High-grade Shanlian Hubi Fine Chinese Calligraphy Brush Sumi Brush Set for Beginner Watercolor Drawing Kanji Brush Set Pure Wolf Hair()

excellent quality .

Beautiful brushes! Love them.

I hesitated to buy these because I've had bad luck in the past with some Chinese-style brushes that just didn't hold together. These are amazing for watercolor. The bristles are soft yet hold together nicely to create expressive brush strokes. Side (bamboo) strokes come out very well. It's easy to load these with multiple colors for Chinese brush techniques. Even with the larger brushes, the tip comes to a good point and can be used to make very fine lines. You should be aware that these are very large brushes. The smallest of the pack is comparable to my #14 or larger round. The largest is better suited to calligraphy or ink painting as it holds so much paint/ink but may be of use on very large paintings. The smaller of these brushes is quickly on its way to becoming my favorite all-purpose watercolor brush. It is difficult to find affordable yet quality brushes for watercolor in these sizes, so these are a nice alternative to the traditional watercolor brush. It may take a period of adjustment to get comfortable with the large handle but worth it in the end for such a versatile brush.

Pros:-Minimal shedding-Very good quality wood handles-Small loops at the ends to hang for drying-Cleans easilyCons:-The set doesn't have any variety between thick to thin, only in length-Does not include a matI have been using these to do some Sumi-e ink wash painting and they have been working like a charm. They're easy to use, easy to clean and I've only had one brush shed a few bristles so far. Additionally, these brushes seem to feature a double layer of hairs in them. The white hairs around the outside are softer and move more than the brown hairs towards the inner side of the brush. These brushes hold a very good amount of ink to paint with. The only thing I would have liked to see included with this set is a mat and a thinner brush for more delicate lines. However, I still have to give it five stars simply because of the great overall quality. I will be buying another set to use for my ceramics as well.

These are actually MUCH nicer than I expected, especially at $31.50 for the four. It was an even greater surprise to find them wrapped in a rather large felt pad for shipping, which is often used under the paper to keep it from interacting with the surface under it while painting - I think I paid $12.00 for my other felt pad. I like that the handles are made of wood, and that they ship well sized and with plastic protectors over the brush heads. I am glad I made this purchase. This is a well made product that the seller obviously takes pride in providing. I look forward to many years with these brushes.