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All of us painters know that brushes are expensive. And if you use cheap brushes, never use the expensive stuff because you will never go back. Well after a night of painting I use to leave my brushes in a cup of cleaner only to wake up the next day with not only clean brushes, but destroyed tips. The bristles were either separated in random directions or all curved. Soon after I went to a arts and craft store and found a brush holder that held the brushes that included a dish below them to put solution. I didn't buy this item but decided to improvise what you see below.


I took some Elmers Tac putty, basically like 3M blue tac or any other used to hang posters. Which I think we all either have or know where to get some. Pushed it in and along the rim of a glass food jar. It works great! Just add a brush cleaning solution of your choice.

NOTE: You want the bristles to sit fully submerged and just a little bit of the metal in also to get paint you might have over dipped into it. If you go too far and the solution soaks into the wood handle it will expand and crack the varnish on the handle.

Protect your investment and after your painting or decide to take a break, just place the brush in something like this. And keep the cash in your wallet



GO MAKE ONE AND SHOW US!


edit: If you want to form your tips to fine points after cleaning you can use dish soap or Brush Shaper.
Get Brush Shaper here : http://www.dickblick.com/products/mona-lisa-brush-shaper/?wmcp=yahoo&wmcid=SiteSubmitProducts&wmckw=Mona+Lisa+Brush+Shaper



Before and After

Nice ! I'm definitely going to make one of these.

I have two questions though.

1. What do people recommend as a brush cleaner?

2. I have a problem where my brushes curve over at the tip, just the top 1mm or less. Why does this happen and what can I do to prevent it?

Thanks

1. I use Loew Cornell Brush Cleaner for Acrylic paints for putting my brushes in over night. Non-flammable, Non-toxic, and Odorless.


For brushes that need a bit more I use Medea Airbrush Cleaner.


2. Brush Shaper helps prevent this. I don't know how to fix brushes that already have tips starting to curve. I know this starts to happen over time but I also know it happens faster when you let paint dry on the tip. Try cleaning your brush in your water cup after every 3rd application at most. Especially when base coating.

where would i find this cornell brush cleaner in the USA?

I get mine at Michael's arts and crafts stores.

thank you for that information.

I highly recommend Masters brush cleaner/preserver over any other for repairing/maintaining brushes.

Awesome, thanks for the info.

Instead of buying the brush cleaner you can get Mineral Spirits. I was told that it not only works on oil paints, it cleans paints. As well as acrylics. Or so I was told from a painter.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=60647-78-QKGO75001&lpage=none



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