--- title: "Pentel Aquash Water Brush: Tip Sizes and How to Use It" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-aquash-water-brush/" description: "Pentel Aquash water brush explained: five nylon tip sizes with exact widths, 7.5 ml barrel, 155 mm capped, filling and cleaning, and its Vistage name in Japan." category: "Accessories" type: "Water brush" published: 2026-10-21 updated: 2026-10-21 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 11 products: - name: "Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush, Fine Point Medium (FRH-M)" brand: "Pentel" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Soft translucent plastic barrel; nylon brush tip (Pentel)" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Pentel Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)" model: "FRH-M (US single pack FRHMBP)" mpn: "FRH-M" gtin: "4902506125026" url: "https://www.pentel.com/products/aquash-water-brush-fine-point-medium-1" --- # Pentel Aquash Water Brush: Tip Sizes and How to Use It > The Pentel Aquash Water Brush is a nylon-tipped brush with a squeezable barrel that holds water, so you can paint with watercolor pans, pencils or markers without a water cup. The medium FRH-M is 155 mm long capped and holds 7.5 ml, per JetPens. Pentel makes five tips, from small to flat. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-aquash-water-brush/ - Category: Accessories - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-21 - Updated: 2026-10-21 ![Capped Pentel Aquash Water Brush, medium, drawn to scale, with an inset of the nylon tip](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/pentel-aquash-water-brush-16x9.png) *The Aquash medium water brush, 155 mm capped (1 mm = 5 px).* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush, Fine Point Medium (FRH-M) | Pentel (by Pentel Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)) | Japan | Japan | Soft translucent plastic barrel; nylon brush tip (Pentel) | – | $$: $5–20 per item | - Made in (Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush, Fine Point Medium (FRH-M)): Japan. The back of the export package (XFRH-MX) shown in the Amazon listing's photos is printed "PENTEL CO., LTD. TOKYO JAPAN" and "MADE IN JAPAN". Pentel's US and Japanese product pages don't state a country. Source: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017OSBQI ## Key takeaways - Pentel Japan lists five tips: large FRH-B, medium FRH-M, small FRH-F, mini medium FRH-MM and flat medium FRH-MH. - The medium tip is 3.75–4.1 mm wide and 12.5–14.5 mm long, per Pentel Japan; the flat tip is 6.0 mm wide. - JetPens lists the medium at 15.5 cm (6.1 in) capped and 7.5 ml of water; the compact mini holds 5.5 ml. - In Japan, Pentel now sells the brush as the Vistage みず筆 (water brush); the medium lists at ¥429 (about US$2.70) with tax. - The US package printed in Amazon's listing photo reads "Pentel Co., Ltd. Tokyo Japan, Made in Japan". ## What is the Pentel Aquash Water Brush? **It's a paintbrush with a built-in water tank: a soft, squeezable barrel feeds water to a nylon tip, so you can paint without a water cup.** You touch the wet tip to a watercolor pan, a watercolor pencil line or water-based marker ink, then spread or blend it. Pentel's US pages describe a valve system that limits leaks and lets you control the flow, a translucent barrel so you can see the water level, and a flattened barrel that won't roll off the table. Pentel says the brush is ACMI-certified and works with solid colors, powdered pigment, watercolor crayons, markers and pencils. The name goes back to Pentel's Aquash watercolor pencil set of 1997, which came with a water brush and won a Good Design Award in 2000, according to Pentel's design archive. ## Which tip sizes does the Aquash come in? **Five: large, medium, small, a mini-bodied medium, and a flat medium.** Pentel Japan publishes each tip's width (a) and length (b): | Tip | Pentel code | Width × length | Japan price with tax | |---|---|---|---| | Large | FRH-B | 5.2–5.6 × 17.0–19.0 mm | ¥605 (about US$3.80) | | Medium | FRH-M | 3.75–4.1 × 12.5–14.5 mm | ¥429 (about US$2.70) | | Small | FRH-F | 2.4–2.8 × 9.0–11.0 mm | ¥429 (about US$2.70) | | Mini medium | FRH-MM | 3.75–4.1 × 12.5–14.5 mm | ¥363 (about US$2.30) | | Flat medium | FRH-MH | 6.0 × 14.0–16.0 mm | ¥605 (about US$3.80) | ![The five Pentel Aquash tip shapes drawn to scale](https://stationerytimes.com/images/pentel-aquash-water-brush-tips.svg) *The five tips at 1 mm = 9 units; the mini uses the medium tip on a shorter body.* In Japan, Pentel also sells a slim type (XFRS-M, 3.7–4.1 × 11.5–13.5 mm) that it says makes the water flow easier to control. Pentel says its tips use its own nylon, the kind also used in cosmetic brushes, which holds water well and resists wear. ## Pentel Aquash medium specs | Spec | Aquash Water Brush, medium (FRH-M) | |---|---| | Tip | Nylon, 3.75–4.1 mm wide, 12.5–14.5 mm long (Pentel Japan) | | Length | 15.5 cm (6.1 in) capped; 14.6 cm (5.7 in) uncapped (JetPens) | | Capacity | 7.5 ml (JetPens) | | Weight | about 9 g (Amazon) | | Barrel | Soft, squeezable, translucent, flattened | | US code | FRHMBP (single pack) | | JAN | 4902506125026 | | Made in | Japan (package) | Pentel doesn't publish a length or capacity on the pages we read, so those come from JetPens. JetPens lists the compact mini at 12.6 cm capped and 5.5 ml. ## How do you fill and clean the Aquash? **Unscrew the front section, fill the barrel with water, screw it back firmly, and squeeze gently as you paint.** That's how Pentel Japan describes it. To clean the tip between colors, squeeze out a little extra water and wipe the brush on a tissue until it runs clear. Pentel's US page for the flat tip says the brush is easy to clean, even calling it dishwasher-friendly. ## What do you use a water brush with? **Watercolor pans, watercolor pencils and water-based brush pens.** A water brush suits travel kits such as the [Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sakura-koi-pocket-field-sketch-box/), and it rewets the large pans of [Kuretake Gansai Tambi](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kuretake-gansai-tambi/) quickly. It also blends dye-ink pens such as the [Tombow Dual Brush Pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tombow-dual-brush-pen/) and [ZIG Clean Color Real Brush](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kuretake-zig-clean-color-real-brush/). For inked lines that stay put under a wash, use a waterproof pen such as the [Pentel Pocket Brush Pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-pocket-brush-pen/). Pentel's refillable [Color Brush](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-color-brush/) is designed to be washed out with a water brush like this. ## How popular is the Aquash? **It's one of the best-known water brushes on Amazon US.** On October 21, 2026, the fine-tip listing showed 4.8 stars from 965 ratings and 300+ bought in the past month, and a 3-pack of assorted tips showed about 2,800 ratings. It's in our $$ band ($5–20 per item) when bought singly; multi-packs work out cheaper per brush. ## Where is the Pentel Aquash made? **In Japan: the export package shown in the Amazon listing reads "Pentel Co., Ltd. Tokyo Japan" and "Made in Japan".** Pentel's US and Japanese product pages don't name a country, so we rely on the printed package. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a water brush? A brush whose hollow barrel holds water. Squeezing the barrel wets the nylon tip, so you can activate watercolor pans, watercolor pencils or water-based markers without a cup of water. ### Which Aquash tip size should I buy? The medium (FRH-M) is the all-rounder. Pick the small (FRH-F) for details and lettering, the large (FRH-B) or flat (FRH-MH) for washes, and the mini (FRH-MM) for a pocket kit. ### How much water does the Aquash hold? JetPens lists 7.5 ml for the medium and the flat brush, and 5.5 ml for the compact mini medium. ### How do you fill a Pentel Aquash? Unscrew the front section, fill the barrel with water from a bottle or tap, and screw it back on firmly, Pentel Japan says. Then squeeze the barrel gently while you paint to feed water to the tip. ### How do you clean an Aquash water brush? Squeeze out extra water and wipe the tip on a tissue or paper towel until it runs clear, as Pentel Japan describes. ### Can you put ink in an Aquash water brush? Pentel's US page says you can fill the barrel with water or an ink wash. The Aquash package itself is printed "Only for use with water", so check before filling it with anything else. ### Is the Aquash the same as the Pentel Vistage water brush? Yes. Pentel Japan sells the same five FRH tips as the Vistage みず筆, and JetPens now lists them as Vistage water brushes, formerly Aquash. ## Sources - [ヴィスタージュ みず筆 (Pentel Japan, "Vistage water brush": five tips, tip widths and lengths, list prices, JAN codes, how to fill and clean, nylon tip)](https://www.pentel.co.jp/products/brush/vistage_waterbrush/) - [アクアッシュ (Pentel Japan design archive, "Aquash": watercolor pencil set with water brush, released 1997, Good Design Award 2000)](https://www.pentel.co.jp/about/design/00a1107/) - [Pentel of America: Aquash Water Brush, Fine Point MEDIUM (FRHMBP, valve, nylon tip, flattened barrel, ACMI)](https://www.pentel.com/products/aquash-water-brush-fine-point-medium-1) - [Pentel of America: Aquash Water Brush, Fine Point LARGE (FRHBBP)](https://www.pentel.com/products/aquash-water-brush-fine-point-large) - [Pentel of America: Aquash Water Brush, Fine Point SMALL (FRHFBP)](https://www.pentel.com/products/aquash-water-brush-fine-point-small) - [Pentel of America: Aquash Water Brush, Flat Tip (FRHMHBP; water or ink wash)](https://www.pentel.com/products/aquash-water-brush-flat-tip) - [Pentel of America: Aquash Water Brush, Mini (FRHMMBP)](https://www.pentel.com/products/aquash-water-brush-mini) - [JetPens: Pentel Vistage Water Brush, Medium (7.5 ml, 15.5 cm capped, 14.6 cm uncapped; via search result)](https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Vistage-Water-Brush-Medium/pd/1774) - [JetPens: Pentel Vistage Water Brush, Medium, Compact Body (5.5 ml, 12.6 cm capped; via search result)](https://www.jetpens.com/Pentel-Vistage-Water-Brush-Medium-Compact-Body/pd/1775) - [Amazon: Pentel Aquash Water Brush, Medium FRH-M (GTIN 04902506125026, ratings; package photo printed Made in Japan; read October 21, 2026)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017OSBQI) - [Amazon: Pentel Aquash Water Brush, Fine FRH-F (GTIN 04902506129154, ratings)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017OLHNM)