Brush Care Tips

Hi from me, Martin at Terry Harrison Art, I hope this newsletter finds you well.

A common question that gets asked is how best to care for your paint brushes, so I have pulled together 7 tips to make sure your brushes are being cleaned well and will last a long time!

Top brush care tips

1. Rinse in clean water to make sure ALL the pigment is removed. Clean water is important to make sure that as much of the pigment is removed. Once your water becomes completely opaque I recommend changing it for fresh water, otherwise you may find that your intended pigment is polluted from the earlier pigments that are now suspended in the water. Of course if you are using a variety of greens (for example) then that risk is lowered so you may decide to continue until you move to another pigment before changing water.
   
   
2. Cleaning a brush fully may take longer than you think, especially with those brushes which retain a lot of pigment like our Foliage range and the Golden Leaf. Agitate the brush through the water in sideways motions, using the pressure of the water to clear the bristles of pigment.  Whilst rinsing the brush, keep as much of the ferrule out of the water. The brass ferrule is attached to the handle by a strong glue, however if the whole ferrule is submerged regularly there is a risk that the wooden handle within the ferrule can become damaged.
   
   
3. Another tip is to make sure not to press the brush down into the base of the pot . This can be tempting because it opens up the bristles and frees the pigment (I am definitely guilty of this when I first tried out Watercolour!) however splaying the bristles out like this can damage them and you will find that the lovely profile of the brush can irreparably be changed. This advice also applies to paint application as well, as excessive pressing can force paint into the ferrule, making it very hard to clear and risking bleeding not other pigments.  An obvious exception to this would appear to be the stippling brushes which by their very nature are designed to be pressed into the paper. This is a case of moderation in application - yes they need to be stippled, but we don’t want to flatten the bristles out, not least of all because it will ruin that stipple effect that the brushes are designed to produce.
   
   
4. Do not leave the brush in the water - this can damage the handles and more importantly can affect the point and shape of your brush. Paint brushes are designed to be used in water and other mediums, but our bristles are all natural fibres, so long term immersion in water will damage them.
   
   
5. Once clear, of pigment, wipe the excess water off with a rag or a paper towel and reshape the brush with your finger.
   
   
6. Lie them out flat to dry and make sure that they are kept out of direct sunlight - the UV rays can breakdown the bristle and hairs and affect the brushes efficacy.
   
   
7. Once dry your brushes can be stored upright, making sure where possible that the brushes do not touch and have room to air whilst not in use. As with drying, store out of direct sunlight as the UV rays can eventually degrade the bristles.

Cleaning after each use using these steps will ensure that your brushes last for a long time and continue to perform as expected. 

 A reminder that with the coming of Spring we have 10% off the Green and Darks paints, perfect for those spring time greens. Use code SPRING2025 at checkout to apply the discount. 

That's it for this week - thanks for reading and I hope you have a good week painting!Martin