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does anyone have any tips for keeping paint brushes in good shape? I'm going through then like they are going out of fashion and I'm just curious is it just a fact that they get all frayed and natty quickly or is there a trick I'm missing?

any answers would be great either way

Brush soaps work wonders, Most people cite Master Brush Cleaner... but basically any artists brush soap for acrylics.

I use one by a brand called 'colourfull arts' which I believe is actually made by Loxley.
Failing propper brush soap, Liquid hand soap usually does a good cleaning job, Shampoo should do well too.

Periodically apply hair conditioner (your mum/sister/wife/girlfriend should have this you can get away with pinching a tiny blob every few months )
This helps the bristles stay subtle and not break off when overly dry (just like your own hair)

The #1 cause of fraying is paint inside the ferrule. This is really hard to get out once inside.
Painstaking cleaning can revive it sometimes. Ideally though you would never allow paint to dry there. If any gets so high up the bristles that it may reach the ferrule, then rinse it all off immediately. Keep the brush wet while working, and until cleaned completely after use.
Washes are the #1 offender for getting into bristles. Theyre so thin they just reach it with capillary action alone.
Have a separate brush for washing with, and also dont allow wash to dry in that either if atall possible. Even when painting the same colour, constantly keep rinsing the brush off... make it second nature and then your brushes will last forever.

edit; drying retarder for your paint might help too in an indirect way of increasign the time you have before its drying in the brush.

Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner and Restorer is a magical product.

It's an oily liquid that you pour into a small jar (like a spice jar), making it easier to use than Master's brush soap. As soon as you put a brush with dried paint into it, and take the brush out of the jar, you see that dried paint separates from the bristles and "floats" to the surface of the brush, making it easy to wipe off. You can repeat this and you press the brush against the side of the jar to further loosen stubborn paint. It's wonderful stuff, and I use it on my paints every session.

I paint a lot, at a 1L jug lasts something like half a year. Be aware that it may damage the finish on the handle if you dunk the entire brush into the product for any extended time.

Masters brush soap is also exceedingly good. It takes more effort to use, though, and I prefer it as a monthly "polish up my brushes" maintenance, rather than a daily session use. Among other things, after 1 session, I usually have about 10-15 brushes to clean, and I might paint 2-3 times a day, so it's just too much work to use Masters every time.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

HairySticks wrote:

The #1 cause of fraying is paint inside the ferrule. This is really hard to get out once inside.

Word

Avoid the temptation of saturating the paintbrush. It isn't helpful towards getting your miniature painted anyhow. If you limit the paint you put onto a brush to the top half of brush, you never have to worry about this

Also, a good reason not to use your super nice $20 brush to do washes, since they will tend to get into your ferrule no matter what. I have a few brushes that I use only for washes.

Thanks for the advice guys, I'll start using the tips and products you've recommended