I now paint mostly on smooth boards with inexpensive soft brushes. I find it is easier to toss a worn out brush that cost me less than $5 and pick up a new one than an expensive brush. I tried a lot different brushes until I stumbled on Simply Simpsons short handle brushes that I buy at Michaels. These are keeping their shape longer and have the right level of stiffness for me. I use walnut based oils by Graham and find that as long as I am painting frequently, and clean with paint thinner after each session I do not have to do any more to clean my brushes.
I paint with Silver bristlon synthetic bright brushes size 2, 4, and 6. it is because it’s easy to clean and paint with.
I picked up a couple of synthetic Grey Matters by Jack Richerson last month and I LOVE them. I use primarily size 2, 4, and 6 with oils on panels. The bristles have enough stiffness and spring to work well on panels and to also create a fine line when I want one. Grey Matters are also available for use with watercolors and acrylics.
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I’ve been using Robert Simmons Signets forever. They have a lifetime guarantee. What’s not to like?
I’ve been painting every day and I haven’t picked up a paintbrush in a month or so. I started painting with catalyst spreaders, (the ones with handles) even mostly with my small paintings. It seems like they’re hybrid’s between a brush and a palette knife.
I love how flexible they are and so easy to clean and keep clean. I hardly ever use thinner to clean anything. I don’t think I’ll ever use a brush or palette knife again.
The only thing I don’t like is that I didn’t discover them sooner.
After trying a number of brands, Rosemary and Co is my all time favorite. The Ivory Synthetics have just the right amount of stiffness and glide. I usually paint on 9x12 or larger canvases, so I prefer the longer handles. Tried the Impasto brush recently and give it an A+ rating.
I just purchased some Rosemary & Co brushes but haven’t used them yet. Looking forward to it as I’ve a number of artist friends recommend them.
I use Robert Simmons Titanium brushes. I’m surprised to read that people have been having issues with them. I love mine. They are so easy to clean and keep their shape and the paint coating on the handles does not crack. Mine are still like new after a lot of use (I do look after them and clean the handles regularly). The bristles are lovely and soft and flexible which I prefer to many of the stiffer brushes that seem to be out there.
I want to try some angled brushes so I have just ordered some of those from Rosemary and Co.
Just for anyone interested, Rosemary and Co have brought out something called a ‘smooshing brush’. Anybody tried them? I might order a few.
http://www.rosemaryandco.com/multi-purpose/smooshing-brush
this is a great conversation. i use princeton 6300 with oil on ampersand gesso boards. i like the feel of the brushes, but i am finding that they get worn pretty quickly. i am getting ready to buy some new brushes and i am torn between rosemary ivory and silver bristlon. are they comparable to the princeton 6300?
they are all comparable in price. i have to admit that i like the idea of the rosemary company since i have heard so many good things about them.
Hi Elizabeth- I haven’t tried the Princeton 6300, but I can say that the ivory and silver bristlons wear at about the same rate, and it’s pretty fast. It’s unfortunate since they aren’t cheap, but they are just such good brushes! I probably use mine way past the “expiration date,” and I’m always so happy when I bring out the new ones! But I’m cheap, what can I say. : )
I’m curious about the “smooshing brush” mentioned earlier. If anyone gets that, please post your experience for all of us!! Thanks!
hi carol,
thank you for your response. i appreciate your feedback.
your work really inspires me.
e
Hi Carol. I bought three of the ‘smooshing brushes’, one in each size, small, medium and large. Haven’t tried them yet but I’m taking them on a plein air painting course which I’m going on next week so I will report back (they are designed for painting soft shapes like clouds, which I have trouble with).
But my new favourite brushes are Rosemary and Co, Evergreen short flats. I absolutely love them. I have so many brushes now it’s getting embarrassing, I admit.
I don’t have enough, send some over here! 
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I think in my mind I imagine that if I have the right brushes I will be able to produce a fabulous painting! Haha. Doesn’t necessarily work like that right?
I heard Karin Jurick say that she paints with real cheapo brushes, so what do I know right? 
I can’t wait to hear what you think of them, Jacqueline!
Hi Carol.
I’m just back from my painting trip, so I’m here reporting back on the ‘smooshing brushes’!
I bought one in each size, small, medium and large. I bought them specifically to help me to with painting clouds. I actually used only the large brush. The small and medium size I felt were too small in this case to be useful for anything.
The large brush, - I liked a lot for use as a ‘dry brush’ - I painted in the clouds first using my regular brushes (a size 10 Rosemary short flat to be specific) then I used the large smooshing brush as a dry brush to create softer edges. It worked a treat!
I also tried using it as a wet brush, ie loading it with paint and trying to paint in the actual clouds with it. This did not work at all. The brush held way too much paint and behaved like a sort of mop.
I’d say these brushes are designed to be used dry to be effective (in my case at least).
Wow, very interesting! Thank you so much for reporting back to us, Jacqueline. That was very nice of you. : )
You’re welcome! 
For oil painting, I use Bob Ross. Like many of the natural bristle brushes I’ve used before, these brushes excel in absorbing oil-based paint and rendering smooth and even flow. This is no surprise since they are specifically designed for oil-based paints only.
I’m a beginner to oils and am wondering about the surfaces and brush pairings you all are using. I don’t like the canvas texture and have been using gessobord for about a year (with acrylic). It seems to me that anything but softer synthetic brushes scrap the paint off a smooth surface. I made the mistake (twice!) of purchasing stiffer bristle brushes recommended by instructors only to get the brushes and realize ‘oh, right, that instructor paints on canvas’.