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Perennial questions
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Message
Posted
These questions seem to be asked so often on Facebook, on the site Traditional Oil Painting owned by the US artist Virgil Elliott.
And yet, they're so rarely asked on this site. Is this because we're all so expert that we don't need to ask?
The questions are: how do I clean my brushes? Why do my synthetic brushes curl and lose their shape?
Time and again, poor old Virgil gets asked these self-same questions, from presumably experienced painters. Yet I don't remember the last time I saw them asked here. From this I conclude - you all buy most of your brushes from Rosemary & Co, and take their advice on how to look after them; you know not to clean synthetic brushes with Turps or solvents; you're all quite capable of being told something once, and not needing to have it repeated a hundred times before it sinks in; if in doubt, you look for answers to these questions already given.
Well, I'm impressed, anyway: and thought I should express my admiration for Painters Online devotees who don't keep coming back with the same old question. Makes yer proud to be British, dammit!
Posted
I do not have a partner to prevent me from using the kitchen sink. This may not be of much practical help to you, of course. How about sneaking them into the shower with you.......?
Tell your other half that if you only use soap and water to clean your brushes (perhaps you could at least be allowed a bucket, out in the yard...) then there is no problem to speak of with painty plates or hazardous residues; particularly if you remove most of the paint from the brush first, with a kitchen towel. Otherwise, sorry - but it's a case of find a new partner.
Posted
So far just been using lots of water in a jam jar to clean acrylic brushes and lots of low odour solvent to clean oil brushes. But lack of proper flowing warm water and soap is meaning I'm running out of brushes in tip top condition. Going to have to wait until she goes out shopping one day and sneak in with a batch of them - perhaps planning ahead and soaking them in proper brush cleaner the night before :-)
