Brush tip

The brush tip is the fine point formed by the bristles at the end of a brush, and it is the part that actually touches the model during detail work. A brush labeled as a small size can still have a poor, splayed tip, while a slightly larger brush with an excellent tip can paint finer lines, because it is the point's shape and how well it holds together wet that determines precision, not the label on the handle.

This distinction matters because many beginners buy the smallest brush they can find expecting it to make detail work easier, when a quality brush that keeps a sharp point when wet will outperform a cheap tiny brush every time. A good tip lets a single brush handle basecoating, lining and fine highlights by simply changing the pressure and angle used.

When buying brushes, wetting the bristles before purchase, where possible, and checking that they come to a clean single point rather than splitting into several strands is the best test. Brush tips degrade over time from scrubbing paint into recesses or leaving paint to dry in the bristles, so rinsing brushes promptly and reshaping the tip while wet extends how long a good brush stays useful.