Although I’m new to watercolor painting, I’m learning quickly, and it’s been recommended to me that I purchase some sable brushes to give myself the opportunity to experience the difference that a quality brush can make in one’s painting.

SO I began a quest for sable brushes and have come up with two sources that I would like to pass along:

http://www.dakotabrushes.com — I only checked out their sables, but their prices are very competitive and–best of all–they only charge $5.00 SHH for your total brush order. I did a comparison, and for the same order, Dick Blick’s prices were 20% higher and the SHH was 15.95 compared to $5.00.

http://www.rosemaryandco.com — I found out about Rosemary & Co. on the Handprint.com website (Bruce McEvoy). She’s located in England and has been handmaking brushes for about 25 years. I’m fascinated with the idea of owning handmade sable brushes–and from Britain to boot!–so I’ve just placed an order.

The international purchase process isn’t entirely clear (there’s a printable mail-in form, but no online form). But I emailed my order and got a reply the next day, saying that my brushes should take around 5 days to arrive here in Charlotte, NC. The cost was very reasonable: for four sable brushes (not Kolinsky), 38.21 pounds sterling.

I went to the Rosemary.com website, clicked on the PayPal link; logged in; copied the email address; entered 38.21; selected British pounds; completed the form; clicked submit; and I’m done! I think this is an amazing thing–to be able to buy something from a foreign country and effect payment this easily and securely. Plus Rosemary & Co. can’t be charging much for shipping. So I anxiously await the arrival of my brushes and will post my comments at that time.

Lane