Home Forums Explore Media Acrylics How do you keep the paint from drying on your brushes while painting

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  • #990369
    wandrson
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        I was always taught not to leave my brushes in solvent while painting (learned in oils) and never had a problem. While working with watercolors, paint drying on brushes during the painting session isn’t a problem; however, I am confused how to deal with this in acrylics.

        I don’t want to stop and thoroughly clean a brush after each use, especially since the painting could dry before I have a chance to blend. I’ve purchased a few books/videos on the subject and haven’t seen the problem discussed. Any suggestions/ideas would be welcome.

        "Man being born, as has been proved, with a title to perfect freedom, and an uncontrolled enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of the law of nature, equally with any other man, or number of men in the world, hath by nature a power, not only to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty and estate, against the injuries and attempts of other men" ~ John Locke, [U]The Second Treatise of Civil Government[/U]
        #1175794

        If I’m putting the brush down for a little while I always wash it out – not thorough cleaning, just to get the paint off. (I wipe it first on paper towel, then rinse).
        I also find, using a stay-wet palette that if big enough, I can lie the brush in there on the damp membrane and it’s OK for quite some time – certainly until after a meal – that kind of time frame.

        Someone I know lies his brush in a flat saucer of water so just the brush head is covered. There’s not enough pressure on the brush to cause any mis-shaping.

        With oils, I often had a number of brushes on the go at the same time but not with acrylics – changing brushes means a wipe and a rinse for the discarded one.:)

        Cheers, Maureen


        Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .

        #1175799
        wandrson
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            If I’m putting the brush down for a little while I always wash it out – not thorough cleaning, just to get the paint off. (I wipe it first on paper towel, then rinse).

            If you don’t do a thorough cleaning, don’t you find that some paint gets left in the brush and dries? I find even with my watercolour brushes, that a thorough sequence of rinses and wipes don’t remove all of the paint, so that when I use the brush cake at the end of the session, the suds acquire whatever colour(s) were used. Given that acrylics are not removable once dry, wouldn’t even those trace amounts mess the brush up?

            "Man being born, as has been proved, with a title to perfect freedom, and an uncontrolled enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of the law of nature, equally with any other man, or number of men in the world, hath by nature a power, not only to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty and estate, against the injuries and attempts of other men" ~ John Locke, [U]The Second Treatise of Civil Government[/U]
            #1175795

            I do a more thorough cleaning when finished.

            It’s a perenniel problem with acrylics and if/when the paint does build up a proprietary brush cleaner should help. I actually use acetone on my cheap brushes (I don’t use many expensive brushes for acrylics because it’s such a hard medium for them!) – a quick dip in the acetone and then work it into the brush using an old glass/ceramic container and then wash. Works for me :D

            Cheers, Maureen


            Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .

            #1175800
            wandrson
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                I do a more thorough cleaning when finished.

                It’s a perenniel problem with acrylics and if/when the paint does build up a proprietary brush cleaner should help. I actually use acetone on my cheap brushes (I don’t use many expensive brushes for acrylics because it’s such a hard medium for them!) – a quick dip in the acetone and then work it into the brush using an old glass/ceramic container and then wash. Works for me :D

                Thanks, I didn’t realize there was a readily available solvent for dried acrylics.

                "Man being born, as has been proved, with a title to perfect freedom, and an uncontrolled enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of the law of nature, equally with any other man, or number of men in the world, hath by nature a power, not only to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty and estate, against the injuries and attempts of other men" ~ John Locke, [U]The Second Treatise of Civil Government[/U]
                #1175798

                I use acetone-free nail varnish remover if I have any dried paint in a brush. Not quite as savage on the glue as acetone. Like Maureen, I give the brush a good rinse out but I also roll the bristles (assuming it’s a round) against the side of the jar which helps dislodge any paint in the ferrule end. Then a swift wipe on paper towel and leave it flat until I need it again. End of session: proper clean with Pink Soap, rinse & lay flat to dry.

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                #1175797
                Guide
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                    WN makes a brush restorer that I think is amazing. I use a wet sponge on a plastic plate and an oriental brush rest to keep the bristles in touch with the sloppy wet sponge. Lay a wet paper towel overtop. Anything to keep it moist.

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                    #1175805
                    Davkin
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                        While painting I keep my wet brushes in a jar of water. As long as the water isn’t deeper than the top of the ferrule it won’t damage the brush. That is unless you are talking about natural bristle brushes which really aren’t suitable for acrylic painting anyway because natural hair absorbs water. After I’m done with a painting session I’ll usually wash my brush using Dawn dish soap and running water. Alcohol will dissolve acrylic paint, so if you have let paint dry on your brush I’d imagine a good soak in alcohol will fix that.

                        David

                        David

                        #1175796

                        Actually, I also forgot to mention alcoholic hand cleanser comes in useful …… thanks for reminding me David:)

                        Cheers, Maureen


                        Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .

                        #1175813
                        Glean
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                            I saw one painter in a vid on youtube that had a neet little contraption. He had a spring streached over his water(accross the top of his cup, as if it was pulling the opening shut) so that when he wasn’t using his brush he stuck the handle inside the spring and it held his brush off the bottem with only the bristles in the water.

                            As I use cheap brushes, I just let um soak in my water all the time and plan on replaceing um.

                            C&C always welcome. Thank you for shareing your ideas!

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                            #1175806
                            Davkin
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                                I’ve seen the springy brush holder thing in the stores. I’ve also seen people attached clothes line clamps (the proper name for them is escaping me at the moment) to hold their brushes at a particular height in the jar.

                                David

                                David

                                #1175804
                                AllisonR
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                                    while painting, I remove most of the paint on the side of my painting palette, or give a quick rinse in a cup of water I keep nearby, or wipe excess paint on a cotton diaper, or a combination of the above. Idea is to get rid of the red, or green, or whatever color, in order to start using a new color. But it does’t have to be 100%, just clean. If it’s going to be longer than about 20 min, then I often dunk my brushes in the cup of water, but do not rinse them, just leave them until I am painting again. Or I may use a mister bottle and spray them so they are still filled with paint but also drenched in water, which evaporates over time. I only totally clean my brushes at the end of the day. At that point I rinse in water, then drag brushes across a bar of hand soap and rinse again. If a brush looks sad, then I let it soak about an hour in proper brush cleaner, then rinse in water. I have never used acetone or nail polish remover or other alcohol, I might try that.

                                    Being born places you at a greater risk of dying later in life.

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                                    #1175803
                                    PattiLou
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                                        I rinse my brush and lay it on a wet paper towel while working. If I am taking a lunch break I just cover it with a wet paper towel and spray it real good. It is laying on an old ceramic cutting board so no damage to the desk top. A saucer or old tile, or piece of glass would do the same. This keeps the brush wet for quite awhile and then after I finish painting I clean them with soap and water.

                                        Patti

                                        #1175814
                                        no-one-home
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                                            Some time back, on the Studio Tips & Framing Forum, I showed how to make a cheap brush holder from wood clothespins. This can be built to span the wash water container or to allow washed brushes to dry tip down. Oh, and be careful of acetone. It will dissolve certain synthetic bristles. BTW, regardless of how carefully you clean your brushes or how carefully you use only the very tips of your brushes, eventually the bristles at the ferrule will get packed with paint. Why? An effect known as capillary action will draw the acrylic-containing water from the wet area to the dry area, where the water will evaporate, leaving – you guessed it – acrylic paint. Best use for these brushes? Leaves on trees and bushes.

                                            #1175802
                                            saaz hop
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                                                I’m like Patti and Allison; I dip them in water to keep them wet and lay them on a damp paper towel, giving them an ocassional mist of water and covering them when I take a break. I wash them at the end of the day.

                                                I was in a two day workshop where the instructor, who I very much respect, had us wrap our brushes in a damp paper towel and put them in a plastic bag at the end of the first day. The next morning they were ready to go and none of the paint was dry. I must admit, when I’m home I wash them at the end of the session.

                                                Patrick

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