dourpurtian-Nice try, I know what your about you just want to see my terrible paint jobs and point the finger and say ha, ha, see what cheap brushes do! I don't think you can relate the value of the brush to the skill of the painter. Besides I also have no photo, computer or posting skills.

Nick the Lemming-I never had an expensive brush last me two years no matter how well I looked after them. I think the best I ever got out of an expensive brush was about nine months and that was during a time when I didn't paint almost every day. I've had the same experience as MykeCole where some expensive brushes gave it up after a week. On average I got about four months out of an expensive brush. A friend gave me some very, very cheap brushes he got in China for about $0.10 Cdn. and every one lasted a month! So overall it seems that my expereince mirrors ithoriel.

Many of my friends paint with larger brushes than my micro 10/0, but it's all in your own personal style. I just can't seem to handle the extra paint and surface coverage that comes with the bigger sizes, unless of course I'm covering bigger areas, horses, pants, coats, ground, etc. For all the finer areas I use the 10/0 and it works just fine for me. Small, clear, fine, straight lines.

My cost for a year for cheap brushes is around $15 Cdn. with no extra cost or care. Wash and toss! If I used the expensive ones it would be around $30 Cdn. plus cleaning suppiles and extra time. My China brushes gave me almost two years for free!

Brushes are a consumable - no brush holds a point forever. However my Windsor Newtons last about two years before giving up, and hold the point better than pretty much any other brush out there. I paint 6mm for fun and 28mm for commisions so I paint a lot.

For value however, the Rosemary and Co are wonderful, and probably cheaper than the crap $1.50 per month in the long run.