Don't make me go on a rant about DS. Actually, I like their watercolors; decent value, nice assortment. But the customer service??? Tsk, tsk. They took 3.5 WEEKS to ship me a package. That was my first order. I thought it was just a fluke so I was hoping for something a bit more timely the next time I ordered. Same thing. Dick Blick will be here within the week. Jerry's Artarama on the east coast, ditto. Cheap Joes and other vendors, no problem.

Finding a good natural sable brush these days is a challenge. Have all the good old brushmakers retired?

I like the white sables for gouache, but agree that they don't hold up even when gently used for watercolor.

Practice, indeed. Humph! :) Gonna go have a cup of tea now, will try not to think of the DS comment and laugh too hard... 

KG

> 
> On Dec 26, 2012, at 04:28 PM, Linda Feltner <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> Ok. just snorted tea up my nose when I read about Daniel Smith's store comment. What cheek!  and I'm with you, I prefer WN series 7 over DS. I've blown through loads of DS 3/0. I consider them throw aways. 
>> 
>> the Robert Simmons series E52 is called an Expression Oval Mop. I can't find a numeral2. But their 3/4"  is 25mm w x 30mm long, and looks interesting. Very rounded bristles, looks like it has a hefty capacity to hold pigment. 
>> I got the image, and it looks to be less "moppy" than what I think of as a mop.  
>> 
>>  Have to go clean my keyboard now.
>> 
>> Ta very much,
>> Linda

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