Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I bought a few really good quality brushes (ProArte miniature brushes) that I had recommended to me, but I've only used them a couple of times and the very ends of the brushes have now curled into a small hook shape.
This has happened with all three brushes I bought and it's now ruined them. Is it something I've done wrong and can avoid in the future? I paint with GW paints pretty much exclusively, and use water to wash them out and fluid retarder to thin the paint and thats about it. I don't leave them stood tip down in the water or anything so I'm at a loss as to why they have curled.
Any ideas?

Thanks.

first up let me say "nuarghuagghhgarghhh!!!!" to your profile picture

On topic, i dont really know why that would happen other then leaving them tip down. Hopefully someone can help.

Not sure who recommended them tho, they seem far from ideal for miniature painting to me, no body to the brush to hold paint and synthetic bristles.

Check out rosemary & co series 33 or Winsor and newton series 7 when your looking for replacements.

*edit*

You could try getting some brush soap and seeing if you could reshape them. You should have some anyway, it pays for itself in extending the life of your brushes.

i have a similar problem, so lets see if we can find a common denominator... how do you dry your brushes? and how do you rinse out the paint? when your painting how paint over large areas? stroke?

Seems like this is an issue with synthetic bristles sometimes from my quick google search. Some suggest dipping them into hot water and reshaping, but do that at your own risk!

Do you ever leave them tip down? Do you use brush soap? Do you wash them after every use? Are they synthetic brushes?

If you don't have some already, get Masters Brush Soap or some form of liquid brush soap. After cleaning try conditioning them and reshaping.

Taklon brushes easily hook as you are describing. I suggest using sable brushes instead as this doesn't happen to them.

Thank you for the feedback, I always wash & dry my brushes after a painting session, and never dry brush with my good quality stuff, but I must confess I haven't ever used brush soap before.
Its looking like these synthetic brushes may not be as good as I was lead to believe...
Luckily it's my birthday on Sunday so I'll splash out & treat myself to some brush soap and shiny new sable brushes i think!

Any other recommendations of good brushes as well as the rosemary & co series 33 or Winsor and newton series 7 mentioned previously?

I exclusively use the series 33.

The series 33s are excellent brushes at a fantastic price. The series 7s are only a little bit better, but 3 times the price.

As far as i know, those 2 are the best miniature painting brush brands that are easy to get in the UK. theres other excellent brushes like raphael, but they are harder to find here.

You will want brush soap tho, its the difference between your brush lasting a month and lasting a year.

I am glad for the advice in this thread thank you for directing me to a good source of brushes.

I personally love the Raphael 8404 Kolinsky Sable brushes. I have two that I use for just about everything. They hold their point like nothing I've ever seen. I also use The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver. It is glorious!

Masters: http://www.dickblick.com/products/the-masters-brush-cleaner-and-preserver/

Raphael Brushes: http://www.secretweaponminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=29

When I was researching brushes I came across this article comparing the Windsor Newton and the Raphaels: http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?36283

It's quite informative.

Just picked up an 8404 and I will not use anything alse now. these are better than the series 7 IMO. If you take care of them they wil last you a long time.

The curled tip is pretty comon on the synthetic brisyles. if you rinse your brush often and dont go up past the half way point of the bristle it can delay but not stop this from happening.

The 8404 Raphaels are very hard to come by in the UK. Given thats where the op is from, they arnt a great choice.

Thanks a million for all the advice, I love this community!
I'm going to mail order a couple of the series 7s, a couple of the series 33s and the 8404s if I can find them, and see what I get on with the best.
With the cost of the models themselves nowadays I think it's going to be more than worth me spending a bit to find the perfect brush.

Incidentally, how do you guys rate the basic GW brushes?

Dont forget the brush soap!

The gw brushes arnt too bad for the price. They are great for dry brushing, bases or anything anything you dont want to risk damaging your decent brushes on.

For the level of abuse I put on them, the Master's Touch line holds up fine for the price. I'm definitely not a golden daemon winner, but they give great results for the price. I do treat them well afterward, though, and I am very meticulous when I am looking at them in the store, as a LOT of the brand new brushes have stray bristles or lost caps and gotten damaged. It's also always advisable to have some cheap brushes around for abuse like overbrushing, drybrushing, and stippling. I'd never pay more than 2 bucks for a brush to do that, which makes this line just fine after they've aged a bit. No rest for the wicked.

I haven't invested in any nice brushes yet, but I'm about THIS far from doing so. I'm currently using an Army Painter Wargamer "Regiment" brush, and for as much as I take care of it, it still deviates. Only a few months old, and I'm fighting tip curl and oddball strands of the brush wanting to do their own thing..

-Stored standing up (bristle up)
-Paint never gets past the tip really, let alone the ferrule
-Rinsed with water regularly (Room temp)
-Masters Brush Soap regularly (cleaning and reshaping)
-Always put back in its protective tube

So... I'll go out on a limb and say that a quality brush will make the difference for you, me, and anybody else with crap brushes...