Raphaël Precision
December 1, 2025
På SvenskaRaphaël Precision is a synthetic brush that, according to the manufacturer, is designed to hold liquid well and serve as a synthetic alternative to natural hair brushes. I have been using a few of them for a while now – sizes 3, 4, 6, and 8. The largest size that appears to be produced is size 10, but it’s hard to know for sure since the manufacturer’s website provides very little information. It mostly redirects you to purchase via Amazon.
There is also a link to Raphaël’s shop on Amazon US, which does not ship to Sweden. One wonders if perhaps no one outside the US is expected to buy these brushes? The prices in Raphaël’s Amazon shop are also fairly high, so other retailers are likely a better option if you want to purchase a Raphaël brush.
My previous experience with Raphaël is their SoftAqua, a synthetic “squirrel hair” brush that is somewhat coarse but perfectly usable. The Precision brush is more of a tool for precise and detail-oriented work. It has good spring and a relatively fine point, and it keeps its shape well between brushstrokes.
The name Precision suggests that the brush should be exact in how it transfers paint from the bristles to the watercolor paper. That is true to some extent: it can produce sharp lines and clean edges. At the same time, it can be difficult to achieve very thin lines, even with a small size 3. The brush is also quite sensitive to pressure, which means line thickness varies noticeably depending on how hard you press.
Like many other synthetic brushes, it also has the issue of not delivering paint completely evenly to the paper. However, this is not unique to the Precision — it is true of most synthetic brushes to a greater or lesser extent.
On the other hand, it is quite an affordable brush. In Sweden, a size 8 costs around 100 SEK (about $10), which is a modest price. For that amount, you get a very capable brush. The weaknesses of the Raphaël Precision are not unique — nearly all synthetic brushes in this category share similar drawbacks.
Summary:
Raphaël Precision is a very good brush for its price range. For a reasonable cost, you get a highly functional tool. The shortcomings are mainly its limited capacity to hold liquid, difficulty producing extremely fine lines, and slightly uneven paint delivery. But in this price category, it remains a solid purchase.
Manufacturer’s website: https://raphaelbrushes.com/
