Of all of the tools we use, the most important are our paint brushes. As you get more into painting you’ll want to invest in good brushes. I use Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes while Goatboy uses Raphael Series 8404 brushes. Most of us buy these on the Internet at a discount but they still represent a decent investment in our tools. As with any tool proper care will ensure a long life with lots of use.
At the end of any painting session you’ll want to give your brush a thorough cleaning with clean water and brush soap. The brush soap I recommend for regular cleaning is the Masters Brush Soap. This soap comes as a cake of soap in a plastic container. The nice thing about this soap is that it quickly removes the light pigments that build up in the bristles as you paint. It always surprises me how much color this soap removes from the brush even after I think I’ve completely rinsed the brush out.
Over time small amounts of paint will find its way up into the ferrule of you brush. These little deposits will hinder your brush from maintaining a decent point. When your brush has reached this point you can resurrect the point. Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner and Restorer is the tool for this job.
There are brush rinsing pots for soaking your brushes in but pay for something that is easy to make? All you need is two bamboo skewers, a pill bottle, and some poster tack. Now once you set up your rig add the brush cleaner to go above the ferule. From here on out just follow the directions on the bottle of Brush Cleaner, and your brush will be back in pro form in no time.
How do you keep your brushes in top form?
