Walk down the brush aisle of most US craft or art stores and you will likely see Princeton Select brushes hanging in long rows, sold individually and in small sets. They are aimed squarely at painters who want something better than a bargain-bin brush without paying for professional sable. That middle ground raises an obvious question: are Princeton Select brushes good, or just convenient?
This guide looks at what the Select line is designed for, how it handles different paints, its limits, and who gets the most out of it, including whether it makes sense for children and teens who are moving beyond starter brushes.
Quick answer: Princeton Select brushes are generally considered good, reliable all-purpose synthetic brushes for the price. They are designed to work with acrylic, watercolor and oil, offer a wide range of shapes, and hold a point and edge well for everyday painting. They are not as springy as hog bristle for heavy oil or as absorbent as squirrel or sable for big watercolor washes, but for students, hobbyists and teens they are a dependable mid-range choice.
What the Princeton Select Line Is
Select is one of Princeton’s general-purpose synthetic brush lines. Rather than being built for a single medium, it is designed to be a multi-media brush that performs reasonably across water-based and oil paints. The filaments are synthetic, commonly described as a taklon-style fiber, which is smooth, resilient and easy to clean.
The line is known for its range. You will usually find:
- Rounds and pointed rounds
- Flats, brights and shaders
- Filberts and cat’s tongue shapes
- Angular shaders
- Liners and script brushes
- Fan, deerfoot, stippler and specialty shapes
- Mop and wash brushes in some listings
That variety is part of the appeal. Decorative painters, one-stroke painters and hobbyists often need specific shapes, and the Select line tends to have them at accessible prices. Parents comparing it with brush sets designed for children will notice the difference quickly: Select is sold as precise individual tools, while kids’ sets prioritize thick handles and toughness.
How Princeton Select Brushes Perform
With acrylic
Acrylic is where synthetic brushes like Select generally do best. The filaments resist the drag of acrylic, return to shape after strokes and are relatively easy to rinse clean. Flats and angulars produce crisp edges, and liners handle fine detail with thinned paint. With very heavy-body acrylic or impasto work, a firmer brush or palette knife may still be better.
With watercolor
Select brushes can paint watercolor well enough for most hobby work, especially detail and smaller areas. Their water capacity is lower than soft squirrel-style or sable brushes, so big washes need more frequent reloading. For painters who do mostly watercolor, a dedicated watercolor brush or a soft synthetic line may feel smoother.
With oil
Many painters use synthetic brushes like Select for oil, particularly for detail, glazing and smooth blending. For thick, textured oil application, hog bristle usually has the edge because its stiffness moves heavy paint more easily. Clean thoroughly after oil sessions, as dried oil paint near the ferrule shortens brush life.
Point, edge and spring
Rounds generally form a usable point, and flats hold a clean chisel edge. Spring is moderate: firmer than soft watercolor synthetics, softer than bristle. That balance makes them forgiving for beginners who are still developing brush control.
Princeton Select Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Works across acrylic, watercolor and oil | Not a specialist; lower water capacity than dedicated watercolor brushes |
| Huge range of shapes, including decorative and specialty brushes | Not stiff enough for heavy impasto oil |
| Mid-range price, often sold individually | Costs more per brush than bulk budget sets |
| Synthetic filaments are easy to clean | Fine tips can curl if dried incorrectly or misused |
| Holds point and edge well for everyday work | Larger sizes can get pricey for a full set |
Who Princeton Select Brushes Are Good For
- Hobbyists and students who paint in more than one medium and want one reliable brush family.
- Decorative and craft painters who need specific shapes such as angulars, liners and stencil-style brushes.
- Acrylic painters wanting clean edges and good durability at a fair price.
- Teens building a first serious kit after outgrowing a budget starter set.
- Classroom teachers who want brushes that will survive more than a few lessons.
Younger children can use them, but brushes this fine and specialized are often wasted on early finger-grip painting. For little ones, a chunky, sturdy set is a better start. Our roundup of kid-friendly paint brush sets covers options with thicker handles and tougher heads.
Princeton Select vs Other Common Brush Options
| Brush option | Media range | Durability | Control | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Select (multi-media synthetic) | Acrylic, watercolor, oil | Good | Good | Mid |
| Bulk budget synthetic sets | Mainly acrylic, craft | Variable | Fair | Low |
| Soft watercolor synthetics | Watercolor, gouache, ink | Good with care | Good for washes | Mid |
| Hog bristle | Oil, heavy acrylic | Good | Coarser | Low to mid |
| Kolinsky sable | Watercolor primarily | Good with care | Excellent | High |
Select’s strength is that it is not trying to be the best at one thing. It is trying to be good enough at most things, which suits painters still working out which medium they prefer.
Which Princeton Select Shapes to Buy First
A compact kit of five or six shapes handles almost any beginner or intermediate project:
- Round, medium (around size 6 to 8): general strokes, small areas, lettering.
- Round or liner, small (around size 0 to 2): details, eyes, branches, signatures.
- Flat or shader (around 1/4 to 1/2 inch): blocking shapes, clean edges.
- Angular shader: curved edges, leaves, petals and floated shading.
- Filbert: soft-edged shapes, blending, portraits and clouds.
- Wash or large flat (around 3/4 to 1 inch): backgrounds and base coats.
Sizes are not standardized between brands, so use head length and width from the listing when comparing.
Getting the Most From Select Brushes
Load correctly
Dip the brush only about halfway up the bristles. Loading paint into the ferrule makes cleaning hard and slowly spreads the hairs apart.
Thin acrylic slightly
A few drops of water or a flow medium help acrylic glide off synthetic brushes and reduce streaks, especially with flats and liners.
Use the right shape for the job
Many brushes wear out because they are forced to do tasks they are not designed for. Use a large flat for backgrounds instead of scrubbing with a small round.
Keep a water and rag routine
Rinse between colors and blot on a rag or paper towel. Acrylic drying in the brush mid-session is the single biggest reason synthetic brushes become stiff and ragged.
Cleaning and Care
- Acrylic: rinse frequently in water during painting, then wash with mild soap and lukewarm water. Do not let acrylic dry in the bristles.
- Watercolor: rinse in clean water; soap occasionally to remove pigment staining.
- Oil: wipe excess paint, rinse in an appropriate solvent or oil-based cleaner, then wash with soap and water.
- Reshape the head while damp and dry flat or bristles-down.
- Store upright only once completely dry, with bristles up and nothing pressing on them.
- Avoid hot water, which can loosen the ferrule glue and deform synthetic filaments.
Matching Select Shapes to Common Projects
One reason painters stick with a broad line like Select is that a shape exists for nearly every task. Here is how common projects map to brush shapes.
| Project | Useful shapes | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic landscape on canvas | Large flat, filbert, fan, liner | Flat for sky, filbert for clouds and hills, fan for foliage, liner for branches |
| Decorative painting on wood | Angular shader, round, liner | Angular for floated shading, round for strokes, liner for scrollwork |
| Watercolor postcards | Medium round, small round, small flat | Round for washes and detail at small scale, flat for edges |
| Rock painting | Small round, liner, small flat | Small surfaces need control more than coverage |
| Lettering and signs | Flat, liner, script | Flats for block letters, liners and scripts for thin strokes |
| Portrait studies | Filbert, small round, cat’s tongue | Soft edges for skin, fine points for features |
A Short Practice Routine for New Select Brushes
New brushes feel unfamiliar until you know how each one behaves. Spend ten minutes on scrap paper or a canvas pad before your first real project.
- Edges: pull a flat along a pencil line, first with the full width, then on its chisel edge, to see how sharp a line it can make.
- Pressure: with a round, start at the tip and press gradually to see the range from hairline to full stroke.
- Load: fully load each brush with slightly thinned acrylic and paint until it runs dry, so you know how far a single load travels.
- Blending: lay two colors side by side and blend with a filbert while wet to judge how smoothly it softens edges.
- Cleanup: time how quickly each brush rinses clean. A brush that holds paint stubbornly near the ferrule needs extra attention during sessions.
This routine also builds brush control, which often matters more for results than the brush itself.
Signs a Select Brush Is Wearing Out
| Sign | What it means | Can it be saved? |
|---|---|---|
| Splayed or fishhooked tip | Overuse or dried paint deep in the head | Sometimes, with brush restorer and reshaping |
| Stiff, crunchy bristles | Acrylic dried in the brush | Partially, with a dedicated brush cleaner soak |
| Wobbly ferrule | Glue weakened by water or heat | Rarely; repurpose as a texture brush |
| Hairs shedding | Wear or damage at the base | Repurpose for rough work |
Old brushes still have value. Splayed rounds make good texture tools for foliage, fur and grass, and worn flats are fine for applying gesso or varnish.
Are Princeton Select Brushes Good for Kids and Teens?
For teens and older children with some painting experience, they are a sensible step up. The quality difference from bulk craft brushes is noticeable: cleaner edges, better points and less shedding. That can make painting feel more rewarding and encourage good habits.
For younger children, consider durability and cost first. Small kids tend to press hard, leave brushes in water and forget to rinse acrylic, which shortens the life of any brush. A sturdy kids’ set handles that treatment better, and you can introduce Select brushes later as individual upgrades for detailed projects.
Individual Brushes vs a Boxed Set
Select brushes are commonly sold one at a time as well as in small sets. Each route has a logic.
- Buying individually lets you pick exactly the shapes and sizes you will use, so you are not paying for a fan brush that never leaves the box. It suits painters who already know their preferred strokes.
- Buying a set is usually cheaper per brush and gives beginners a chance to discover which shapes they like. The downside is that a few pieces may go unused.
- A hybrid approach works well for many hobbyists: start with a small set, note which brushes wear out first, then replace those individually in the same or a better line.
Whichever you choose, keep receipts and packaging for a few days so you can check each brush with a quick wet test for shedding and point before committing.
When Another Brush Might Suit You Better
- If you paint mostly large watercolor washes, a soft, high-capacity watercolor synthetic or squirrel-style mop will feel easier.
- If you paint thick, textured oil, hog bristle moves heavy paint more effectively.
- If you need ultra-fine, springy points for botanical or miniature work, sable or a premium synthetic sable can justify the cost.
- If you need dozens of brushes for a group of young children, a bulk value set may be more practical.
FAQs
Are Princeton Select brushes good for acrylic painting?
Yes. Synthetic multi-media brushes like Select are well suited to acrylic, holding a good edge and cleaning up easily when rinsed promptly.
Can you use Princeton Select brushes for watercolor?
Yes, especially for detail and smaller areas. They hold less water than dedicated watercolor brushes, so large washes need more frequent reloading.
Are Princeton Select brushes good for oil paint?
They work well for smooth oil application, glazing and detail. For heavy, textured oil, many painters prefer bristle brushes.
Are Princeton Select brushes worth the price?
For hobbyists, students and teens painting regularly, they generally offer good value: better control and lifespan than cheap bulk brushes without professional pricing.
How do I keep Princeton Select brushes from fraying?
Load paint only halfway up the bristles, rinse often, never let acrylic dry in the brush, and dry the brushes flat or bristles-down.
Are Princeton Select brushes good for beginners?
Yes. Their moderate spring and wide shape range make them forgiving and versatile while beginners figure out which medium they enjoy.
Final Thoughts
Princeton Select brushes earn their reputation as solid, versatile, mid-priced synthetics. They will not replace a squirrel mop for washes or a bristle brush for impasto, but they cover most everyday painting well and last if cleaned properly. If you are equipping a child rather than yourself, start with a durable set designed for small hands; our comparison of top brush sets for children is a good place to choose one before adding individual upgrades later.
