Quality artists' paint brushes are an investment. It is important to wash them thoroughly at the end of every studio session or they can become permanently damaged. A proper cleaning will help maintain the shape of the tip, and extend the life of the ferrule and hairs as long as possible.
Ten Steps to Cleaning Artists' Brushes
- When you are done with your painting session, put on pair of rubber gloves. Use a paper towel or soft cloth to wipe off any excess paint by squeezing the brush gently from ferrule to toe.
- Rinse the brush in a jar of lukewarm water (water-based paints) or turpentine (oil-based paints) to loosen up the remaining paint.
- Use a paper towel or soft cloth to once again wipe off any excess paint.
- Squeeze a nickel-sized drop of liquid hand soap or mild dishwashing soap (like Ivory), in the palm of your hand, and use the brush to work up a lather.
- Under lukewarm running water, gently dab and swirl the brush in the palm of your hand in a circular motion.
- Rinse and repeat until suds stay white, and brush is clean.
- Rinse a final time until the water runs clean to remove any remaining soap residue.
- Gently shake, squeeze, or blot the remaining water out of the brush using paper towels or a soft cloth.
- Restore damp brush hairs to their original shape with your fingers, or by wrapping the bristles with a small piece of paper towel while they are still wet (remove the towel when dry).
- Dry your brushes on a flat surface such as a soft hand towel.
Additional Tips
- Never use hot water to clean the brushes. It may expand and loosen the metal ferrule, and soften the glue, causing the hairs to fall out.
- Keep brushes used for water-based paints separate from the brushes you use for oil. Oil repels water, which means that after you clean your brushes, any residue that remains may affect how the paint adheres to your support. It's also a good idea to use separate brushes for applying varnish, masking fluids, gesso, and other primers.
- When painting with acrylics, clean your synthetic brushes extra well. These types of brushes are especially prone to the build-up of paint where the hairs join the ferrule. Leftover paint allowed to dry in this area will cause the hairs to splay out and the brush will be ruined.
- Avoid leaving oil paint brushes standing in turpentine for extended periods of time. The pressure on the tip may distort and damage the hairs.
- Always lay your brushes on a horizontal surface to dry. If you dry them vertically, with the tips up, excess water will drain backwards down and into the ferrule, which may cause it to expand or become loose. Brushes should always be completely dry before being put away to avoid the possibility of mildew.
- Certain pigments and solvents contain well-known carcinogens. When using them, it's important to avoid unnecessary paint-to-skin contact by always wearing rubber gloves while cleaning your brushes. For more information on individual paints and drawing pigments, visit the city of Tucson's database for artist safety: http://www.tucsonaz.gov/arthazards/paint1.html
- Over time, certain pigments will permanently tint the hairs of your brushes. This is normal and should not affect the performance of your brushes in any way.
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