Smallest Brushes: What Where and How??

[Colorscapesart]

So unlike most things, I think in painting, smaller is better!  I see tiny microscopic details on these poines and I would love to know where you get those brushes!   
 
I get my brushes from www.dickblick.com and for the most part I love them, but I would love to see even more delicate brushes!
 
http://www.dickblick.com/products/daler-rowney-simply-simmons-brushes/ I have been really happy with these!  I buy the 10/0 Spotter brushes for fine lines (as they wear out I buy new ones for detail and keep the others for larger projects. 
 
I've tried painting with pins and toothpicks, but the really don't hold paint. 
 
I would love to go smaller!  Recommendations!

[Griffin]

I buy mine from the local craft stores and modify them myself. I guess small enough brushes do exist, but I haven't been able to find what I need in stores, the smaller sizes always tend to have shorter bristles and the point is not sharp enough. I buy new brushes every now and then, the sizes vary between 3/0 and 1 approximately, and use them for a while. As soon as the bristles start separating and pointing in every direction, I trim them with nail clippers. 3/0 brushes, heavily trimmed, make quite nice tiny detail brushes - the lenght of the bristles gives the brush more flexibility.

One of my favourite brushes at the moment, not for the tiny details but nevertheless, is a size 0 brush with extra long bristles. ^^ It requires a bit different technique but once you get used to it, it's wonderful.

[naylastar]

I love brushes that are actually used for nail art. If you search for them, you can find ones that only have a few small hairs:) I got mine on ebay super cheap and I've never looked back:)

[lilacamy931]

smallest I have found is 00 absolutely tiny and longer bristles brill

[Eshkenazi]

Hey!  Rather than getting the tiny spotter brushes, have you tried getting tiny "liner" brushes?  They are very thin, but have longer bristles.  I can get finer detail with a 2/0 liner brush, than I can with a 4/0 spotter brush.  It mostly has to do with the fact that the liner comes to a much sharper point than the spotter brush does.  Really, when it comes to detail, size is important but the brush tip is also as important.  I can do great details with some of my larger brushes just because they really do come to super-fine points.

My smallest brushess are a 20/0 liner and an 10/0 liner brush.  They're excellent for tiny detail work; I pretty much  never use my spotter at all. 

http://www.dickblick.com/products/dynasty-black-gold-short-handle-brushes/    The 10/0 liner from this series is my detail work horse, basically. 

www.dickblick.com/products/princeton-mini-brushes-series-3050/   The 20/0 liner brush from this series is also great.  These brushes have thicker, shorter handles than many, which is great for people who find normal brushes slightly unwieldy.

From someone who paints super-fine details in her watercolors, I will say that I honestly find small liner brushes superior to spotter brushes when it comes to detail.  That is just my personal experience.  Hope this helps! =)

[JoshsPonyPrincess]

I tend to make my own - I buy nail striper brushes or small ones at the craft store and take a pair of nail clippers to them to make them smaller. My smallest one has two hairs on it

[sd_dreamcrystal]

I tend to make my own - I buy nail striper brushes or small ones at the craft store and take a pair of nail clippers to them to make them smaller. My smallest one has two hairs on it

I was thinking of doing that

[Colorscapesart]

The time or two I have tried nipping my own, the remaining bristles bent during the clipping off of the other bristles.  I did something wrong lol. 

[Em_L._Pea_Customs]

I generally use 5/0 or 10/0 round or liners.  I just use the cheaper brushes from Michael's or my local hobby shop.  They never run more than $5 each if I wait until they go on sale. 

I have tried to trim my own brushes before and have had some luck, but I find that the natural taper of the brush just isn't quite the same anymore. 

[Kaapelikala]

What I have found in miniature painting that in the beginning you'll need a tiny brush for small detail work. Nowadays I use mostly a size 3 or 4 for almost everything. I have a 00 for eyes and such, but I don't use even that very much. The tip is the important part. It's just as big in a tiny brush as it is in a larger one.

What paints are you using? That will also most likely affect your choice of brush. I use mostly acrylics and use kolinsky hair brushes for that. No synthetics as they won't keep their shape at all. From that shop Da Vinci seems to be the best, but the question is do you want to pay that much? If you can keep your brushes in good order (brush soap, brush box etc.), then go ahead. Otherwise I suggest something cheaper so you won't be tossing a 20 $ brush away every week. With a cheaper Kolinsky you can go a long while.

Just my 2 cents at 3 AM.

[jupiternwndrlnd]

i use a 10/0 spotter for most details, and a 10/0 liner for eyes
i buy a lot of brushes...cause i wear them out fast....and there is nothing better than a new brush

[Em_L._Pea_Customs]

....and there is nothing better than a new brush

Ah Jesus...ain't that the truth. 

[PonySeeker128]

I buy my brushes from micheals, I tend to use smaller brushes for a lot of my work on canvases. I just did all of the painting on my first custom with a size 3/0 brush and liquitex heavy body professional acrylic paint. I found that mixing the paint to just the right consistancy with water gave me all the clean fine lines I needed with just that brush 

[Kalavista]

LOL - I use those same brushes, Colorscapesart! Gotta love Dick Blick.

[ViciousJupiter]

I use a 20/0 brush for most everything.  I really dont know where to get anything smaller, but I would love to.  I just feel the brush isn't small enough sometimes lol.  And I am very clumsy with anything bigger.