{"id":1529842,"date":"2024-05-31T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T23:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=1529842"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:05:46","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T15:05:46","slug":"artist-review-of-jacksons-synthetic-squirrel-travel-brush-set","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/31\/artist-review-of-jacksons-synthetic-squirrel-travel-brush-set\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist Review of Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set contains four high quality, vegan, retractable brushes for watercolour painting, each with a lid. In this review, I am trying them in action. First, in a series of mark-making exercises to explore their loading capacity, lifting performance, point retention, and general feel. Then, painting a simple semi-abstract landscape wet-on-wet to test the brushes in a real painting setting. I will also use them painting on the beach, testing their practicality in a real plein air situation.<\/p>\n

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Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Artist Review of Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set<\/h2>\n

by Sandrine Maugy<\/small><\/p>\n

As summer is coming and the beach is beckoning, I am preparing my summer plein air painting set. As a person who tends to bring the kitchen sink wherever I go, travelling light with my art kit is quite the challenge. I like my brushes to be in excellent condition, as I tend to paint a lot of details and a sharp point is essential. Keeping traditional paint brushes in good shape in a small bag that gets carried everywhere, and ends up in the sand, can be tricky. A small set of retractable brushes with protective lids seems like a great option.<\/p>\n

\"Jackson's<\/p>\n

Physical Characteristics of Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set<\/h2>\n

The brushes have a nickel-plated handle and a head of synthetic squirrel hair. They feel soft and fluffy, promising a good colour loading capacity. The wooden part of the handle is matt black and the metal is gunmetal coloured. They come in a synthetic leather pouch. With the lid on they measure 10 cm. The lid turns into a handle, giving an extended size of 18 cm. The set contains four sizes: 2, 4, 6, and 8.<\/p>\n

\"Jackson's<\/p>\n

Mark-Making with the Synthetic Squirrel Brushes<\/h2>\n

My first test is to try the brushes\u2019 performance in a simple mark-making exercise. I am looking at the point of the brushes, how far the paint load goes before running out, and how easy it is to manoeuvre the brushes in curves without lifting from the paper. <\/p>\n

The largest brush carries a lot of paint and I am able to cover a lot of paper before it runs out. However, the point is a little fluffy and wouldn\u2019t paint sharp details. <\/p>\n

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Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The other three have a better point and the sizes 2 and 4 allow me to paint tiny details while barely touching the paper, which is something I love to do when painting wet-on-wet. All of them offer great manoeuvrability thanks to good balance and soft bristles. <\/p>\n

\"Jackson's<\/p>\n

Using the Synthetic Squirrel Brushes Wet-on-wet<\/h2>\n

Using a semi-abstract landscape for the demonstration, I am painting the first wash wet-on-wet in a single wash across the page. For this, I am using the number 8, as it carries the most paint. The faux squirrel head carries a lot of paint, and thanks to its softness, allows me to paint a smooth wash without showing brush marks. Its absorbency potential is useful when mopping up the excess water at the bottom of the page (as I am working on a slope), and also for lifting some highlights. <\/p>\n

Layering with the Brushes<\/h2>\n

In the second wash I want to see if I can layer without lifting the first wash, still using the number 8 as I am still working on a large area. The second layer goes on smoothly and the brush is soft enough not to lift the first one. As these brushes are faux squirrel, this is exactly what they should do.<\/p>\n

\"Jackson's<\/p>\n

Painting Wet-on-wet Details<\/h2>\n

Now I am loading a smaller brush with black paint to add the details in the landscape, still painting wet-on-wet. Ideally, the colour should spread in the water so that the tree line in the distance paints itself on top of the horizon, and the reflection spreads in the lake under the horizon line. This works beautifully. The brush carries enough paint to produce a good amount of paint spread. I am also impressed with the way the small brush allows me to paint wet-on-wet details that don\u2019t spread too far if I load it with thicker paint. Not all brushes can do that, especially the softer ones, so this is an unexpected and great feature.<\/p>\n

Painting Dry Brush Details<\/h2>\n

I am adding a layer of paint on dry paper, giving more definition to the tree line and to the grasses in the foreground. Thanks to their good points, the smaller brushes are also good with these dry brush details. The number 8\u2019s point is too fluffy and won\u2019t work as well. <\/p>\n

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Practicality of the Jackson\u2019s Synthetic Squirrel Travel Brush Set<\/h2>\n

When I first opened the brushes, I had difficulties unscrewing the caps. I will have to be careful when I put them away not to push the caps all the way, or I won\u2019t be able to open them again easily. I understand the reason behind it: if the caps were too loose, the paintbrushes would be wobbly when the caps are used as handles. <\/p>\n

The caps protect the bristles well in the paint bag. They need to be put back on while the brushes are damp and the bristles are well shaped, or some hairs will bend backwards when covered and the head could be badly damaged in the process.<\/p>\n

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The brushes have a good weight and they feel balanced in the hand. As long as I don\u2019t put the caps back on too far, I have no trouble unscrewing them and turning them into a handle, giving a full-size brush. They produce clean, sharp strokes when loaded with paint and they carry a good amount thanks to their absorbent bristles. They perform well wet-on-wet and are just as good on dry paper. The larger brush\u2019s point was a bit fluffy, so I gave it a bit of a trim with embroidery scissors. The other three brushes had perfect points. <\/p>\n

The set comes in a practical synthetic leather pouch that is small enough to fit in my plein air painting kit when I intend to travel light. They now have secured their place in the front pocket of my art bag.<\/p>\n