Looking after your Brushes

There are several ways to keep your brushes as good as new, and simple washing up liquid or soap will work for most mediums (with the exception of oils). Here are a few tips:

1. Always wash your brushes as soon as you have finished using them. This is especially important for acrylic paint as once it dries it is very hard to remove.

2. Let them dry naturally so they maintain their shape.

3. Do not dry your brushes upright! If you dry them brush side up then the watery paint will drop into the top of the brush, and if you dry them brush side down they will bend.

4. You can remedy bent brush bristles with boiling water, or often simply by running them under the hot tap for a few minutes while moulding them back into shape. Gum Arabic can also be used for reshaping brushes which can be found at art supply shops or online.

After several classes and with my rough treatment at home my brushes can end up looking and feeling dry, stiff or shabby. The few things listed above can prevent tired old brushes, but I have recently started using "The Masters' Brush Cleaner and Preserver and it has been quite a game-changer. Available at good art suppliers, or even online at Amazon, this cleaner can resurrect (almost) any brush back to its original soft, orderly feel so I can't recommend it highly enough.