The Bottom Line
Pros
- Available in a wide range of shapes and sizes.
- Mixed fibers mean the natural bristle hairs don't wear down as fast.
Cons
- Brand new these brushes are so gorgeous it's tough putting them into paint the first time.
Description
- Paint brushes made for acrylic painting, with a mixture of synthetic and natural hairs.
- Long wooden handles painted a distinctive green.
- Available as round, filbert, flat, and short flat bright brushes.
- The nickel-plated brass ferrule is matte in finish, not shiny, which means you don't get reflections off it.
- Manufactured by the French company Raphaël (part of Sennelier).
Guide Review - Raphaël Mixacryl Brushes
The Mixacryl brushes from Raphaël (part of Sennelier) contain both natural bristle hair and synthetic fibers. The manufacturer's intention is to create a brush which gives you the advantages of both types of hair. Natural hairs tend to hold onto the paint better, but wear down faster. Synthetic hairs tend to have a lovely bounce and retain their shape better, but don't grasp the paint as well. By combining the two, you theoretically get a brush that lasts longer and keeps its form better.
After nearly a year-and-a-half of using Mixacryl brushes (mostly a size 16 filbert and size 4 round), I have to say I think the brushes do exactly what Raphaël have intended. The filbert has worn down a bit, as you can see in the photo (larger version) but it'll still give me many miles of painting. It's still got a spring to it, and retains its shape well. Hairs haven't fallen out neither.
When the filbert does ultimately wear down to a stub, I can see myself buying a Mixacryl replacement rather than a pure bristle hair brush which I'd previously used. Both for the way it handles and the way it lasts.
