Teacher's Corner Brush Cleaning

[BobD]

Here's a place to discuss Vicki Rhodes' article on Brush Cleaning to go along with the Teacher's Corner.

Brush Cleaning - Woodcarving Illustrated

[Eddy-Smiles]

Thanks Bob!

[Shannon]

Again - this is the "extra" stuff that we just didn't have room for... so if you see the printed article - and think there's no need to visit the page online - you're wrong...

[Marci MN]

This is coming at just the right time. I am buying new brushes and would like to know how to keep them longer. After reading that article I've seen where I"ve gone wrong. :S

I do have a question: what is Retarder Medium?

Thanks. M.

[squbrigg]

It's great having these little extra's Bob and Shannon, thank you for including them on the site.

Retarder Medium is an additave for your acrylic paint, that will slow down the drying process. It comes in bottles the same as the paint itself. It allows you to work the paint longer like when you want to wet blend colors.

Bob

[carvnman40]

I agree with Vicki that using a brush to mix large amounts of paint wrecks havoc on a brush but I've not found anything that works as well. I've tried popcicle sticks and about everything else but a brush works best for me. So I've got an old brush that's dedicated just for that. Anybody know of something better ?
Mike

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I have always used a thin blade, narrow palette knife to mix with, and to keep the brushes,,, dip in lard oil after cleaning, the lard oil never dries....keeps the bristles moist and in good shape. That is when I was oil painting...to do this with acrylics you need to be sure to get the lard oil cleaned out before going into a water based paint.

[Irishman]

This was very helpful. Based on the article, I was doing everything wrong. Now I know why my brushes never lasted. Thanks.
Patrick

[Marci MN]

Yes, thank you from me too! I know brushes were talked about in these forums before and I was keeping an eye out for that post, but this topic came just at the right time.

[Definitely Wood]

Thanks Vicki for a very informative article. I read another article that indicated that about any soap or shampoo and conditioner that one would use on their own hair would be good for our "expensive" paint brushes. How do you feel about this?
Thanks,
John