Brush life expectancy
Discussion
Hi,
What kind of life expectancy do people get from their paint brushes? I paint war games miniatures using acrylic paint. After about 10 figures the brushes I use for the layered highlights start to split (approx 100 hours of use). I’ve tried high quality brushes, cheap brushes and those readily available at war games stores and they all do the same. I use a wet palette, thin the paint with water, wash my brushes regularly, change my water frequently and use different brushes for applying base coats/washes. Does anyone have any tips to extend brush life?
Thanks.
What kind of life expectancy do people get from their paint brushes? I paint war games miniatures using acrylic paint. After about 10 figures the brushes I use for the layered highlights start to split (approx 100 hours of use). I’ve tried high quality brushes, cheap brushes and those readily available at war games stores and they all do the same. I use a wet palette, thin the paint with water, wash my brushes regularly, change my water frequently and use different brushes for applying base coats/washes. Does anyone have any tips to extend brush life?
Thanks.
I tend not to bother with fastidious brush care. Every couple of years I get two cards of 6 Italeri fine and medium points from a show. They work out about £1.50 each. I’ll occasionally wash them with detergent and re-profile with some spit, but when they start looking tired I bin them or use them a final time for applying cyano.
In the past, the temptation to buy a really nice set of brushes gets the better of me (Zoukei Mura or Tamiya), but they end up either not being used for fear of ruining them (daft I know) or them being no better to use that the cheap ones.
Currently got about 20 in the rack, but I only ever seem to use the same 4: fine, medium, spade profile and a dusting brush for powder. The others I keep for PVA or cyano. For the vast majority of parts I use the airbrush.
I’m mainly using acrylics, but also enamel washes, which tends to splay the end of the wider ones (irrespective of whether they’re supposedly compatible with enamels).
In the past, the temptation to buy a really nice set of brushes gets the better of me (Zoukei Mura or Tamiya), but they end up either not being used for fear of ruining them (daft I know) or them being no better to use that the cheap ones.
Currently got about 20 in the rack, but I only ever seem to use the same 4: fine, medium, spade profile and a dusting brush for powder. The others I keep for PVA or cyano. For the vast majority of parts I use the airbrush.
I’m mainly using acrylics, but also enamel washes, which tends to splay the end of the wider ones (irrespective of whether they’re supposedly compatible with enamels).
Have you tried using brush soap? Splitting can often be due to paint tracking down under the ferrule and solidifying there, brush soap can soften it and help remove it.
This sort of thing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Pencil-Masters-Cl...
Although I have to say the price seems to have shot up. A year or so ago mine was under £5.
I haven't tried it myself, but Winsor and Newton brush restorer seems to do the same thing, if a bit more aggressively.
This sort of thing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/General-Pencil-Masters-Cl...
Although I have to say the price seems to have shot up. A year or so ago mine was under £5.
I haven't tried it myself, but Winsor and Newton brush restorer seems to do the same thing, if a bit more aggressively.
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