How to Choose the Right Paint Brush?

How to Choose the Right Paint Brush?

It is very disappointing when, at the most inopportune moment, your favorite brush falls into disrepair. Today we’ll talk about how to choose, store and care for brushes so that they last as long as possible.

When purchasing brushes, pay attention to the following:
The clip fits snugly to the shaft, does not wobble or scroll

The hair bundle should be tightly gathered, the hairs should not fall from the slightest physical contact
When wetted, the pile gathers in an even shape, the hairs do not stick out in different directions.

If you place an order via the Internet, the physical size of the brush is not always clear from the photo. To do this, it is worth knowing the decoding – the number of the brush on the body means the width or diameter of the brush in millimeters.

When choosing the length of the handle, it is worth considering how you plan to work with it. When working at an easel, it is more convenient to take a long handle so that you do not have to reach for the canvas. When working at the table, we recommend giving preference to a short handle so that it does not interfere with the drawing process.

For comfortable work, it is worth choosing the brush nap for the material used, so that at the end of the work the brush does not become unusable.

When working with oil, use bristle , synthetic, or column brushes .
For acrylic , synthetics are the best choice , but bristles and a column are also possible .
Watercolor loves soft pile – squirrel , goat , speakers , synthetics , ponies . Tempera gets along well with synthetics and bristles .
When working with ink or ink, you can use synthetics , columns and protein .

Now, here are some tips for storing, restoring and caring for your brushes so they last as long as possible:

Keep brushes clean. Dried dye on the hairs and at the clip can damage the integrity of the hair and body.
Do not leave the brush in water for a long time. The tip, resting on the bottom, is deformed, and water penetrating under the clip can crack the varnish on the handle. For brushes with a French attachment, with constant prolonged contact with water, the hair bunch can fly out completely.

Do not press hard on the brush, resting against the surface to the clip – with this treatment, the hair will eventually break off against the edge of the crimp ring.

When working with varnishes and solvents, rinse the brush thoroughly – the residues of the product can dissolve the glue and lead to the loss of the pile or hair bundle entirely.

When working with tempera and acrylic, immerse tools that are idle in water. Such paints dry quickly and then are very poorly washed out of the pile.

Fluffy synthetic bristle brushes can be “collected” by keeping them in warm water (not boiling water). With natural brushes, this experience should not be repeated, the pile may be damaged due to the high temperature.
A loose clip can be tightened with pliers, and for French-fastened brushes, the wire can be tightened.

The escaped hair bun can be put back on the waterproof glue.
Natural bristles are bad for washing with laundry soap. For this, it is better to use special cleaning agents.
It is better to dry the brushes in a horizontal, inclined position or in a suspended state with the pile down. This is necessary for the outflow of water from the shaft.
Keep the brushes dry. You can use special pencil cases, twists or glasses.

Proper storage and care is essential for all brushes so that they last as long as possible. In our art supermarkets you can always find convenient, means for cleaning and storage of your favorite brushes to your tools have always been clean and tidy.