Speedball Art Products 1430-1 Escoda Perla Series, 1, Synthetic White Toray Filament

Great watercolor brush. Pointed end and just the right amount of stiffness for painting details.

I ordered this brush on my search for the perfect go to brush for watercolors. I was looking for a brush which held enough paint and had a nice snap. The brush delivers specifically for my needs. It is well made and feels good in your hand.

This is the first brush I grab when I need this for my watercolors. I have not tried every brand out there, but I have quite a few and this is a superior one.

Brush worked well and always has a sharp point.

Having used this brush for a bit, it's reputation is well earned. The #12 perla has a wonderful point that always comes to a fine point. I can use this one brush throughout my painting to produce bold as well as fine brush strokes. The synthetic fibers have great snap that allows crisp transition between line thickness along a continuous stroke. This brush by its nature does not perform like natural hair...it is not suitable for large washes because it doesn't hold as much water and pigment as natural hair. What is does ,is releases pigment and water in a very precise and controlled fashion. The ULTIMO is more suited for washes and glazes...the PERLA for detail work and drawing. Also, the brush feels great in the hand.

Brush holds a lot of water and maintains shape. I have grown very disappointed in this brush. After a small amount of use the tip has developed a “hook.” This hook often develops in cheap synthetic brushes but I was hoping that this brush would be better. I have no contacted Amazon or Escoda but intend on do so. I also purchased a no. 14 but have no used it. I would no recommend this brush if this is a inherent problem.

This small dagger watercolor brush is perfect for any small detail application. It costs a little more, but you forget the cost when you use it. You just love using it!

The stipulation: Buying brushes outside of a box set on Amazon is a gamble. Prior to purchase I'd read many reviews of paint brushes (from a variety of companies) that had arrived bent and damaged upon delivery, so I was not shocked when my brush arrived in similar fashion. The brush was packaged in a medium yellow bubble-lined envelope with no protection around it to prevent it from shifting around. There was a small clear plastic tube at the top of the brush meant to protect the bristles, however the plastic bit was partially snapped and the head of the brush was smashed into a 45 degree angle. While I was able to manipulate the bristles nearly back into shape, they still sit slightly angled.Despite the damage, I still really enjoy using this brush. The tip of the brush was preserved, fortunately, so it's still been a useful addition to my collection. I love the control and precision it provides. It comes to a really nice point and holds it's shape, which has been perfect for detail work using watercolor and gouache. The brush also retains a nice amount of paint/moisture, so I don't need to re-dip into the paint quite as often.The bottom line: If you can live with your brush potentially being damaged upon arrival, then I would still recommend purchasing this brush from Amazon. If not, I'd say save your money and stick with a set that has brush caps or comes in its own protective container. While I appreciate that there's an effort being made to cut back on unnecessary packaging/waste for Amazon deliveries, I would implore brush companies like Escoda to better protect their loose brushes in their own boxes -- much like they would for their brush sets -- to preserve the quality of their products.