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I bought a new brush from Hobby Lobby on the way home yesterday, a "Master's Touch" 2/0 golden taklon round. It was way better than the Wal-Mart brushes I've been using, but by the time I got to the end of a relatively short painting session (less than an hour), the tip had already developed a little 'hook', where it stuck off to the side instead of straight out. I realize I may be expecting too much out of a $5 brush ($3 with coupon, woot!), but less than an hours use? really?

Rant aside, is there anything I can do to "fix" the hook? I thought about cutting it off with my sprue-nippers, but that might be a little rash. Is there another brand (or type) I should look for that's commonly available at Hobby Lobby or Michaels? Sadly we don't have a local Dick Blick, and I'd rather not wait for a mail-order brush before continuing on my current project.

thanks!

Depend on how you used it in that 1/2 hr, I mean if you did heavy dry brushing on terrain piece then yeah your brush would end up being like that in a heartbeat.

You can snip off the curve. I regularly clean my brush with brush soap after every couple painting sessions, after every batch I do I clean them with turpenoid natural, then clean them again in brush soak.

Edit: you’re not using just that one brush to paint your project the whole time are you? I recommend buying cheap brush sets, not individuals, get a set of soft bristle make up brushes for wash use too, maybe a couple detailed GW or high end brushes for detailed work, like the eyes or small areas. The messed up brushes over time use for dry brushing before tossing them when they get really messed up.

The joys of synthetic brushes...

Yeah, getting those hooks is quite common. Thinning of your paint and cleaning regularly in clear water helps.

My two cents,

CB

I was painting a single miniature, base-coating 'paint-by-numbers' with a mixture of vallejo game-color, army painter, and citadel paints.

That was the only brush I used for that portion, but there was no dry-brushing etc. I may have also used it for applying some green wash to the flesh, but it was already hooked by then.

I started with a cheap brush set, but it was so cheap that the ferrules come off the handles, etc. I wasn't happy with any them for details on the storm-grot, so I picked up a new (hopefully better) one for my burna. I find I only use a handful of brushes, a big one for washes, a medium/small one for paint-by-number, and a wee tiny one for picking out buckles, eyes, earrings, etc. Plus something for drybrushing, but like you said old brushes work good for that.

Sadly my skills are still just at the "base color, wash, highlight" stage, and I struggle to keep the paint where it belongs .

Just an added point; would using a bit of thinner (watered down a fair bit if needed?) to wash brushes damage them in any way?

I can try adding something to my water pot, if that will help when cleaning between colors. I've got both airbrush thinner and flow aid somewhere.

This always happens through years of painting. **The the hook is built up once you continually stroke the brush in the same direction.** I think**

You can try and constantly rotate the brush when you paint so you don't stroke same orientation all the time.

Also cleaning brushes very well after paint session is mandatory. There are many hobbyish paint brush solvents/soaps on the market, any one will do.

Soak in vinegar overnight once every few weeks also.

 Valkyrie wrote:
Just an added point; would using a bit of thinner (watered down a fair bit if needed?) to wash brushes damage them in any way?

Thinner as in mineral spirits and oil based paints? Or are you talking Vallejo's flowaid or airbrush thinner products or P3s mixing fluid?

The labia (lol) medium or the flow aids will not damage the brush though some use certain alcohols that can dry out synthetic and natural fibers.


Cheap brushes will curl on first use. Good brushes will curl after a while (assuming synthetic).

Partial solutions involve gravity assist (use the protective tube and store facing down thus gravity pulls against the curl while the brush drys out, it actually helps). Also you can wash the brush with a good soap in VERY HOT water, retrain, store upside down to dry and it will lessen the curl but it won't remove it. All synthetic brushes will curl in the end.

You can trim them but if you do so you alter the tip. Brushes are not like a pencil you can sharpen the point back up on. Brush bristles, even synthetic, have a curve to them . A sharpened brush may still work or it may spread excessively on use despite looking like a good point when wet. I pretty much round file a synthetic once the curl becomes a major problem (a hook). But it does alter the way have to paint with the brush while it's curled.

I use natural hairs to avoid that but I also care for my brushes. Wash them while in use.. WHILE IN USE, every minute or so they get a rinse out. When I am done from an extended session of painting they get brush soap and cleaning and stored facing down.

I use synthetics and trim off the hooks using an exacto - putting the brush on your mat and pushing down like a paper cutter gives you good control and an even cut. I've had some synthetics last for a few years of solid use by trimming them.

In general, pay attention to the thickness of your paint and how it flows off the brush. Water down your paints. I like longer brushes like liners because they hold more paint and therefore will paint a longer continuous line. I will also trim brushes into more of blunt tip because paint flows off easier than a sharp tip.

In short, it's nothing you did. All synthetics will develop a hook eventually. Some quicker than others. You'll want to look for natural Sable brushes. Kolinsky Sable if you can find them. Windsor and Newton Series 7, and Rosemary and Co. are two very popular brands.