Paintbrush Loving!

Whether you paint, collage, mixed media, stamping, brush maintenance and care is essential. Not only they last longer, maintain their shape and they preform better when you take care of them.
Here are some tips;
Caring and Cleaning for your brushes:

1) Remove the excess paint from the paintbrush by wiping it onto (or with) a cloth or paper towel. Gently squeezing the bristles from the ferrule to the tip helps to remove the paint, but avoid pulling on the bristles.

2) Rinse the brush in lukewarm to cool water if you painted with a water-based medium. Use turpentine or a paintbrush cleaner specifically for oil-based products to remove oil paint. Never use hot water; it can cause the bristles/hairs to fall out.

3) Wipe the brush on the cloth again to remove any paint that remains. Once all of the excess paint is removed, wash the brush gently with mild soap. Rinse and repeat until there is no trace of paint or soap.

4) Shake the water from the paintbrush and then gently shape the brush head into its correct shape with your fingers.

5) Stand the paintbrush, handle-side down, in a container and allow the brush to air-dry at room temperature. Never rest the paintbrush on its head to dry as the bristles will lose their shape.

And of course, paintbrushes can come in very handy for applying glue, gel medium, and other sticky substances to your mixed-media collage art. For that, I recommend using foam brushes or cheap chip brushes.
If you must use a good quality paintbrush to apply glue, be sure to wash it immediately after use, or the bristles will bond together. I know this from experience!!!

Hope these tips will help you with the proper care of your art brushes, then you will create your very own routine that works for you. Sooo, before you leave your working area make sure your brushes and tools are clean and well placed.

”Every artist dips his brush in his own soul and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
--Henry Ward Beecher.

Happy Cleaning Time!