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Hi everyone.

I'm wondering how to keep my brushes nice and pointy to do some detail work. I buy my brushes from a modelling supplies vendor where they are sharp as a needle. I bring them home, dip them into some water, add the paint and after a couple of strokes I end up with some fluffy tail instead of a point. I keep the brushes cleaned, don't allow paint to dry on them or anything but after a couple of strokes the point is gone. For some reason I can't find a decent guide on brush handling for miniatures, but all tutorial videos on miniature painting show brush points you could do eye surgery with. Any idea what to do or is ist just a matter of "get out there and buy the most expensive ones"?

Lick them.

What size brushs are you using?

I do most of my work with 0,1,2 brushes that I buy from a craft store.

 Kosake wrote:
Any idea what to do or is ist just a matter of "get out there and buy the most expensive ones"?

It's a combination of what you do with the brushes and the quality of brushes. The reason why things like Sable hair (and Kolinsky-Sable) brushes do what they do is because of the natural qualities of that animal's hair. The Sable (and weasels in general) have 'water-repelling' properties on their fur coats that takes the water and pushes it to the end of the hair where it beads up and keeps the animal dry. We want that same property in our paint brushes, so get a bundle of hair that pushes liquids to the point/tip of the hair and that makes it easier to control the paints. So the 'higher quality' brushes keep their points longer because they're designed to hold the paints in their point. Also, proper care, and techniques like licking your brush tip can help it keep a point.

Licking the brush? Seriously? The regular acrylics aren't that tasty and the matally paint looks even less apetizing..

Put a few strokes down while the tip is sharp, when it loses its point, swish it in water to get the paint out, then lick it to recreate tip.

 Kosake wrote:
Hi everyone.

I'm wondering how to keep my brushes nice and pointy to do some detail work. I buy my brushes from a modelling supplies vendor where they are sharp as a needle. I bring them home, dip them into some water, add the paint and after a couple of strokes I end up with some fluffy tail instead of a point. I keep the brushes cleaned, don't allow paint to dry on them or anything but after a couple of strokes the point is gone. For some reason I can't find a decent guide on brush handling for miniatures, but all tutorial videos on miniature painting show brush points you could do eye surgery with. Any idea what to do or is ist just a matter of "get out there and buy the most expensive ones"?

As stated, licking the brucs (or licking your fingers, and then stroking the hairs to a point) works.

Also, make sure to run it under warm water when cleaning it.

I use Master's Brush Cleaner with Windsor and Newtons. Keeps the tips sharp and helps condition the brush.

The problem could well be with the brushes themselves. I used to use Games Workshop brushes but came across the exact same problem you describe. I've since switched to Windsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinski Sable brushes and they keep a razor sharp point for ages and ages. They are more expensive to buy but they last much, much longer and work continuously throughout their lifespan. So in my opinion, better value.

 LutherMax wrote:
They are more expensive to buy but they last much, much longer

This ^^^

Think about what you've already invested in brushes bought new and as replacements. You can easily have had one or two nice Kolinskys that will last several years if cared for decently, longer if cared for exceedingly well. Sable brushes are a little less than Kolinsky hair brushes, and nearly as nice. A good Sable brush is enough for most painters in the hobby. As with all tools, you really do get what you pay for. Buy cheap, and you'll end up spending much more in the not so long run. You'll also be amazed at the huge increase in control you have with a Sable or Kolinsky. I've never had to lick a brush, nor would I. The behavior your brush exhibits is nothing more than characteristic behavior of a low quality brush. Save a little and spend ~$14US for a Divinci or Winsor and Newton series 7 size "0". It'll be money well spent.

 LutherMax wrote:
The problem could well be with the brushes themselves. I used to use Games Workshop brushes but came across the exact same problem you describe. I've since switched to Windsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinski Sable brushes and they keep a razor sharp point for ages and ages. They are more expensive to buy but they last much, much longer and work continuously throughout their lifespan. So in my opinion, better value.

That goes back to the natural awesomeness of the sable/weasel hair for use in paintbrushes!

I have been using a winsor and newton size 0 recently and it keeps a very nice point after a couple of months of use. I used raphael before but I think I prefer the winsor and newton. I can paint lines and eyes with no trouble.

I think paying a little extra for something that is your passion is worth the expense.

I bought a tub of master's brush cleaners and when I rubbed my brushes in it they shed a ton of gunk

My solution is basically to use cheapo synthetic brushes and replace them frequently. The Hobby Lobby near me has a pack of 4 nice 2/0 and 3/0 brushes for $1.99. When I finish a box, I toss a brush and go to new one.

I do have a W&N Series 7 that I've had for over a year now and it retains it's shape just fine. However, it sees way less use - it's my "tiniest places like eyeballs" brush.

+1 for Masters paint brush cleaner, it cleans just about anything out of the brush and you work the tip into a point with some masters left on it, it almost acts like a hair gel and keeps the point sharp. The only thing it cant do is fix synthetic brushes that develop a "hook tip"...

Sucking the tip ( ) really helps a lot. I use the 3 brushes from an Army Painter Starter Kit. They are not that expensive but they last for half a year now and are still kicking.

Yep - proper care and feeding is necessary to keep a good brush in tip-top shape, but it's nearly impossible to improve a brush's base quality. Stray hairs can be trimmed and bristles reconditioned, but the materials used and the quality of construction are what they are.

Very frequently, you get what you pay for, but not all of the best brushes are also the most costly. W&N Series 7s and Raphael 8404s are pretty expensive, as brushes go, but are generally held to be well worth the cost. Considering how many hobbyists balk at the cost of models and try to pinch pennies everywhere else, that's rather telling.

Personally, though, I've fallen in love with Rosemary & Co. brushes. Their cost is staggeringly low, considering the quality - price is more akin to an Army Painter brush than a S.7 or 8404, but it paints beautifully. Series 33 is their high-end Kolinsky line, but I actually prefer the Series 99. It's red sable and the head is a "normal" round with a moderately thick belly, as opposed to the elongated, almost "half rigger" shape of the S.99. Choice is really just a matter of personal preference, as the price difference is a matter of cents. Their S.99 size 0 has quickly become my default brush and shows no sign of wear, yet, after being used almost exclusively to paint several models.

Regarding maintenance, I swear by Master's brush soap. Frequent rinsing during use cuts down on bristle staining and crust formation, and gentle handling helps avoid kinked and splayed bristles, but caution can only go so far. For the rest, I use the brush soap. At the end of every long session or after a few short ones, I give the head a good cleaning (load on soap, lather in hand, rinse, repeat until foam is pure white and bristles look clean), leaving a final lather in to dry, maintaining shape and conditioning the bristles while it sits. Rinse it out before the next session and you're good to go.

Also, I've never been one to lick brushes. Tried it a few times, just out of curiosity, and saw no benefit, as my brushes were either of sufficient quality not to require constant reshaping or were bad enough that it didn't help. Maybe it works best on brushes of middling quality, or perhaps it only helps people who paint a certain way (i.e. push heavy paint - a spit-laden belly won't draw up much dilute paint and a tip reliant on less aggressive 'oral reformation' to hold its shape will splay again once soaked). YMMV.

tommse wrote:
Sucking the tip ( ) really helps a lot. I use the 3 brushes from an Army Painter Starter Kit. They are not that expensive but they last for half a year now and are still kicking.

Just the tip?

In regards to brushes, I've been using Reaper's Kolinsky Sable brushes, they've been the best go-between for quality and price. They're made from Kolinsky hair which is more of a weasel instead of that super expensive Sable hair, but it does the job just the same. They're like 5-10 bucks a brush (depending on size, etc...). I've been using them for almost 2 years now with only minimal issues (due to my own stupidity).

I never lick a brush but I grew up with Lead and Enamel paints to start with now we have the nice acrylics ..I have always used a cleaner to keep my brushes (Shaving Soap, Saddle Soap and Masters Brush cleaner..all have similar ingredients) ..Thou the Brush Cleaner is the easier to find these days..

Store the Brushes so the tip has zero pressure on it ..ie tip up in a cup or suspended by a spring holder or what not ..exact method may vary just so there is no pressure on the brush tip while not in use..

NOTE: Shaving Soap is not the same as shaving cream it is a white or pink round the right size to drop in the bottom of a shaving or coffee mug to be whipped with the large boar bristol brush into a foam..

 Kosake wrote:
Hi everyone.

I'm wondering how to keep my brushes nice and pointy to do some detail work. I buy my brushes from a modelling supplies vendor where they are sharp as a needle. I bring them home, dip them into some water, add the paint and after a couple of strokes I end up with some fluffy tail instead of a point. I keep the brushes cleaned, don't allow paint to dry on them or anything but after a couple of strokes the point is gone. For some reason I can't find a decent guide on brush handling for miniatures, but all tutorial videos on miniature painting show brush points you could do eye surgery with. Any idea what to do or is ist just a matter of "get out there and buy the most expensive ones"?

probably the brushes youre buying are total gak.

I bought a few cheap ones from some random hobby place years back and the same thing happened. In the store they looked good, the second i tried to use them they became useless. These were so bad that they made GW brushes look godly and GW brushes are also gak.

 Kosake wrote:
Licking the brush? Seriously? The regular acrylics aren't that tasty and the matally paint looks even less apetizing..

I dunno why people have to act so grossed out by that, painters have been doing it for years, and it works well. You wash the brush first, so there shouldn't be any paint on it anyway. Then you place the tip in your mouth on top of your tongue and suck it a bit as you would a frayed thread when you have to thread a needle. It removes the excess water and resapes the tip back to a point. Do not twist though as that causes the tip to split into two prongs and it'll piss you off.

if you do get paint in your mouth, just wipe it off and stop being a pussy. Before long you will associate the taste of paint with the joy of painting new miniatures, and it will take you to a happy place every time.

The Things that have helped me immensely are as follows
1) use cold water for your water pot, hot water will mess up the brush holding together, which is great for getting the paint out at the end but not during painting.
2) Lick that brush after you've swished the paint out a couple of times, not that disgusting as long as you're swapping your water out.
3) Swap the water pot out once you start seeing a definite color in the water, this makes the brush taste better and also helps get paint out of the brush.
4) Whenever I pick up paint I either pull it out with a twisting motion to bring the bristles back together, or press it slightly against the side of my palette/bottle/paint pot. This brings the bristles back together if it's started to fray.

 Smacks wrote:

 Kosake wrote:
Licking the brush? Seriously? The regular acrylics aren't that tasty and the matally paint looks even less apetizing..

I dunno why people have to act so grossed out by that, painters have been doing it for years, and it works well. You wash the brush first, so there shouldn't be any paint on it anyway. Then you place the tip in your mouth on top of your tongue and suck it a bit as you would a frayed thread when you have to thread a needle. It removes the excess water and resapes the tip back to a point. Do not twist though as that causes the tip to split into two prongs and it'll piss you off.

if you do get paint in your mouth, just wipe it off and stop being a pussy. Before long you will associate the taste of paint with the joy of painting new miniatures, and it will take you to a happy place every time.

dont encourage others to adopt your bad habits
shaping the brush with your fingers works just as well and is not so unhealthy. if you must goober your brush i hope you're using a double bath rinsing system and changing your rinse water often.

kb305 wrote:
dont encourage others to adopt your bad habits
shaping the brush with your fingers works just as well and is not so unhealthy. if you must goober your brush i hope you're using a double bath rinsing system and changing your rinse water often.

But... I haven't figured out which paint tastes the best though

kb305 wrote:
dont encourage others to adopt your bad habits
shaping the brush with your fingers works just as well and is not so unhealthy. if you must goober your brush i hope you're using a double bath rinsing system and changing your rinse water often.

Hehe, fingers don't really work as well, they tend to flatten, and they don't dry the bush out properly. Also licking only requires one hand, so you don't have to put your mini down every few strokes to sort your brush out. It's way more efficient. I don't mind debasing myself a little for my art!

As for changing water, I usually throw it out after 3 or 4 months when it starts to go sludgy.

Frankly, I find GW Large Brush to handle all I need. I have used it for nearly 18 months now and while its now a lot more bald than when first purchased, its still good enough to paint even details like eyeballs decently enough. It has a very good point and large belly so allows you to cover both small edges like shoulder pad rims on Space Marines and their large, flat areas with ease. The new one I havem't used yet is even better.
And yes, licking the brush does help. I also find it very useful when going from a colour like red to white or bone, as a red paint is for some reason, difficult to wash out completely. So a quick swirl around to get the paint off, and a lick to ensure any tiny traces of the paint is gone, and presto .

Yes, it does taste rank, but you get used to it. The basecoats are horrible though.

I find for getting paint out it's better to rinse twice and wrap a paper towel around the brush tip. that usually just soaks the paint out.

 Alfndrate wrote:

kb305 wrote:
dont encourage others to adopt your bad habits
shaping the brush with your fingers works just as well and is not so unhealthy. if you must goober your brush i hope you're using a double bath rinsing system and changing your rinse water often.

But... I haven't figured out which paint tastes the best though

i heard the old GW foundation paint was extra tasty. made in china. barely passed regulations for lead. mm mm good.

I don´t know whats the best but I can confirm that Mephiston Red and most washes taste just terrible... Most of my other colors seem to have a neutral taste.

I've never had any problem getting paint out. Though I tend to wash my brushes every few seconds, even if I'm not changing colours, just so paint doesn't dry on them. When I wash them I don't just swish them. I give them a proper scrub against the inside of the jar to get all the paint out. I can understand why people who don't lick their brushes might be afraid to that, because they come out looking like Don King, but that's not a problem for me. I don't think it hurts them, I haven't bought a new brush for well over a year, most of the brushes I've bought in the last 3 years are still good.

I find the best way to get paint out of the brush is with brush cleaner / preserver.
And the actual method for forming a point on a brush is to dip it in the water, so that its got a massive drip hanging off, and then to give the brush a sharp flick of the wrist to throw that drop out, the tip will for while doing that.

You people licking the brush are disgusting :/ seriously, go sort out your hygiene!