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I've been painting for about three years now. All of my brushes have paint in the ferrule. All of them. This mostly comes from thinning down my paints. Even when using a single drop of water, capillary action draws the pigment all the way up bristles and permanently embeds itself in the ferrule. All of my brushes have dark roots because of this. I use Master's Brush Soap on all of my brushes, but I just can't get it out.

Is this doing damage to my brushes? Does anyone have any good tips for preventing it from happening? I just got some really nice brushes, and I want to keep them in good condition. Thanks!

Once you get paint in the ferrule it will probably be there forever and yes, it damages the paint brush. You might be able to get a lot of it out; use the Master's to lather up the tip and use you fingernail to scrape some of the paint out.
I don't know what brand brush you use, but I would use one with a significant belly to hold paint and this should help prevent paint in the ferrule. Also, keep the brush tip wet and that should help as well.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
Once you get paint in the ferrule it will probably be there forever and yes, it damages the paint brush. You might be able to get a lot of it out; use the Master's to lather up the tip and use you fingernail to scrape some of the paint out.
I don't know what brand brush you use, but I would use one with a significant belly to hold paint and this should help prevent paint in the ferrule. Also, keep the brush tip wet and that should help as well.

I've had really good success using Windsor and Newtons Brush restorer when this has happened to me. I use a tall glass and tape my brushes to the sides then CAREFULLY poor the stuff in until its about half way up the ferrule (just don't get any on the handle, it will eat the pretty coating right off). Let it soak from 12 - 24 hours) and its just about good as new. From there I wash the heck out of it with Masters and then reform the tips.

to prevent it always wet the brush first before dipping it in paint. that will prevent the capilary reaction. The tip of your paint brush is the most important part. By having paint up there it can askew a few bristles and keep it from having a perfect point thus making it nearly useless as it was intended to be used.

Cleaning your brush regularly during painting can help prevent paint drying in the ferrule also.

Like Scooty, I give the brush a few lathers with Master's soap then gently attack the softened gunk with a fingernail. After all the chunks are gone, I give it another round or two and call it a day. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, though, so I try to avoid letting the buildup happen, at all. Any time I notice paint getting wicked all the way up the bristles (with very dilute paints, it's bound to happen), I immediately rinse it out. Yes, it wastes paint, but the amount is miniscule and my brushes are happier for it. Once the brush is clean and consistently damp, the next dip usually stays closer to the tip. While buildup at the ferrule still happens, over time, I've noticed that it's slowed since I started being a bit more proactive while painting, instead of just afterward.

Is that the general pencil co stuff?

nvm it says it right there in the title "The Masters"