Next time you are at your local art supply/craft store, take a stroll down the fine art aisle and browse their paint brush display. You’ll notice that each brush has a number, for example 20/0, 10/0, 0, 1, 2, 10, and so on. The smaller the number (20/0), the smaller the brush, and conversely the large the number (10, 12, 16, and so on) the larger the brush. However, since brush sizes can slightly vary from brand to brand, you are better off just experimenting too see what brands and sizes work for you.
- Smallest Brushes (Spotters and Liners) — 20/0 | 10/0 | 7/0 | 6/0 | 5/0 | 4/0 (a 4/0 is equal to 0000)
- Small Brushes (Spotters and Liners) — 000 | 00 | 0 | 1-5
- Medium Brushes — 6-14
- Large Brushes — 15-20
- Largest Brushes — 21-30
(Just for reference, for feather painting, I use brushes in the “Smallest Brushes” and “Small Brushes” range. If you want to see how small a brush like that is, click here.)