Brush Size Chart

As you may have noticed by now, there are a great many different kinds of paint brushes available from MisterArt.com! If you aren't quite sure what kind of paint brush that you need, it can be a frustrating experience purchasing the perfect brush for you latest project without trying it out first. With a little knowledge, however, finding the right paint brush at MisterArt.com can be as easy as ordering any of the other discount art supplies we carry!

Size is an important consideration when shopping for the perfect paint brush. Nearly all paint brushes are classified by their manufacturers using a standard numbering system. The size of a paint brush is indicated by a number printed on the handle. The smallest brushes start at 0, then proceed to 1, 2, and on up to 24 or even larger. The higher the number, the bigger or wider the brush; the more zeros, the smaller the brush!

MisterArt.com has devised a chart to help give you an idea of how large each number in the system is.

The numbering system can be very helpful in giving artists a good idea of how large a paint brush is, especially if he or she is already familiar with a particular manufacturer's product line. Maddeningly, however, there's not much consistency between brush manufacturers as to which measurements correspond to each number, so a number 14 paint brush from one manufacturer might be significantly larger or smaller than a number 14 from a different brand. Use our size chart as a general guide only!

When you're ordering a new paint brush, it's important to remember that a brush's width doesn't directly correspond to the width of the paint stroke that the brush makes. The width of that stroke varies according to the amount of pressure you use, the angle at which you hold your brush, the medium you use, and the spring of the brush's bristles.