TAKING CARE OF YOUR PAINTBRUSHES

Paintbrushes are part of any artist’s essential tools, professionals and amateurs alike. Whether they are used with oil paints, gouache, acrylic, watercolor, or for any other artistic work, regular maintenance is essential to making them last. Regular cleaning, using adapted products and preserving their shape are simple things that you can do every day so that your paintbrushes stay in perfect shape. Don’t forget to look after your precious art supplies!

In this guide, you’ll find our tips to maintaining your paintbrushes and taking up good habits.

Just as it is important to correctly clean and maintain your writing tools or your drawing supplies, taking care of your paintbrushes should be taken seriously.

Whether you work with acrylic paint, gouache, oil paint, or even watercolor, regular cleaning of your paintbrushes, and their correct maintenance, will extend their life. A paintbrush is an important tool for any artist and deserves special attention. What’s more, clean paintbrushes that are in good condition are guaranteed to apply paint smoothly onto the page, whereas dirty paintbrushes or damaged ones can alter the precision and delicacy of the brushstrokes.
By taking care of your paintbrushes, you will also maintain their shape and the bristles or hairs. Well-looked after brushes will keep their original shape and characteristics which are essential to obtaining the desired strokes and effects in your painting.

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The first habit to pick up is not mixing up your paintbrushes if you use different types of paint. Different paints have different chemical properties which can affect the bristles of your paintbrushes over time. For example, oil paint is more abrasive for the bristles than acrylic paint, which can lead to premature wearing if the paintbrushes are used interchangeably. Also, cleaning becomes more complex as different types of paint will need specific solvents and cleaners which can also lead to early wear of the bristles because of the varying chemical properties of the paints.

 

A common mistake that is often made by people who paint is to get paint onto the ferrule. The ferrule is the metallic part between the brush’s handle and head, and is in fact the key element of the brush that holds the bristles in place. If the ferrule is badly rinsed and full of paint, this will not only damage the paintbrush bristles, but will also lead to a buildup of paint inside the ferrule and at the base of the bristles. To preserve the suppleness of the brush’s bristles and keep them over time, make sure you clean this part of the paintbrush which is often neglected, and avoid dirtying it with paint.

 

To keep your paintbrushes in good condition, clean them after every use. Regular cleaning will avoid paint residue building up, which can lead to damage to the bristles, the ferrule, or even the handle of the paintbrush which is generally made of wood. After every use, carefully rinse your paintbrushes in warm water to get rid of the paint. Make sure you rinse your brush until the water runs clear, which means that all the paint has been removed from the bristles.

 

To clean your paintbrushes properly, use products that are adapted to the type of paint you're using. For acrylic paint, a water-based cleaner will be more appropriate while for oil paints specific solvents are recommended. Make sure you carefully read the instructions on the packaging of a product to make sure that it is adapted to the type of paint you've used.
You can occasionally use a gentle soap to give your paintbrush a deep clean. Bring the soap to a lather in the palm of your hand and gently slide the brush’s bristles through the foam to remove the paint. Rinse the paintbrush thoroughly in cold water and dry it carefully.

While you should wash and rinse your paintbrushes carefully, drying also requires a little care. Do not leave your paintbrushes soaking in water or a solvent for too long or you will damage the bristles. After cleaning, leave your paintbrushes out flat to dry or hang them head down so that the water can trickle away. Leaving your paintbrushes to dry with the head up lets water penetrate inside the ferrule which will damage the adhesive that keeps the bristles in place.

To keep your paintbrushes’ tips and hairs in good condition, you should avoid pressing down on the bristles, flattening them or bending them, when you rinse or dry them. Make sure to always dry the bristles of your paintbrush carefully on a soft cloth. And to keep the tip of your paintbrushes in good condition, store them standing up in a pot or hang them with their bristles facing downwards so that they can dry naturally without getting bent out of shape.

For extra protection, use brush protectors or caps so that the bristles do not rub against each other when they are stored. This will prevent dust and dirt building up in the bristles.

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Thanks to Caran d’Ache, you now know how to take care of your paintbrushes.