Quality Brushes

[LadynStFreknBed]

Nothing perturbs me more than trying to coax a stray brush hair from a painting that I am working on. Does anyone else have this problem? What do you think are the best brushes for oil and acrylic paints? Is there something you do to maintain your brushes that helps alleviate this problem?

I keep my oil and acrylic brushes separate. I read somewhere that it's a good idea to do so. I have much more of a problem with stray hairs when I am painting with acrylics. Perhaps, this is because I do more "scrumbling" with acrylics.

-Sheila

 

[THROBBS]

LOOSE HAIRS make me *ack!*

I treat MOST of my brushes very poorly.

Yes, you should keep oil and acrylic brushes separate...just to keep contamination low.

the best brushes do tend to be more expensive...generally. I find that it is less to do with bristles than ferrule. If the bristles are sable, synthetic, camel or donkey if the glue and clamping is inferior...whups! out comes a stray.

I often use something like Badger (brand not animal) airbrush cleaning fluid as a final clean for my acrylic brushes. build up of acrylic at the base of the bristles can cause spreadage.

a good source if you don't have a good local art supply.

http://www.dickblick.com/categories/brushes/

"Brushes used for acrylics, like those favored by oil painters, have long handles that allow the artist to work at a distance from the canvas. Acrylic paints are more caustic than oils, so acrylic brushes are designed with synthetics and bristle. Fitch and sable are generally used only with oil paints.

As a rule-of-thumb, acrylic brushes are usable in other mediums, particularly oils, while brushes designed specifically for oil painting and watercolors are unsuitable for acrylics.

Acrylic paints are less costly than oils, and dry more quickly. Acrylic paints can also be used with mediums other than canvas and paper. This has sometimes encouraged artists to work on a giant scale. For large scale works, the larger sized brushes are far less costly with synthetic fibers and bristle." ~ from Dick Blick on-line

 

[xssve]

Number 1, buy better brushes and learn to clean them - there are numerous brush cleaning products you can try. I use inks, so I have brush cleaners specifically for inks, which are nevertheless murder on brushes - when you have to pay $16 for one brush, you tend to take better care of them.

Having said that, I also use cheap brushes for effects, old brushes, cheap brushes, even stubby stencil brushes, so far though no problems with stray hairs, if there are, I could probobly just brush them off after the ink dries.

In your case, working with acrylics and/or oils, I suggest going to a paint store, a regular paint store not an art store, one that sells paint and equipment for painting automobiles: dust and stray fibers are a problem for automobile painters, and a store that caters to them will carry tweezers designed to remove stray detritus. They are very long and very sharp, and might be called precision tweezers or something and they're expensive, but probobly under $20. Some of them might even be equipped with magnification apparatus, otherwise, any large magnifying glass will probobly help. That's the best option I can suggest.