Setola Extra Short-Handled Bristle Brushes, Series 394 (Filbert)

For impressionistic painting with gouache, oil, or acrylic paint, Tintoretto Setola Extra short-handled bristle brushes offer an excellent balance between strength and control. The stiff, natural bristles can handle any viscosity, from thinned gouache to the thickest oil colors. But unlike other bristle brushes, Setola Extra fibers have thinner and more uniform tips, handmade to give you clean lines even with thick colors.

It's unusual to find natural bristle tips on short-handled brushes, but we think it's a combination that's been unjustly neglected. Gouache painters will find that they can finally paint straight from the tube, or with minimal dilution, because their brushes no longer flop over under the weight of the paint. Oil and acrylic painters can work at small scale, on a table easel, or simply get closer to the painting—which, again, increases the painter's control.

Each Tintoretto brush is handmade by skilled brushmakers in Tuscany, drawing on decades of experience and the rich tradition of Italian brush manufacturing. The thoughtful and precise execution of the brush's shape is the hallmark of artisan brushmaking, and it simply can can't be duplicated by less labor-intensive techniques. You'll notice the difference in precision and durability as you paint with Tintoretto.

Series 394 Filberts have tapered blue handles with a lovely mottled finish and a center of gravity close to the tip. Sold individually—please reference our scale photograph to choose your size.