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Escoda Full Bellied Round Squirrel
Watercolor Brush Review



I'm currently using this in my on the go painting kit. The Escoda Squirrel Round is a nice squirrel brush that multitasks well.

Remember that squirrel hair is very limp with not much spring. Squirrel hair is not going to perform well on any tests...

A video lesson comparing 4 different brush hairs in a #14 round brush.


Sunflower Demonstration
painted with Escoda Full Bellied Round Squirrel size 14

Positives

This brush is great for hit and miss effects. It holds water beautifully and keeps a nice point for a squirrel brush. It moves with my hand beautifully.

Negatives

It still sheds some after months of use.

Some of the lower ratings are simply because squirrel hair is not as springy as other brush hairs.

Sizes Reviewed

14

Materials

Squirrel

Handle Materials

Lacquered Hardwood

Durability

brush[11]

Value (MSRP not sale)

$ 25.59

Level

Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Overall Rating

B+


Point
B

Control
A

Even Brush Stroke
B

Circle
C

Zigzag
B

Overall Feel
B+


Conclusion

This is a great brush for sketching! I love the hit and miss effect especially in very loose sketches.

While it does shed some hairs, it is reasonably durable and still up to painting with months of use. The Escoda Round watercolor brush has goo...

Disclaimer

I bought all of the supplies reviewed on this page with my own money.
These reviews are to simplify the confusing world of non standard artist materials.
They are supported by Amazon affiliate links and selling my paintings.

Testing Criteria

Durability
Can I scrub the brush?
Is the sizing immediately gone?
Will it pull up on multiple washes?
Will masking come off easily?

Saturation
Will it resist or soak up water?
How quickly can I do another wash?

Overall Feel
This is my personal viewpoint on the brush. Do I like to paint on this brush?

How does the brush feel to work on? Does it respond well to the brush or seem to resist it? Can I work quickly and easily or do I have to keep in mind the brush's quirks as I go?

Brush feel is difficult to quantify but very important to the artist. Sometimes I work with difficult brushes just because I love how they respond to the paint and the overall affect.

Individual artists will have as many different opinions as painting styles!

Value
First, is this meant for students or professional artists?
Does the price reflect this?

In these days of super sales and discounts of 50% expected off a artifically high MSRP, it/'s impossible to give accurate prices. I am using MSRP for comparative cost. Please realize that 50% off the list price is very common! These are certainly NOT the prices I paid with a coupon!