Rosemary & Co Brushes
Hand-made brushes sold direct from the UK, excellent quality at a better price than the store brands, the line I switched to and stayed with.
Rosemary & Co is a family brush maker in England that sells direct, which is why the quality is high and the price stays reasonable. You are not paying a store markup. For oil painting they make everything from stiff bristle to soft synthetics. Buying direct from a smaller maker is almost always a better value than pulling a brush off a general art-supply wall.
I recently switched from Trekell to Rosemary & Co and have not looked back. The quality is excellent and the price is better. They ship from the UK so shipping adds a little, but it is worth it. On my own list right now: their Bristle Round number 4, plus a Golden Taklon Cat's Tongue (2560 series, number 10) and a Golden Taklon Round (2500 series, number 6). I usually start a painting with bristle and move to softer, smaller brushes as it refines.
The Rosemary & Co range is broad and excellent, and plenty of painters build a whole palette from it. These are the specific brushes I use.
- Bristle Round #4
- Golden Taklon Cat's Tongue2560 series, #10
- Golden Taklon Round2500 series, #6
What it is. Hand-made oil, acrylic, and watercolour brushes, bristle and synthetic, sold direct from the maker in England.
Why it matters. A brush is a tool you feel in every stroke. A well-made bristle holds its shape and moves paint, and buying direct keeps that quality affordable.
The tradeoff. Shipping from the UK adds a little cost and time, which matters less on a larger order than a single brush. If you need something the same day, this is not that option.
Yes. They are hand-made and sold direct, so you get high quality without the store markup. For oil painting they cover stiff bristle through soft synthetic, and the value is hard to beat if you can wait on shipping from the UK.
Both are good direct-sell makers and both beat buying brushes off a store wall. I used Trekell for years and switched to Rosemary & Co for the quality and price. Trekell has gone up. Either is a better value than a general art-supply store.