look after your paint brushes
The essence of brush care is simple – don’t damage them in the first place!
thin layers of paint can dry near the ferrule even while you are working. To remove wet acrylic paint, clean
water can be good enough. If you feel some help is necessary, Gerstaecker’s ‘I Love Art’ Eco-Friendly brush cleaner is excellent. I have been delighted in recent years to see improvements in eco-friendly brush cleaners and Lascaux’s 2080 Brush Cleaner is easy to use, odourless, water-soluble and leaves my brushes feeling great. Once acrylic paint has dried on a brush, it is much harder to rescue. In the past, I have managed to return brushes to working order by soaking them
care not to bang the bristles on the sides) or under a gently running tap. Lightly touch them on to a sheet of white kitchen roll and if absolutely no colour comes out, I consider them clean. I then flick them to restore the shape. As they age, I might reshape gently with my fingers, too. When cleaning oil or acrylic
brushes, begin by removing excess paint. Rub the brush on a lint free rag or sheet of kitchen roll and gently squeeze the bristles from ferrule to tip. Clean with your choice of solvent, and gently reshape with your fingers. A useful tool is a pot with a coil; these are very good for gently working the solvent into the brush hairs without risking damage. Acrylic brushes are
fine as long as you don’t allow the paint to dry. This is easier said than done, as
HANDLE WITH CARE Seven steps for extending the life of your brushes
1. ALWAYS BUY THE BEST You really do get what you pay for –
and spending more might encourage you to take better care of them!
2. NEVER REST ON THE BRISTLES Remember how difficult your own hair becomes
when you’ve worn a hat? The same rules apply.
3. DON’T LEAVE THEM IN WATER Wood swells, metals rust, glue degrades and
bristles bend – no part is safe!
4. CLEAN THEM IMMEDIATELY Even clean brushes during painting, if necessary.
If paint dries in the ferrule it will bend the bristles, making them difficult to reshape.
5. BE GENTLE Save older brushes for mixing colour to
avoid prematurely aging new ones.
6. ALWAYS RESHAPE ONCE CLEAN Leave a brush to dry thoroughly before storing.
7. NEVER PULL ON THE BRISTLES Even the best quality brushes can moult –
and unlike head hair, it won’t grow back.
in Chroma’s new Atelier Unlocking Formula, before washing the bristles with “The Masters” Brush Cleaner and Preserver to condition them. As far as oils are
concerned, some form of solvent is a necessity. This can
come in the most basic of forms: someone once suggested baby oil to me – it was partially effective, but better for babies. Schmincke produce an effective
Brush Cleaner with orange terpene, which I found to be very effective for both oils and acrylics. It had a good smell too but did make my eyes water, so it is worth remembering to use in a well-ventilated room. Used as a straight oil brush
cleaner rather than just a conditioner, the apparent gentleness of “The Master’s” Brush Cleaner and Preserver belies its efficacy. Although it is a little more difficult to work into the area near the ferrule than a liquid (even using a coil), it does a very good job and has earned itself a permanent place in my studio. With thanks to Great Art for the products tested.
www.greatart.co.uk
Artists & Illustrators 75
PHOTOS: GARETH IWAN-JONES
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84