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CHOOSING & USING BRUSHES

Fine arts stores (Pearl Art, Dick Blick) carry a better selection of brushes suited for miniature painting than typical hobby stores (Hobby Lobby, Michael's). I like to buy brushes in person, not online, whenever possible. Unfortunately, some models, especially the shorter haired brushes, can be difficult to find. Website prices are generally lower, too. Look for sites which allow exchanges.

Test each brush to make sure it holds a good point and is well shaped. As brushes are handmade, they can vary greatly. A reputable art store will have water and blotting paper available for this purpose. Wet the brush to remove the stiffening mastic (very important), try some strokes on the paper, and see how the brush responds and reforms after use.

You'll need to clean your brushes; how often depends on how long and how heavily they are used. Usually I rinse mine well at the end of a painting session, use a brush soap every few sessions, and clean them well with brush cleaner every 20 to 30 hours of use.

Winsor & Newton's brush cleaner is great for getting dried paint out of ferrules. (While the brush shouldn't be dipped in paint all the way to its ferrule, using washes will suck it up inside, no matter how carefully you load your brush.) I saturate the brush with cleaner and let it sit five to ten minutes, then press the brush against a clean paper towel to wick the cleaner back out. Dissolved paint will come with it. I repeat this until the excess cleaner is clear (or I get tired of it). Avoid getting any paint cleaners on brush handles, or they'll remove that paint too.

Treat your brushes gently during cleaning to avoid loss of hairs. Every few cleanings, I condition my brushes; any 'deep moisture' or 'restorative' hair conditioner will work. Leave it in for ten to thirty minutes, then rinse well. It restores oils and gives some suppleness and spring back to an older brush.



Clean, rinsed brushes should be reformed into a point and stored upright, to prevent damage to the hairs. The plastic tubes with which brushes are sold will provide some protection, but for travel or long-term storage, a brush box or holder is a good idea. Incidentally, I always take my brushes in my carry-on bag when flying to conventions or classes. They're by far the most difficult tool to replace on site. It's easy to borrow paints or prime a new mini, but using someone else's brushes just doesn't feel the same!