Quality brushes are important tools the pet portrait artist just can’t do without, their technique and artistry relies on them. High quality artists brushes are quite costly, so it’s crucial to ensure they’re kept in good condition for as long as possible.
Whilst it is essential, cleaning is in itself is detrimental to the brushes so, if an artist has to interrupt the painting process, say an hour or two, it’s better to just load the brush with fresh paint and either wrap it with cling film. If the brush is going to be left for a few hours or at most overnight, immerse it in a jar of water to exclude the air. However, you’ll need to make sure the delicate tips aren’t touching the sides of the jar as it will distort the shape of the bristles. This is achieved by inserting holes in the lid (making them slightly smaller than the widest part of the handle to stop it dropping down), then fill the jar to the top so that it submerses the head when the brushes are in position. There are brushes (like fans) that have a head that’s actually wider than the handle, this makes it tricky to pass through the hole without pushing the bristles out of shape. For brushes like this, use a length of stiff wire (use gardening wire or an wire coat hanger), to bend around the handle, holding the brush firmly and supporting it in the centre from either edge of the lip. It’s crucial to avoid having the brushes in water for too long, it may cause the ferrules to rust and the bristles to swell.
When you no longer need the brush, take off the excess paint using kitchen paper or newspaper, and soak the brush in general purpose white spirit (don’t bother with artists quality white spirit for this job) or brush cleaner. After the paint has been removed, clean the brush using liquid soap and then rinse thoroughly. Re-shape the bristles before allowing to dry.
