"(*##()$&#*& Paint Brushes" Topic

No matter how nice I am to my smaller, detailing brushes (from multiple manufacturers) the silly things are only good for about 30 figures before it starts curling or splaying out or some other bizarre behaviour that renders it fairly useless.

Any suggestions on a brush maker that doesn't make junk?

TIA

Have the same problems you do. Never found one that lasts no matter how much I am willing to pay for them. Now I buy cheap ones and pitch them regularly.

I wash mine with soap and form the points after each use. They last some longer, but the little ones still wear out fairly quickly.

I've used hair conditioner with some success. I get a sample size bottle from a motel I've stayed at or buy one at the store. After a painting session dip the brush in the conditioner and form it with your fingers. When you start a painting session rinse the brush in water. Works good on natural bristles, less so on artificial.

Terry

Good, it's not just me with the problem. It gets annoying doing batches of ~100 and have to have a barrel full of brushes on hand to get through the critters.

Thanks T, I'll try that.

I have had good luck with Simply Simmons 10/0 Liners for fine detailing. They last me about 50 figures with enamels and maybe 100 with acrylics. There may be better brushes out there, but even in over-priced Canada these are only about 4 Dollars.

It has always made me envious when I read posts from people about their "favourite" brushes.

I normally buy sable, but I'm lucky if I get 30-60 figures from any of them. I have just bought four Windsor and Newton series 7s and will be keen to see if they last any longer.

I bought Windsor and Newton Series 7 sable. Five different sizes of them. Been painting 35 years and these are without doubt the best I have ever used. I use pink soap after every use. I clean with two different jars of water and form a point after dipping the brush in pink soap to dry. It's amazing how well those points allow detailing.

Thanks,

John

I thought I was the only one!

Here's a brush review between WN and Rosemary (and interesting comments below):

link

I reform and reshape them afternevery stroke/ use… Meaning every 30-45 sec in the painting process, i have a shallow water container and a clenex next to it so it becomes one movement … This help a lot and you can paint 100-300 figures with one 0 brush…

Changed to W&N S7s hundreds of figures (28s) per brush. I just use water.

I used to take super care of them ie washing in soap and water, rolling in paper to keep the points. Wasn't worth it. Now I buy them reasonably priced, and save them for flocking and stirrers when they're shot.

I use the Michaels coupons to buy in quantity.

DM

Same problem here.
I just stopped using them. I got a slightly larger brush, one I wouldn't normally consider a "detail brush" at all.

Paint with just the tip, and it works exactly the same, but I've had it for over a hundred figures and it's still as pointy as ever.

Maybe that's an option to try.

I don't do anything but wash and blot dry my brushes. The one's I have had the best luck with have been the Reaper Kolensky ones. I typically use small brushes to apint with and they have held their tips very well. I usually get a few hundred 15s out of a brush.

Try brush soap, I personally like Rosemary & Co brushes, also used Foundry brushes (which are pretty good)I haven't found WN7 that ace, but its all personal choice. Are you putting to much paint on the brush? if paint gets into the ferrule it will kill the brush, also try not to poke the brush into details as this blunts the point. If you're already doing this then you're just jinxed ;)

I recommend Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner and Restorer. It's not a magic cure, but it dissolves the hell out of acrylic paint stuck to the insides and ferrule area of the brush. Small bits of dried paint inside the brush, and up into the ferrule (metal crimp) area splay the hairs out.

Use it straight, or diluted some with water. I sometimes use it while painting when I've been painting with the same color/brush for a bit too long and the paint has partly dried on the brush. It really extends the life of my brushes.

Thanks to everybody who made suggestions…I've a couple of WN 0s on the way to try out.

I am the slayer of paint brushes. I've learned to use cheaper brands which seem to hold up about the same as other more expensive brushes IMO…or at least with my painting skills. Royal Talkon are the ones I use. You can buy a half dozen assorted brushes for about $9. USD At Michaels you can get 40% with a weekly flier coupon. Mine do last weeks though. I constantly keep the brush I am using hydrated even if I am using the same color. This keeps the paint from building up and drying on the bristles while you are painting.

John

I like the WN 0 brush, just don't know if my painting is up to it…. :-)….that and the $13 USD/per pricetag….

You are getting paint in the ferrule, and it is drying there. That causes the splaying.

Never load a brush with paint up to the ferrule.

After each session, use a good quality brush soap, and then form the brush into a tip, and let sit for a bit

Rinse the soap out, reform the tip, and store.

And yes, W&N brush cleaner works great. Great as a metal figure paint stripper too, but it will dissolve resin/plastic figs.

I'm a big fan of Lowell Cornell's AP4000 series. They are pretty cheap and hold up great. I also like the spring of the brushes and how they hold and release paint. I cen get a couple months out of a brush while doing hundreds of figures in that time.

I also have a W&N series 7 high end brush. While its nice they are expensive and I find I use it very little.

Dick Blick has some Kolinsky Sable brushes, perform good and cheap.