Please help me be kinder to my brushes.

[FramFramson]

Alright, I'm one of those buggers who's pretty hard on his brushes.

Now, at least part of this is my buying what's available locally, which is cheap junk, and partly my preference for tiiiiiny brushes (4/0 and 5/0). The fanciest brush I buy is a 5/0 kolinsky sable, but it's an Escoda and not a W&N. They're about $8 and of... variable quality, but better than the other 3/0 and 4/0 $4.50 cheap half-sable, half-synthetic art store brushes I lean on for the bulk of blocking in colours etc. I typically only use the Escoda for the finest stuff - tiny details, faces, etc. and use the cheaper brushes where I can get away with it.  

The biggest problems I have are breakage and gradual buildup at the ferrule. While the cheapo brushes just become a chaotic mess, hairs of the Escoda sable invariably ends up breaking near the ferrule until it's only got a couple of hairs left. What tip they have, they tend to maintain, they just can't hold any paint on it!

Now, I know a lot of folks say to never let paint travel all the way up the brush, well I have no idea how that's even possible. My brushes are maybe 6-7 mm long worth of hair and I do lots of washes and glazes, so the hairs are often very wet. Also sometimes I'm focusing hard to apply paint just so, which means paint is drying in the brush. I don't think any of those habits are really changeable, because they're what I need to do to get the paint where I want it to go and that trumps brush maintenance in every way. So what's the best way to compensate?

My biggest oversight is that historically I haven't bought any brush cleaner, not thinking it would be worth it on cheaper brushes (recommendations on brand? I tried searching the forum, but didn't see a dedicated thread, though I know people have recommended some in the past).

I didn't used to care, but I found that upgrading to even $8 sable helped me a lot with my painting, so the past few months I've been wondering if I ought to upgrade further, but my tendency to destroy brushes has held me back from buying something really properly top-flight (like an actual W&N Kolinsky Sable) so I want to get a better handle on brush maintenance first.

[Jevenkah]

It sounds like you would love "The Master's Brush Cleaner and Preserver". I get ours on Amazon. Using that on (small) sable brushes with acrylic paints, we've easily tripled the life of the brushes.

Jevenkah

[Ragnar]

I know I am not the greatest painter but if I can humbly suggest, I rinse my brush every few minutes while painting (I use a wet pallet anyway) a decent rinse after each colour using absorbent paper (toilet paper) to 'suck' out the liquid several times.  Every now and again I might do a full clean in a cleaner.

Oh and I use good quality brushes.  My set have lasted about 5 years with no real damage.

[Billchuck]

First, if you want better brushes, Rosemary brushes are excellent. http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=16034.0

I use Masters brush soap and it does the job for me.

As you said, you need to keep paint out of the ferrule and avoid letting it dry on the brush. This is one of the places where bette brushes help you. They keep a much better point, so you can use a larger brush for the same work. Look for a "rigger" brush rather than a round, they have longer bristles for the size.

[FramFramson]

I do swish with water very regularly and I have paper towel which I blot my brushes on until they run clear, so in that respect I'm doing the same as you folks. My technique is pretty much what Scurv describes to a T, barrel rolls and everything.

Still, I sometimes notice paint deep up near the base of the brush hairs. A little of that isn't a huge problem and doesn't affect brush function, but I don't know if that's why the hairs on my sable are breaking off or if it's just because it's a cheaper grade of kolinsky sable that's using second-rate hairs?

Master's is the brand I've seen recommended for brush cleaner. I couldn't remember the name, so thanks for that.

[Sinewgrab]

It sounds like you would love "The Master's Brush Cleaner and Preserver". I get ours on Amazon. Using that on (small) sable brushes with acrylic paints, we've easily tripled the life of the brushes.

Jevenkah

This.

I only have to buy new brushes every 9-12 months now, and I used to blow through them in 2-3.  Yes, I paint a fair amount that never gets posted.  Sue me.

[Tactalvanic]

It sounds like you would love "The Master's Brush Cleaner and Preserver". I get ours on Amazon. Using that on (small) sable brushes with acrylic paints, we've easily tripled the life of the brushes.

Jevenkah

I Agree with everyone else that agrees with this...

I resuscitated 20+ year old brushes from storage, covered in old dried paint, and it has helped the new ones last longer to.

and a little tub lasts a long time.

I read somewhere someone uses dove soap bar as it works and has moisturizer in it, but.

[snitcythedog]

Two suggestions.


I generally do mine about once a week when painting.  Use the soap to break up the paint.  The tank with the spring in it is used to clean the brush during regular use.  By painting over the submerged spring several times it separates the bristles and helps clean the paint out of the brush a bit better. 
Hope that helps.
Snitchy sends.

[westwaller]

Hmmm, I know there are a few votes for it, but I wasn't impressed by the 'Masters Brush Preserver' it seem a little harsh on the sables I use, so I went back to cleaning with Washing up liquid/Dish soap after painting, and then applying a bit of hair conditioner and rinsing that out as a last step.

You should try not to get paint as high as the ferrule- I'm not saying it doesn't happen though... use separate or older/cheaper brushes for washes if possible

When I paint I use two water pots one with a drop of washing up liquid in and one with normal water. I wash out the brush in just water one first, then it gets a swirl in the soapy one. And then another go in the normal one before I paint again. Try to do this regularly even if using the same colour. I also thin my paint on a wet pallete, this probably helps reduce heavy build up

[The Dozing Dragon]

When doing washes I use a separate larger brush. My water always has a little liquid soap in to break the surface tension or whatever it is called. Mind you my painting output is not exactly prodigious as we know 

[Jorny]

I use Master's, it really is great stuff!

I would also suggest getting some Winsor & Newton or Rosemary & co brushes. Since upgrading I almost only use a No 2 series 7. The point is so fine that you can do better detailing with that brush than smaller cheaper brushes!

[fastolfrus]

I'd vote for Rosemary's brushes, and keep a seperate brush just for washes.

I met Rosemary at an art show a few years ago, she has a relative who is a figure painter (brother or nephew?) so is familiar with some of the issues.

Her one recomendation was use a cheap hair conditioner on your brushes, probably once a month, put a small amount on your fingernail, drag the brush through it (as if painting your nails) and rinse well.
Also, if you buy a brush in one of the little plastic tube head protectors, ditch the tube a.s.a.p. as they attract/hold condensation and make your hair go frizzy.

[sundayhero]

Personaly, my rules are, at least for my quality (sable) brushes :

never let my brushes into water

never rub my brushes on cloth, figures, or the bottom of water pot

Rinse my brushes very often during painting

Use each brush for each specific work (like not using my 5/0 for clothes or base, for instance)

Clean my brushes each time I finish my painting session with water and soap. If the soap is good enough for my skin, it's good enough for brushes.

Redo the tip of the brush with my mouth after cleaning, and put a protection cap on it.


I also try to use cheap brushes only for rough works, like drybrush, washes, or bases.

This way, I can keep a sable brush in good condition for years.

[Brandlin]

i think you need to understand WHY you get paint in the ferrule.

it is NOT because you over load your brush.

The bristles in your brush act in a capillary fashion, allowing liquids to flow up and down them - thats how they work. The thinner the liquid the faster it will move in a capillary fashion. That means that liquid will flow up into the ferrule when you paint. Especially if you are using low viscosity liquids like washes and inks.

Because you are using very small brushes the amount of paint you have on the brush will be small and will therefore dry faster. So i'm not surprised you have this problem.

It's easy to solve though - just clean your brushes every time you paint with ANY of the bush cleaners. personally i use a solid soap based one.

I do think there is a different issue here though. Using a BIGGER and BETTER QUALITY brush will both limit this effect, but also give you a MUCH BETTER point of the brush to paint with. It's a myth that you need anything smaller than a size 1 to paint miniatures.

[The Dozing Dragon]

whats the end effect of no surface tension?

It was recommended to me many years ago to give a more consistent 'flow' over the miniature due to releasing agent used in the molding process. I know occassionally finger 'grease' or whatever causes thinner washes to flow away and it does help in this. I rarely wash metal figures beforehand unless they have been a 'soab' to clean up or convert. Resin / plastic I always give a good clean beforehand.