Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Fan Series 8795:

A great brush in its price category. they even fed ex'ed me a missing brush which arrived the next day. I think Dick Blick is a great resource for art supplies, and they deliver a quality product on time.

Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Filbert Series 8792:

These are "workhorses" An ugly bright orange so you will not lose them! Aside from the poor choice in color these really are a good value, probably the best in this category of synthetic brushes. These should be used for acrylics. I suppose water color and even oils are a possibility ... But I think these are intended for acrylics. I wanted to hate them (I'm a "brush snob"), but after 4 years of using these (until the first ones went bad) I had to admit, they are GOOD.

Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Brushes:

I LOVE these brushes! When I decided to get into acrylic painting, I bought a small variety of brushes from different lines/manufacturers, including Symetry White by Dynasty and Kevrin by Raphael, but this is by far my favorite. The bristles are flexible and have give, yet have just the right amount of bounce. Unlike another reviewer, I haven't noticed any shedding at all. The brush is particularly well-suited for when you want a smooth surface, as the bristles don't leave any brush marks. Overall, I found it easy to control, and the brush keeps its shape even after aggressive use. The first brush I bought was a #6 flat I liked it so much, I bought one for a friend and two more in different sizes for myself. Have yet to use it with watercolor, but with fluid acrylics, it is a perfect brush.

Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Brushes:

I bought a few of the largest size flats (sz 16 - 24 range) and couldn't use them. I really wanted to love them but when painting alla prima with these the bristles bend back and have no bounce. I couldn't spread the paint on the canvas. So aggravating. I nearly ruined a painting I'd been working on for a month trying to get the brush to work. Seriously, the bristles curved back into a C - all of them - and just stayed that way. I loved the feel of the handle and the weight of the brush (and the orange colored handle) but can't use the brushes. What a waste.

Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Brushes:

I've done oil painting w/these and they R pretty darn good. They glide paint on so smoothly. I like to not make my brushstrokes visible and these help me do just that. I own Flats: #18 & #20; Filberts: #10 & #16; Fans: #2 & #4. The flats and filberts hold a good amount of paint. I've only used one of the fans (#4) so far and it did a decent job @ blending but man it lost its hairs like crazy. Throughout my painting secession I had to pick the hairs off the wet canvas b4 they dried on.
Overall, good buy.

Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Brushes:

I use these brushes for the finest of details in portraiture and all kinds of glazes in landscapes and studies. They hold up to everything from watercolor techniques to thick impasto (this really surprised me the first time I used them). They hold loads of paint, clean well, and go right back into shape. Many of my brushes are over a year old, used daily, and still hold the same shape as the day I bought them. The ferules do not get loose (of +20 brushes, I've only had one do this). I have spent money on similar brushes that cost 3 times as much, and those brushes just don't get the use these do. That bright, orange handle calls out every time.

Note: I also do decorative painting, and the short handle brushes in this line work great for painting enamels on glass. Couldn't be more pleased with the quality, and they cannot be beaten for the price!

Comments about Raphaël Raphaël Golden Kaërell Long Handle Brushes:

I use these brushes for detailed oil painting on board, and bought this brand of brush for the first time. I was looking for brushes that were reasonably priced, but with fine hairs that hold paint and apply to my boards without showing brush strokes. These brushes do just that! It is a joy to paint with them! If you are looking for brushes that have fine hairs but are sturdy and smoothe, this is the series!