Artstorys Paint Brushes Set Review – Solid Budget Pick for Acrylic Painters

Quick Verdict

If you're hunting for a paint brushes set for acrylic painting that won't break the bank, the Artstorys 20-piece collection deserves a close look. It's not going to replace a professional studio kit, but for beginners, hobbyists, or anyone who needs a versatile all-rounder, the value here is hard to ignore. I'd rate it a 4.2 out of 5 — solid performer with two quirks worth knowing before you buy.

What Is the Artstorys Paint Brushes Set?

Let's cut through the listing fluff. The Artstorys set is a 20-piece collection of synthetic nylon brushes, split into two packs of 10, covering sizes from a hefty 5/8 inch down to a 2/0 detail brush. Each brush has a wood handle with UV coating, nickel ferrules, and bristles described by the manufacturer as "durable synthetic anti-shedding nylon." Length runs about 17.5 to 19.5 centimetres — long enough to give you some distance from your work without feeling unwieldy.

The pitch targets a wide net: beginners, hobbyists, teachers, families, and crafters working across acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, and specialty crafts like rock or body painting. On paper it's a do-everything kit. I was skeptical — most brush sets that promise universal use deliver mediocrity across the board. But I'll get into what actually happened when I put them to work.

Key Features

• 20 brushes total — 2 packs of 10 sizes each, ranging from 5/8" to 2/0
• UV-coated wooden handles resist peeling, water damage, and odor
• Nickel ferrules with double crimping — no loose connections during testing
• Synthetic nylon bristles spring back after each stroke and clean easily
• Storage container included to protect brush tips between sessions
• Compatible with acrylic, watercolor, oil, gouache, and most craft paints
• Suitable for canvas, rock, wood, glass, fabric, body art, and miniature work

Hands-On Review

Three weekends, three different projects. That's how I ran these brushes through their paces. First up: a small canvas piece with heavy-body acrylic. I grabbed the mid-range sizes — 4, 5, and 6 — to block in large color areas before refining. The 5/8" brush did what I needed it to, though I noticed it held more paint than I'm used to with my go-to set, which meant I had to adjust my loading technique slightly. Not a dealbreaker, just something to be aware of on day one.

By weekend two I'd moved on to watercolor washes with the larger brushes, then switched to the smaller sizes — 2, 1, and 2/0 — for detail work on a miniature figurine. Here's where I had my only real frustration: the 2/0 is serviceable for fine lines, but if your standard for "detail work" leans toward the ultra-fine end (think fine illustration or nail art with tiny lines), you'll feel the bristle stiffness limit out. It's not mushy or terrible — it just doesn't have the whisper-precision of a Kolinsky sable at this price tier. That's obvious, but worth saying plainly.

What surprised me was the bristle recovery. After each wash and soap clean, the nylon hairs snapped back into shape better than I expected. I've used cheaper sets where the tips splay permanently after two or three uses. These held their forms through all three projects without reshaping intervention beyond my normal rinse-and-dry routine. The ferrules stayed tight throughout — none of that creeping wobble that ruins a brush mid-session.

My niece commandeered the set for a rock painting afternoon on week three. She handled the medium and small sizes without any complaints about how they felt in her hand. The longer handles gave her enough leverage to control strokes on a bumpy rock surface. No bristle shedding, no handle slippage from paint-wet hands. For a kid's craft session, these passed the test with no asterisks.

Who Should Buy It?

The Artstorys set earns a place in your cart if you:

• Are new to painting and want to experiment with different brush sizes before investing in individual high-end brushes
• Need a reliable backup or travel kit that won't suffer if it gets knocked around in a bag
• Run craft sessions for kids, classrooms, or community groups where losing a brush stings less financially
• Work across multiple mediums and surfaces — canvas, rock, wood, fabric — and don't want to maintain separate brush collections
• Want the convenience of a storage case without paying a premium bundle price

Skip this set if you exclusively do ultra-fine detail work — botanical illustration, professional miniature painting, or high-end nail art — where a $40+ Kolinsky sable set is genuinely worth the upgrade. The Artstorys brushes are good; they're not that good. And if you already own a curated set of ten premium brushes and you're happy with it, adding these won't change your life.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If the Artstorys set doesn't quite fit your needs, here are two alternatives worth a look:

• Mont Marte 12-Piece Canvas Paint Brush Set — A comparable price point with slightly fewer pieces but a reputation for durable brass ferrules. Better suited for canvas-dominant painters, though the size range is narrower.
• Michele Yuen Artist Brush Set (20-piece) — Targets the same beginner-to-intermediate market. The handle balance skews slightly shorter, which some artists prefer for detail-heavy sessions. Check reviews on bristle shedding before committing.
• Royal Brush 15-Piece Natural Hair Brush Set — A step up in bristle quality if you want natural hair alongside synthetic. Worth considering if you frequently work in watercolor and prefer the paint-holding capacity of natural fibers. More expensive, but the difference is noticeable on wet-on-wet techniques.

FAQ

Final Verdict

The Artstorys 20-piece paint brushes set for acrylic painting and general craft use punches above its price. The bristle durability, sturdy ferrules, and included storage case make it a practical choice for beginners and experienced painters alike — as a secondary kit, a travel set, or a budget way to cover a wide size range without trial-and-error shopping. It's not the absolute finest brush money can buy, and the smallest detail brushes will limit you if ultra-fine work is your focus. But for the vast majority of painters and crafters, it's a trustworthy, well-built set that earns its shelf space.

Would I buy it again? Yes — especially for the storage container alone, which saves me the hassle of hunting down a case that fits. At this price, it stacks up favorably against single packs of comparable quality.