One of the most important tools found in an Artist’s toolbox are the brushes. In order to prolong the life of your paintbrush it is important to understand the anatomy of the brush. The Hairs (the most important part of a brush) are made up of 2 parts. The very end of the bristles is called the tip. The thicker part of the hairs is known as the belly. Bristles can be made of natural hair (sable, squirrel, goat, pony, ox mink, mongoose, badger, hog, weasel, ferret, wolf, pig, dog, camel…) or synthetic material (nylon, Taklon polyester). The metal neck of the brush between the bristles and the handle is called the Ferrule. At the base of the Ferrule is the Crimp where all the bristles are pinched together. The Handle can be made of wood or a synthetic material. On the handle you will find the brush size, the brand, Series name and Series number.

THE 6 BASIC BRUSH SHAPES

Filbert Brush: This hybrid (round/flat) brush is a favourite of many artists. The tip is rounded or oval shaped. It creates broad strokes (like a flat) when used on the flat and thin lines (like a round) when used on its side. Curved tip can be used for soft brush strokes and blending.

Flat Wash Brush: The flat tip of this brush makes it perfect for applying a lot of paint to the surface. In the beginning stages of painting it is often used for blocking in solid shapes of colour. It also can create thick strokes or thin lines.

Angled Wash Brush:  The angled wash brush has bristles that are cut on a slant with one side longer than the other making it ideal for floating shadows and high light, getting into corners and making curved strokes.

Round Brush: Round brushes are narrower than other brushes which provides the artist with more control. They have a large belly and a sharp point. Round brushes create fine lines and detail.

Liner Brush: Also called a Rigger, the long, thin bristles of this brush can end in a toe that is flat or pointed. An Artist will use this brush for painting fine details, lettering, numbers or to sign their name to their artwork

Fan Brush: This specialty brush looks just like its name suggests.  It is often used for nature elements (leaves, adding texture to grass, rocks, feathers, beards, hair, fur….) It is also great for blending, smoothing and feathering.

BRUSH MAINTENANCE

Brushes are an investment and the most valuable tools in your Artist’s toolbox. With proper usage and care they should last a long time and perform as designed by the manufacturer. Here are some basic suggestions.

  1. Keep the Ferrule clean (avoid letting water and/or paint creep up past the ferrule) (water collecting inside the ferrule will cause the bristles to fall out).
  2. Paint should not be allowed to dry in the bristles.
  3. Remove excess paint with a paper towel.
  4. Brush should not be left soaking in a brush basin or in mineral spirits for long periods of time.
  5. Resting your brush  on its tip will damage the hairs.
  6. Clean your brushes properly using mild soap and cool, never hot, water for Acrylic paint and mineral spirits for Oil paint (Murphy’s oil soap or Baby oil are good substitutes for mineral spirits).
  7. After cleaning the brush, gently squeeze out any excess water and shape the hairs with your fingers to a sharp edge or point, then lay your brush on its side to dry.

CLEANING

You can purchase a Plastic Deep Clean brush cleaner from Michaels or DeSerres with little prongs that stick upwards to remove embedded pigment deep in the bristles.

Brushes used with acrylic and oil paints are harder to maintain. It takes more effort to remove the paint from the bristles. Solvents and brush cleaners should be used to remove acrylic or oil paint. When paint is left in a brush it can dry to the point where the brush becomes unusable. Choose a cleaner that is best suited for the medium your are using. Brushes should be cleaned after each use but it’s also important to remove the paint gently so that the shape of the bristles is not altered. There are cleaning containers designed to help remove the paint from the brush.

Tips to clean your brush

1. Keep the handle clean and dry (when brushes are left in water, the outer coating can crack and peel exposing the raw wood underneath).

2. Scrub the bristles along the side, not the bottom of the water basin (unless the paint is embedded in the belly near the ferrule).

3. Move the brush back and forth quickly (this works for brushes that have intense pigments).

4. Deep Cleaning. You can purchase a deep, brush cleaning, disk from your favourite Art Supply store or use a soap/conditioner (“The Masters” brush cleaner and preserver) in a cake form. The soapy foam will lift particles of old paint that have built up in the bristles. Rinse and repeat if there’s more paint to clean out.

5. For delicate, fan, round or thinner, liner brushes, wipe the bristles (under cool water) against the open palm of your hand, with the bristles on the trailing edge. Slowly rotate the brush so that all sides eventually contact the surface of your palm.

6. Test how clean the rinsed brush is by wiping it on a paper towel to see what colour the water is. Water that is tinted means there still is paint in the bristles and requires more washing.

Caring for your brushes is fun because you’re taking responsibility and ownership for the creative process.