Brushes
"Selection and Care"
By Bobby Wong
Used with permission
Posted on the egroups mini-painter list 10/20/2000
One thing that is dear to my heart is how brushes are treated. Like most meat eating, God fearing, gun owning Americans, I'm a fanatic about tools<s>! Get the best tool to do your best work I say. With that remark, I've been known to vex my friends by spend hours selecting paint brushes. The moral of the story.... Don't go shopping for fine tools with your buddies! BTW what you will read below may seem excessive or even unnecessary at times. But the tips I give work for me, and perhaps they will work for you too.
Seriously, I heartily recommend visiting an art supply store for brushes. I'm not trying to put your favorite hobby shop out of business, but if you are serious about painting to the best of your ability, you owe it to yourself to broaden your horizons.
One benefit of an art store is that you can actually "try out" the brushes. Better grades of brushes will come unpacked, point up. Better stores will have a pot of water and paper for you to test the point of the brush. This is really important because you are looking for a brush that comes to a fine taper, with no frayed hairs, and a sharp firm point that doesn't waver when you apply a brush stroke. When you find a brush without any visible damage, such as bent hairs, etc, dip it all the way to the ferrule into water, flick off the excess, and form it to a sharp point with your fingers. Yes I said fingers, although in real life I use my lips. (A trait of serious painters is licking the points of brushes<s>) "Paint" several straight lines on the paper provided. Does the tip fishtail or break up? Now paint little swirls. Any problems yet? If not you probably have a good brush. A final test is to lightly "stab" the tip onto the paper, as if you were painting many tiny dots. Still got a good point? Perfect!!!!!!
Now this is where it gets tedious. Look in the brush bin and see if you can find another brush with the same characteristics. Then compare their tip holding ability and purchase the best one. Or both in my case<s>! When you are done, don't forget to pick up the free brush tip protectors. Palm a few extras for your other brushes while you're at it<G>! Make sure the brush caps are securely fastened with tape at the cash register. What's the point of going through a careful selection if you are going to let it fray in the bag on your way home to try it out?
Anyway, I'm notorious about brush care. I never use my best brushes for mixing paints. That's what GW brushes are for.<s> I never dip the tip of the brush into paint do deep that it gets into the ferrule. If I notice it happening, I immediately stop, rinse the brush in warm water and soap. This is inevitable BTW. Capillary action will draw paint up eventually no matter how careful you are. The key is to stop and clean it out before it dries. Use it as a break to change your water pot, and stretch out you back. Wash you hands while you're at it, the brush feels slick after hours painting right? Invest in "brush soap". Various manufacturers sell these, they help remove the ring of paint under the ferrule easily. Plus they condition it too!! After each painting session, inspect your brush. Look for frayed hairs etc. Use brush soap to remove any paint you find between fibers and under the ferrule. If you paint a lot, condition your brush one a month or so. I use shampoo with conditioner on them. Swish your brush in some hair conditioner, wipe off the excess, shape to a point then leave it upright for an hour or so. Rinse off well, then with a little brush soap shape to a perfect point. Let it stand upright with a cap on them. I actually put my brushes in the same cabinet as my miniatures, so they will remain dust free!!!!!
BTW, I never lend out my brushes to anyone EVER! ON the trip down to Games Day last year on a GW sponsored coach, a gent asked if he could borrow my paints. I'm just as anal about my paints as I am with my brushes. I don't have a problem opening GW paint bottles because I always wipe off paint that settles on the threads. Regardless I understood his plight. It's Games Day and he had some touch up work to do. Off topic BTW but imagine a bus full of 20-30 years olds desperately trying to paint on a moving bus, filled with screaming adolescent boys who are throwing paper airplanes and making a general nuisance, with a harried GW store manager trying to keep the peace! Never..never again I swear<G>!! Anyway understanding his plight I agree to let him borrow a few paints. The same gent returns a few minutes later asking to borrow my brushes. Well, I felt bad for him but I sadly had to refuse. Like a fine fountain pen, you never let someone else paint with it. I just couldn't risk having my $14 paint brush that I manicure, shampoo, and baby over damaged. Not to a complete stranger anyway. He looked a bit sullen, but fine brushes are an investment for THEIR owners to use. Period. I wish I had a spare GW brush to lend him...........
Oh I have no opinion as to whether sable brushes are better then nylon etc. When I started painting nylon brushes were not readily available. I'm sure that if they were that I'd probably use them today...not because they are better, but because it's what I've become accustomed to using. Simple as that. Hope this long e-mail proves helpful!
TTYL!
BOBBY
Bobby Wong (Games Workshop Golden Demon winner)
below is a link to his personal web site with pictures of his painted miniatures.
http://miniature-art.tripod.com/MINIATUREART/
Additional information can be found on Dominic Heutelbeck's site called Miniature-Painting.net. See his Guides.
