Keeping an Edge on Detail Brushes

[Bored Lyron]

I have had some bad experiences with the Army Painter brushes. I really like their dry brushes and the "monster" size brush, but around half of the smaller brushes ("character" size and smaller, I haven't tested the "regiment" size) I have had develop problems with keeping a point almost immediately. It's a shame, as I really like the triangular handle.

Lately I have been using Raphael 8404 brushes and they have been working very well for me. I need to get some Windsor & Newton Series 7 ones to compare them to, but for now I can recommend Raphael for anyone even semi-serious about their painting. They are expensive, but you will see where the money went when using them, especially when layering.

Some thoughts on keeping your brushes in working condition:

Clean your brush regularily while painting. Giving it a brisk shake in water should be enough. I tend to do this every time I load more paint to the brush or am preparing to change colours. Just use plenty of water, 1/2 liter works for me, though you can use less. A regular, smallish cup is not enough unless you keep changing the water constantly.

As others have said, the easiest way to get a brush to form a point is to use your mouth. I usually do this after I have cleaned the brush (and before loading it with paint...).

Thin your paints and use a wet palette. This is important for other reasons as well, but it also minimizes the amount of paint that has a chance to dry out in your brush. It is much easier to clean a brush that has been used with thinned down paints than one that has been used with paint straight from the bottle.

After painting I take a drop or two of dish washing liquid on my palm and gently twirl the brush in that. You should be able to see the remaining paint coming off the bristles. After there is no more paint, rinse your brush well.

When using brushes with natural hair, when the brush is clean, I take a drop of unscented hair conditioner and gently work that into the bristles. I shape the bristles into a sharp point, rinse away most (but not all) of the conditioner and reshape. When I start painting next time, I rinse the brush again. This keeps the bristles in a good shape and allows paint to flow more smoothly from the brush. It also seems that drying paint doesn't stick as well to a brush that has been treated this way. A good quality brush soap would probably work as well or better if you can get it where you live. You can probably skip this part if you use synthetic brushes.

[miteyheroes]

I lick my brushes all the time just out of habit now. It really is the best way to preserve a point. However as its become a habit I have been known to stick a brush loaded with paint into my gob too . I found foundations taste the nicest.

I'm a brush licker. I must say that foundation paint tastes HORRIBLE though. As do washes. The old paints are ok.

The thing I'm most worried about the up-coming change in the paint line is that the paints will start tasting wrong...

[DrLove42]

Brush Suckers FTW

It really does work. Really helps keep a point when your painting, not just cleaning.

As for Tastes....Dheneb Stone has to be one of the worst. As is Devlan mud and Badab Black. All awful tastes
I'll admit to after a lot of fine detail work in Adeptus Battlegray last night, when I went to bed my lips were a bit blue/grey :S

[lattd]

Im a brush sucker, but i have had similar problems with army painter brushes. I have put my brush on my lips after putting paint on it, doesn't taste good. I occasionally put the tip of the brush in the grove just bellow my little finger and roll it.

[DeathsHead]

+ 1 for the lick and twist. Also master brush cleaner is good stuff, leave some on and twist and leave it till next time.

[Grenadier]

For years I made do with the crummy brushes you can buy at Walmart in their crafts section. Those fine tip brushes rarelysurvived painting one full squad. I never considered the brushes as important as the models though. But I got sick and tired of going through these brushes faster than a possum going through my trash dumpster.

So I broke down and ordered brushes from Reaper. Those seemed to last longer. And I finally broke down and paid for some Citadel brushes. So far they seem to hold up. Some more so than others. I think with Citadel brushes it is hit or miss. And I've also had them sent to me with ruined tips! One came in with the bristles bent at a sharp angle!

But the shining star in my brushes is one single Reaper brand fine detail brush. And by fine I mean ultra fine. Maybe this brush was a mistake but its bristles are no bigger than a few eyelashes.

The tip on it has finally began to curl a little. But it's still good.

I've used all these tips here. And it's true about getting too much paint on a brush. And the tip about slobber is perfect. I do that every time.

I've found that how one washes them is most critical though. First off I never let them soak in a cup. Especially that poorly designed one from Citadel. I use an old pottery cup I made. Warm water with a squirt of dish detergent in it.

I will then periodically wash it, even when I'm still going to use it for the same model. I never let any paint stay on it long enough to even get remotely dry. When I wash it I vigorously swish it back and forth in the bubbly water. And then to dry it I gently roll it on its side on a paper towel. And always "shape" it back up by giving it the slobber treatment.

This one little brush miraculously has lasted me through 5 squads and 3 vehicles. When it does eventually perish I intend to mount it on a plaque and hang it on my wall.

[Captainparty]

Another one here for the old lick and suck! Keeps the tips perfectly, I've been doing it since being taught to paint at GW abut 16 years ago!

Foundation paints are awful though. Disgusting stuff, make sure you give a through clean before licking that brush!

[Koci]

use brush cleaner & perserver after the painting

[Abides]

I know its been said a couple times here, but. Buy a Windsor & Newton series 7 detail brush.I think the Raphael 8404 are comparable from what I've read, just happened that the local art store carries series 7.
As for cost, not really much more than a gw brush.I think my size 0 was a fiver during Opus' christmas sale.
Then, brush soap for the end of session clean up.
Oh and who else thinks GW washes use dish soap to break surface tension. I'm sure thats the taste.

[Thornblood]

As a long time brush-licker, I would like to state that Skull White and Mechrite Red(Foundation) taste the foulest.