Switch Theme:

How do I stop ruining my brushes?  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


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.




Made in us
Focused Fire Warrior




Les Etats Unis

Simple question. Every time I use a brush, especially one on the larger side, it gets frayed to hell in about a week. The quality of the brush doesn't matter; this has been going on for about the past year, and it happens to all brushes equally I have no idea what I'm doing wrong, and no one else seems to have this problem. This sort of thing just sucks all the fun out of painting for me. Does anyone have any ideas?

Example:

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/02 08:17:25


Dudeface wrote:
 Eldarain wrote:
Is there another game where players consistently blame each other for the failings of the creator?

If you want to get existential, life for some.
 
   
Made in au
Grizzled Space Wolves Great Wolf





The big one is usually paint getting inside the ferrule and drying (the metal band at the top of the bristles which hold the bristles together).

Try not to get paint on more of the brush than you need it on, especially when working with the fast drying acrylics we typically use on miniatures.

If paint is starting to work it’s way up the bristles, wash it out.

At the end of a painting session, use a brush soap to clean the brush. I tend to just use bars of hand soap (not liquid hand soap, the bricks), but actual brush soap is probably worth getting. Gentle massage the soap in, as it’s that stuff up in the ferrule that you are trying to get out.

If you’re working with one colour for a while, wash the brush put occasionally to reduce the chance of paint wicking up the bristles in the middle and into the ferrule where they’ll dry and cause splitting.

Change your water frequently, or use cups of water, one for an initial rinse and then another to get it proper clean.

If using metallics, change your water even more frequently and maybe rinse them out in separate water as you main water cup will get full of metallic flakes.

I think that’s about it but I probably forgot some stuff. Using a good quality kolinsky brush you should get hundreds of models out of a single brush.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2021/10/02 08:41:33


 
   
Made in us
Ship's Officer





Dallas, TX

get 'turpenoid natural' and pour in a metal enclosed container with lid and sieve, soak used brushes after finish painting each batch for 10-30 min. rub off the paint residue with old shirt, its already a paint cleaner and brush conditioner in 1.

in between each session of painting, you can clean the brushes with 'brush cleaner soap' and water. cheap brushes will go out of service after a while but lasts a bit longer, but quality detail and wash brushes will last a long time.

https://www.amazon.com/Martin-F-Weber-32fl-oz-Turpenoid/dp/B000YQM9HM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3P5E4ID66O2HS&dchild=1&keywords=turpenoid+natural&qid=1633166452&sprefix=turpenoid+%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Brush-Cleaner-Preserver-Soap/dp/B00F38YVQS/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=brush+cleaner+soap&qid=1633167032&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/Looneng-Washer-Airtight-Cleaner-Painting/dp/B079XVZ2LF/ref=sr_1_7?crid=D0XUYO797XXF&dchild=1&keywords=oil+painting+container&qid=1633167075&sprefix=oil+painting+conta%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-7

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/02 09:34:48


 
   
Made in fr
Regular Dakkanaut




The paint-in-the-ferrule thing is key to avoid. The various brush soaps are great, but in the meantime imho you can do a lot of good by putting a drop of cheap hair conditioner on the end of the brush, pinching it into the point you want back, and leaving it for a few hours, or even until you need it again. Then just rinse it out before use.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/02 11:02:45


 
   
Made in no
Longtime Dakkanaut






Paint has dryed where the brush meets the metal cap to use a more laymans terms, that is why the brush splits up.

This can be prevented by proper cleaning and avoiding loading up the brush with paint and not using too thick paint.
For the avrage joe/jane, normal dishwasher soap(non machine) is good enugh. When you are done painting, put one or two drops on the brush, rub it between your fingers and rinse in running water.

darkswordminiatures.com
gamersgrass.com
Collects: Wild West Exodus, SW Armada/Legion. Adeptus Titanicus, Dust1947. 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





The ferrule thing is possibly an issue, but within a week seems a bit fast. The brush in that pic does not look heavily used.

How do apply paint? Do you brush or stipple? Are you using the bristles to push paint into nooks and crannies?

   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut





The 5 big rules for me:

1. Don’t allow paint to dry on the bristles - wash them regularly when using the same paint for a long time.
2. Paint in pull strokes, avoid push strokes
3. Don’t overload the brush - avoid paint reaching where the bristles meet the handle
4. Clean water. I cannot state this enough - change your water regularly.
5. Use a brush soap and store your brushes with the tip restored - the creases in the palm of your hand can do this.
   
Made in ca
Regular Dakkanaut





Oh Canada!

6. Never, ever stand your good brushes on their bristles - not dry, not in the water cup, ever.
7. Do not grind good brushes into the bottom of the water cup nor into paint, palettes or models.

Are you using a synthetic or natural hair brush? Synthetics tend to fork more readily, especially under heavy use.
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Sorry for repeating some above advice but here’s my brain dump from a long trail and error period when getting into mini painting

Don’t get paint in the ferrule, only put pain on the tip of your brush and wick off excess paint before painting. Remember that brushes absorb paint into the bristles so if you only collect paint with the end of the brush then it won’t go as high. This is true (maybe more true) for thinned paint and washes etc

Clean your brush with clean water

Use a brush soap at the end of painting or anytime you think you have paint in the wrong place on the brush. I use green stuff world brush cleaner and it’s magic IMO.

Don’t use cheap sable brushes if you want kolinsky by a recommended one. Cheap sable in my experience frays almost instantly

Don’t mix paint with your brushes or save old brushes to do this

Use a good quality synthetic brush for most of your work, I use Windsor Newton cotman 111 round

Use a big brush for large areas and when priming or basing etc, I use a size 6

Beyond that practice an experience and remember brushes don’t last for ever but with care a good one will last a long time


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh and don’t buy citadel brushes except the dry brushes they are over priced and not very good in most peoples experience

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2021/10/03 10:59:23


 
   
Made in us
Incorporating Wet-Blending






Myself, I only use hobby brushes when necessary, relying on cheap natural brushes for priming, washing, basecoating whenever I can. Myself, despite brush cleaning and low usage, the hobby brushes lose their point, although I still use them for edge highlighting.

You could experiment and different cheap brushes, then use a different one for a different method of painting. I use makeup brushes for terrain; naturals for priming, washing, and basecoats; synthetics for metallic, and hobby for anything I can't do with another brush. I paint to advanced tabletop.

Crimson Scales and Wildspire Miniatures thread on Reaper! : https://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/103935-wildspire-miniatures-thread/ 
   
 
Forum Index » Painting & Modeling
Go to: