Chronicle is back with their latest Kickstarter, packed with new tools and upgrades for your hobby desk. From new brush sets to a brand-new wet palette and some clever utility items, there’s plenty to unpack. I’ve had the opportunity to try out several of their latest products, and in this preview, I’ll break down what truly impressed me – and what might not be worth the space on your desk.
On 10 June 2025, Chronicle launched their latest Kickstarter – their biggest campaign to date, running for 17 days. It features:
- The popular wolf hair, sable, and techlon tiger brushes, now offered in newly curated sets, including Chimera and One Page Rules bundles
- Double-ended applicator brushes with sponge tips
- Double-ended utility brushes
- Brush soap and Liquid Brush Elixir
- A modular wet palette
- Melamine cups with brush rests, cleaning and shaping grooves
- A 10-piece file set with multiple grits and form factors
- Utility tools including clippers, variable files, and sculpting/texture applicators
For this early review, I received a selection of the Kickstarter products and would like to share my first impressions.
The One Page Rules and Chimera brush sets reviewed
The new Kickstarter brush sets are based on Chronicle’s three existing brush types. The One Page Rules set, developed in partnership with the game studio of the same name, and the Chimera Brush Set feature identical selections: Wolf Hair brushes in sizes 000, 0, two of size 3, and size 7; a Sable MkII brush in size 1; and the synthetic Tiger Techlon drybrushes in sizes M Rounded and M Flat. The only difference lies in the design: the One Page Rules brushes are all black with the studio’s logo, while the Chimera variant features dark green handles.
I’ve covered the individual Chronicle brush ranges in detail in past reviews, but here’s a summary: The Wolf Hair brushes are excellent daily workhorses, offering great resilience and high spring (review here). The Kolinsky Sable brushes are of very good quality – perhaps not quite on par with distinguished brands like Winsor & Newton or Artis Opus, but still very solid and offering excellent value for money (review here). The Techlon Tiger drybrushes feature synthetic bristles that strike the perfect balance between softness and durability (review here). They’re currently my favourite drybrushes – I use them exclusively and frequently, and my set from the original Kickstarter is still going strong. The Wolf Hair, Kolinsky Sable, and Techlon sets are also available as campaign add-ons, or directly from Chronicle’s website if you don’t want to go through Kickstarter.
The selection in the One Page Rules and Chimera sets is thoughtfully curated and covers the main use cases for miniature painting. They’re great sets for getting started or upgrading your brush collection for an affordable 50 USD / 45 EUR / 40 GBP / 80 AUD each. The only brush I’m not too keen on is the Wolf Hair size 7, which has a very long and thin belly. I would have preferred a rounder, fuller shape here.
A look at the utility brushes
The smaller utility brushes come in a box of 30 for a very reasonable $10 / £8 / €8 / A$15. These brushes are disposable, perfect for applying dry pigments or blending or removing oil or enamel washes. One end has flat synthetic bristles, and the other has a make-up sponge. These are undoubtedly inspired by Tamiya’s weathering brushes, but those are significantly more expensive at around €4 for a pack of only three. That’s why I think Chronicle’s version is brilliant value for money.
A larger version is also part of the Kickstarter, combining Techlon Tiger brush tips with a bigger make-up sponge on the other side.
The Wet Palette
I also had the chance to test out Chronicle’s new Wet Palette. The set is priced at 30 USD / 30 EU / 25 GBP / 50 AUD and comes with 50 paper sheets and two sponges, plus the elastic band and instruction manual. The palette itself is made up of three layers, held together by the band, and there are various colourways to choose from. I got the all black version.
The lid has a faint texture on the inside for wiping off paint when dry-brushing. The middle layer features various compartments, including larger ones for storing brushes, and smaller ones for mixing paints or holding washes and Contrast paints. There’s also a textured area for washing out brushes, and indentations for shaping the brush tip when drawing it off – something I’ve not seen on any other palette before.
The bottom layer then houses the actual wet palette with the paper and foam. When closed, the palette measures 23.3 x 17.2 x 3.5 cm, which gives a usable area of approximately 23 by 17 cm. This is about the same as other common wet palettes like the one from The Army Painter (review here) or the Everlasting Wet Palette from Redgrass (review here).
Some palette nitpicks
However, there are a few things I need to criticise about the palette. The plastic used doesn’t feel particularly high-quality, and the slightly glossy surface is a magnet for fingerprints and scratches easily. The texture in the lid isn’t pronounced enough to truly serve as a texture palette for dry-brushing.
Update: In the original version of this review, I criticised the shape and texture of the paper. However, Chronicle has since clarified that the final version of the paper will feature angled corners to match the shape of the wet palette, and the surface will be non-hydrophobic – as with other palettes – with the option to choose, in fact.
The palette serves its purpose and the various compartments are useful. But unless you’ve fallen in love with the design and the different colourways, I’d recommend the Everlasting Wet Palette or the Army Painter palette instead.
Kickstarter value
In addition to various bundles that let you save even more, the Painting Pack III Kickstarter offers free worldwide shipping. At the time of publishing this review, the funding goal has already been reached, and several stretch goals have been unlocked — including the chance to receive free brush sets and gifts. Fulfilment is expected to take place in September 2025.
I hope you found this review helpful, feel free to leave a reaction or comment below, or post your questions here or discuss on our Discord channel.
8.0 Score
Pros
- High-quality brushes for affordable prices
- Brush sets cover most painting use cases
- Quality accessories and utitlity brushes
Cons
- Wet palette has a few quirks
Final Verdict
The thoughtfully curated One Page Rules and Chimera brush sets are perfect additions to Chronicle's range of brushes, offering exceptional value whether you're just starting out or looking to upgrade your collection. While the new utility brushes are a must-have for weathering, the wet palette, despite some useful compartments, does have a few design quirks and material considerations that might not appeal to everyone. But on the whole, it's a Kickstarter worth recommending.
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