Brush Care – August 2009
August 2009
Beginning this month, I want to begin a “Back to Basics” series. For the next several months I will discuss the basics of our tools – from brushes to surfaces to paint to transfer paper. By the end of the series, you will have all the painting information you need to be a prepared painter. I hope you enjoy the information!
Storing your brushes
At home, I store my brushes in the many souvenir coffee mugs that I have acquired over the years. I fill the mugs with uncooked pinto beans or black-eyed peas. The brushes stand straight up without touching another brush. I have a mug for every size brush. Do not store wet brushes – be sure that your brushes are dry before standing them upright.
When traveling, I use our pretty Brush Roll-up. The Brush Roll-up is a convenient and protective storage solution. There are 24 pockets to hold a variety of paint brushes. Special waterproof coating on the inside protects fabric and surfaces from damp brushes. To keep the brushes from falling out, I added a velcro strip to the top of the brush roll and then added the corresponding velcro strip to a piece of heavy plastic that I cut to fit the brush roll.
When painting, I use our brush basin. The basin has a rake area to clean brushes while painting, as well as a brush rest area.
Be sure when you have the brush resting in the brush basin that the brush is resting on the cradle inside the tub and the bristles are not touching the bottom, since this will bend the bristles. Don’t have the water level so high that the wooden brush handle gets wet. This may cause the handle to swell and the ferrule to become loose and result in “wobbling” while you are painting and the paint on the handle will peel and flake off.
A must-have for every painter. The brush rest eliminates the mess from sliding
brushes and the need to wipe and reload brushes during short periods of non-use.
Simply rest your brushes against the coated wire holder to keep secure
while you paint. Sturdy wooden base keeps the Brush Rest upright on working surface.
Holds up to 7 brushes.
Cleaning Your Brushes
With One Stroke painting, it is very important to have a crisp chisel edge. In order to keep your brushes looking like new – I recommend cleaning your brushes with the FolkArt Brush Preserver Kit. The kit includes a 2 oz. bottle of brush cleaner to gently remove paints, varnishes and mediums, and a specially designed scrubber that cleans all bristle lengths.
Remember – Paint-clogged ferrules are one of your brushes’ worst enemies!
In three easy steps, your brushes will be clean, shaped and ready to go when you start your next project.
1. Squeeze a small amount of FolkArt Brush Cleaner & Conditioner onto your brush.
2. Place the brush scrubber in the palm of your hand, choose the correct height of scrubber teeth for your brush, then move the brush back and forth under the running water until the water runs clear. Use a scrubber height tall enough to remove paint from the ferrule.
3. After cleaning, apply a small amount of FolkArt Brush Cleaner & Conditioner and reshape the bristles using your thumb and forefinger. Lay your brush flat on the counter or table until completely dry.
Information for this article was taken from Plaid Online, OneStroke.com and In-Home Art Catalog.
