My paintbrushes are ancient. Beloved and taken care of as if they’re prized pets, but freaking ancient. I’ve had most of them since high school, with just the odd new brush purchased here and there. And though some just keep getting better with age, others are… Well. Falling apart.

Then there’s also the collection I inherited from my grandfather after he passed, over 20 years ago. I only recently started painting with those when my cousin, Shants, pointed out that it would mean more if Grandpa and I made art with the same brushes, and they shouldn’t be gathering dust in a drawer.

Most of his stuff is expensive—premium squirrel or hog hair—though his best brushes are the ones he made himself. My old brushes, on the other hand, are student-quality nylon, so it’s even more impressive that they’ve lasted this long.

I was randomly browsing on Amazon the other day, when this 30-piece NicPro pastel paintbrush set was recommended to me. I’m not usually an impulse-buy person (except in the Dollar store, but that’s another story), so it took weeks of careful consideration before I gave in and ordered the paintbrushes.

I’m so glad I did!

Before we get to the official review, this isn’t a sponsored post. All opinions are my own, and I purchased the paintbrushes with my own money.

NicPro Paint Brushes 30-piece Aesthetic Pastel Series

• Brush specs:
  • Bristles of soft, professional-grade nylon.
  • The ferrules (the metal part that crimps the brushes to the handle) are double-crimped, rose-coloured aluminium.
  • The handles are of birch wood and are coated with seven layers of UV-resistant paint to prevent chipping.
  • Suitable for acrylics, oils, and watercolours.
• Includes a large palette knife and 9 kinds of brushes in various sizes:
  • 6 round brushes
  • 1 liner brush
  • 6 flat brushes
  • 2 large flat brushes
  • 3 angle brushes
  • 6 filbert brushes
  • 3 fan brushes
  • 1 cat’s tongue brush
  • 2 dagger brushes
• Comes in a handy canvas brush roll with easily-wipeable plastic inserts and sewn pockets for each brush.
• The set cost CAD 34.99 at the time of purchase (Jan 2026), placing the cost per brush at $1.16.

My Review

I’ve been using this set for a couple of months, and I’m really impressed with the quality, especially considering that price tag.

The brushes came in individual plastic sleeves. The round brushes also included harder plastic ‘caps’ to help maintain their shape, but I tossed them for easier use.

The #4 large flat brush has a small crack in the handle coating, and the largest fan brush, the #8, has a slight gap in the bristles, but that doesn’t bother me enough to split hairs over (punny). Granted, it’s probably because neither is in my go-to set (I prefer smaller fan brushes or makeup brushes for cloud-like blending). The fan’s bristles have already started to correct after a gentle wash, and will likely continue to get better as the brush is used.

The nylon bristles are soft, flexible, and haven’t stained with acrylic paint like other brands tend to do. They wash easily and retain their shape—though I will say that I’m a tad pedantic about how brushes should be washed, reshaped, and stored.

The handles are shaped well and don’t fatigue my hand, which is always a bonus. I also like the smoothness of the UV-resistant coating and the length of the ferrules. It sounds silly, but keeping the water below the ferrule will protect the wood from rotting and ultimately extend the life of a paintbrush. In this case, length really does matter.

I’ve sampled other brands that literally stained or started splitting after the first use. Others aren’t crimped well, and the ferrule falls off the handle way too soon. For example, I purchased a 5-piece set from Artist’s Loft about 2 years ago, and like clockwork, all five have their heads falling off, as if the set was made to last only so long. The NicPro brushes are excellent in comparison. Double crimping for the win!

Each brush is numbered, and the corresponding number is printed on the brush roll. I love that. It simplifies storage and makes it easier to find the brush I’m looking for.

My favourites are the daggers and the cat’s tongue—they are perfect for creating foliage and little details. I also love the filberts because they’re just firm enough to create sharp edges, but have enough give for smooth blending. The large flat brushes are great for washes and prepping the canvas (see my post about gesso here), and the smallest round brush and liner are epic for detail work.

Now, some artists argue that the only way to paint is with artist-quality supplies that come with artist-quality premiums. And yes, Grandpa’s squirrelhair brushes are ultra, super-duper soft and have retained their shape over decades. But then, so have my simple high school nylons. I once read a quote (please forgive my ADHD, I don’t remember where, only that I was doing research for A Curse of Venom & Scales) that said this: a masterwork katana is useless in the hands of a poor swordsman, but a bokken is deadly in the hands of a master. That applies to art, too.

We get so caught up in the rules about how we should make art that we lose the fun. I’d honestly rather spend all my cash on affordable brushes and mid-range paint (I found an excellent paint brand, but more on that next week) than become an elitist who forgets the joy in creativity.

And, if we’re being completely honest, these $1.16 brushes work just as well as the super expensive ones. I’m really impressed with NicPro, and would definitely purchase from them again.

What do you think about the old debate? Should we only stick to artist-quality paintbrushes, or is it okay to make do with less-expensive but durable nylon brushes? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time.

Yolandie