a sensible set to give rather than only to buy.
How It Performs: The Evidence
| Decision factor | What we found | Evidence and measurement | Score | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water capacity | Synthetic squirrel with superior water holding | Listing states exceptionally soft high-grade synthetic squirrel hair with superior water-holding capacity for a consistent smooth paint flow | 9.5 | A brush that runs dry mid-wash leaves a hard line that cannot be repaired, so capacity is the governing specification in watercolour |
| Flexibility and snap | Balance of flexibility and snap claimed | Listing states the brushes offer the perfect balance of flexibility and snap for watercolor, gouache and ink painting | 9.3 | Natural squirrel is short of snap and will not hold a point, so a synthetic keeping capacity while adding spring improves on the original |
| Sizes | Sizes 2, 4 and 6 | Listing states a versatile 3-piece precision set in sizes number 2, 4 and 6 and the item count records 3 | 9.2 | That spread runs from fine lines to broad strokes, and each round varies its mark by how much belly is pressed down |
| Handle | Short wooden, ergonomic | Listing states short well-balanced wooden handles that provide an ergonomic grip and minimise hand fatigue during long sessions | 9.3 | Watercolour is painted close to a flat surface, so short handles give better balance than easel-length ones |
| Ferrule | Non shedding and rust resistant | Listing states high-quality ferrules that lock the bristles to prevent shedding and rust-resistant construction for frequent water exposure | 9.3 | Both failures are specific to wet brushes, and a hair in a drying wash is harder to remove than one in wet oil paint |
| Intended use | Washes, gradients and intricate blending | Listing states consistent smooth paint flow for large-area washes, gradients and intricate blending without constant reloading | 9.4 | A gradient without banding requires the paint to stay wet across the whole area, which only a loaded brush achieves |
| Shape range | Rounds only | The listing states three sizes of the same brush type and names no flat, mop or wash shape | 6.0 | There is no flat for clean edges and no mop for covering a large sky, so a full-sheet painter needs more than this set |
| Dimensions | Not published | The listing gives size numbers but no hair length, ferrule diameter or overall brush length, and the colour and size attributes describe the handle finish | 3.8 | Size numbers are not standardised between makers, so a 6 here cannot be matched to a 6 elsewhere |
Who Should Buy It
- Washes and gradients that must stay wet across the sheet
- Blending and lifting laid-down pigment
- Fine line work where the brush must hold a point
- Gouache and ink as well as watercolour
- Long painting sessions where handle balance matters
- A gift for a watercolour painter or student
- Oil or heavy-body acrylic work, which needs stiff bristle rather than soft hair
- Rounds only, no flat or mop included
- No hair length or brush dimensions published
- Brush size numbers vary between makers
- Too soft for oils or heavy-body acrylics
- Colour and size attributes describe the handle, not performance
Full Specifications
How It Compares
| Feature | rubens | Typical option | Higher-tier option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair type | Synthetic squirrel | Basic synthetic | Natural squirrel |
| Water capacity | High | Low | Very high |
| Snap | Claimed present | Present | Poor, goes limp |
| Handle length | Short | Short | Short |
| Shapes included | Rounds only | Mixed | Rounds only |
| Ferrule | Rust resistant | Not stated | Not stated |
| Dimensions published | No | No | Published |
| Oil suitability | Poor, too soft | Poor | Poor |
Alternatives Worth a Look
Built around the specification that actually governs watercolour, which is how much water the brush carries. Synthetic squirrel is chosen to imitate the traditional benchmark for capacity, and the claimed snap is a real advantage over natural squirrel rather than a copy of it, since real squirrel hair goes limp and will not hold a point. Short handles match how watercolour is painted, and the rust-resistant ferrule addresses the failure unique to brushes kept wet. Rounds only, so pair it with a flat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does synthetic squirrel matter for watercolour?
Because water capacity governs watercolour more than stiffness does. Natural squirrel is the traditional benchmark for how much water a brush holds, so synthetic squirrel is engineered to imitate that, which lets a wash cross a sheet without reloading and without leaving a hard line.
Is synthetic worse than real squirrel hair?
Not here, and arguably better in one respect. Real squirrel is famously short of snap: it goes limp and will not hold a point under load. rubens claims a balance of flexibility and snap, which is a property the natural version lacks rather than a copy of it.
Which sizes are included?
Sizes 2, 4 and 6, all rounds. That spread covers fine lines through to broad strokes, and because rounds vary their mark according to how much of the belly you press down, three of them cover more ground than three of a fixed-width shape would.
Why short handles?
Because watercolour is painted close to a flat or slightly tilted surface, not at arm's length from an easel. A short handle puts the weight where the hand is working, which is the opposite of what an oil painter wants and the right choice for this medium.
Why does a rust-resistant ferrule matter?
Because a watercolour brush is wet almost constantly, which is a risk oil brushes do not face. A corroding ferrule stains the hair and gradually loosens its grip on it, so corrosion resistance is a durability specification rather than a finish detail.
Can I use them for oils or acrylics?
No. These are soft hair chosen for water capacity, and oils and heavy-body acrylics need stiff bristle that can move thick paint. Soft hair simply collapses under paint of that body, so use hog bristle or a stiff synthetic for those.
Is this enough for a full painting?
For detail and mid-size work, yes. For large washes, add a flat or a mop. All three brushes here are rounds, so there is nothing for clean straight edges or for covering a full sky quickly, and a size 6 round only goes so far.
Why is shedding worse in watercolour?
Because a loose hair in wet oil paint can be picked out and the surface closed over. A hair lying in a drying watercolour wash either stays in the painting permanently or leaves a visible mark when you lift it, so there is no clean recovery.
This review is based on the manufacturer's stated specifications, the current product listing and its images, the stated brush count and sizes, the hair material description and water-holding claim, the ferrule and handle descriptions, the named compatible media, the packaging description and the colour and size attributes, plus our own research into why water capacity governs watercolour brush choice, how natural squirrel hair behaves, and why ferrule corrosion matters on brushes kept wet. It is editorial analysis, not laboratory testing. We have not painted with these brushes, and we have noted that no dimensions are published.