STOP Ruining Your Miniature Paint Brushes
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Splitting and curving paint brushes, wet palettes that smell bad and moldy sponges are nightmares we all face in miniature painting. but does that mean your equipment is TRASH? Let's talk about how to STOP messing up your equipment!
00:15 Brush Splitting
1:07 Brush Doesn't Hold its Shape
2:16 Curved Brushes
2:44 What to do with trashed brushes
3:53 Bad Smelling Wet Palette
5:27 Can You Stop Mold?
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My Tools (some of these may be affiliate links):
Red Grass Games Everlasting Wet Palette: bit.ly/2V8eTUi
Winsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Watercolor Brush - Round #1 amzn.to/2n2pQIU
Winsor Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Watercolor Brush - Round #0: amzn.to/2T1mfHv
Prisma Color Micro Pen: amzn.to/3gjIPFc
Green stuff: amzn.to/2liTj0v
Milliput: amzn.to/2lNGifB
Testors Dull coat: amzn.to/2lN6Mhe
Thinner Medium: amzn.to/2lNWNZ2
Glaze Medium amzn.to/2jP4Bcr
FW Daler Rowney Acrylic Ink amzn.to/2Rn2smF
Talon Airbrush amzn.to/2kfSiWI
PointZero Portable Airbrush Air Compressor amzn.to/2XVLBqo
Adapter for above:amzn.to/2LiiAoo
Badger Air-Brush Stynylrez Gray Primer: amzn.to/2kgs0DM
Vallejo Airbrush Flow Improver amzn.to/2ljRIaL
The Master's Brush Cleaner & Preserver: amzn.to/2YmPoz0
Under cabinet light: amzn.to/2leEWdg
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How long can you keep a brush good for?
Been painting with my couple sable brushes for about a year and haven't gone bad yet! I'm a bit over the top with cleaning them with brush soap every time I use them
Does it count if I bought it a few years ago and have been too scared of ruining my new brush to use it? because if so, 3 years, easy.
I need to get that good!
use. trash. next.
Use the dang brush!!
I’ve definitely trimmed the bad tips from old brushes and used them for things like painting terrain, dry brushing, or particularly rough surfaces that might ruin a brush over time. Brush isn’t useless until it has no bristles left.
And even if it has no bristles, you now have a handle you can attach to homemade tools. Brush handles make for good sculpting tools with a bit of wire taped on, you can use pine needles for drawing, make a shank to kill the guy in 14B, etc.
I found that the masters’ brush soap works well for me for keeping brushes clean and in shape
Masters has kept my 30 year old Winsor Newtown Sable brushes fresh and new since I purchased them. A diluted solution on the brush when done keeps the shape until the next session.
I've been painting minis for decades and brush splitting has been my biggest gripe. This video was so helpful and you present the information in a great way. I'm definitely looking through your backlog and will work to actually improve my painting!
THANK YOU! My brushes have been splitting for years and I haven't even able to figure out why! I feel old not knowing this stuff already. :(
I can’t believe you would attack me, personally, like this. I’m stunned.
Oh!? Which part?
put me on blast for real
@@LylaMev all of it, lol. but specifically the wet pallette. I paint so infrequently it's moldy every time I sit down.
And as an art teacher I should know better
Add some additives to your wet pallet . Flow aid is a good one . Or a drop of anti bacterial dish soap.
I've had good luck with the "The Masters" Brush Cleaner and preserver though I would like to reduce how much I need to scrub
I use Vallejo Brush Cleaner for my detail brushes and The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver soap for regular brushes. I've only used them for synthetics and quite happy with the results.
I have been using this one for a few years to help restore brushes, Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer and it works very well. But like most of these, don't get it anywhere else on the brush as it tends to gum up your brush handle. I just started using the Master's brush cleaner the other day and it seems to work really well, plus it's easy to use so I will work this into the rotation after painting. I'm still a noob but brushes are easy to kill I have notice lol.
I need to stop trashing mine so fast! Thanks for the tips!
There's a lot of good information here, Lyla! Thanks for making the video.
Thank you!!
I put strips of thin strips of copper that I cut from sheets of it, and this works great at keeping mold out of my wet palette.
2:56 wow, those have been through hell and back haha. Great video!
Vallejo's Brush Restorer worked out well for me undoing the damage I did with my brushes before I started using brush soap to clean them.
Some really helpful insights! The wet palette problem occurs often times when I take long breaks from painting.
Your water pot is pure gold! Need to CAD one myself :D
I need to make myself a pool noodle brush holder now. Thanks Lyla!
Happy to help!!
Great video. I never considered storing brushes upright could be a problem. I have used Pencil Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver for years with good results on my citadel and army painter brushes.
I'm totally going to implement that pool noodle idea! I just picked one up yesterday to cut out a chunk to use on my barbell as a cushion for doing squats, so this is an excellent use of the left over noodle!
Perfect! I used the rest of the pool noodle to hold up my knee high boots so they don't bend!
Literally needed this!
ty for mentioning the mold on wet pallettes i never considered it growing on it so that helps a lot
Excellent tips throughout your video. Appreciate your time and effort to help us.
For the wet palette I use paper towels instead of a sponge, 2 pieces folded in half and cut to shape, then some white baking paper on top, works well for me. If any mold forms (around 2 weeks is the danger zone), I just throw it out and clean the palette with soap.
Instead of a sponge you can also buy cloth-like paper on rolls: it’s used to clean ceramic/induction stoves. A little more expensive than paper rolls but you don’t use much. Using only distilled water 💦 is probably the best way to delay mould - It’s about $0.50-$1.00 per litre round my way.
I gotta say I've just come across your channel and your videos are amazing! Please keep up the good work.
Great tutorial on maintaining paint brushes...well done, Thank You.
Great time to post this video since it's the summer and mold is more likely to form. Actually went and cleaned my wet pallete after watching this!
exactly!
You're my hero, Lyla!
Ohhhhh I thought the wet pallet sponge was like a shammi (wet leather used to dry off your car after washing) and needed to be kept wet. Those tips are so helpful! Thank you so much.
As someone just beginning the hobby I found this really helpful!
The old copper pennies trick is a knockout. I keep about 3 in the bottom of my standard Masterson's palette and I never have to worry about mold, and I've never swapped my sponge.
You can also straighten the hooked tips on some nicer synthetic brushes by running them under super hot water. Guy from Midwinter Minis has a whole video about restoring synthetic brushes that's well worth a watch.
Great tips! Ordered a paint puck too. Thanks Lyla!
I store my brushes tip up but I'm constantly cleaning my brush even when painting if I see any paint go near the the base of the bristles clean it and then clean after every session.i clean my brushes in zestit from Rosemary&co then rinse in clean water then reshape.And the copper in the wet pallet is a must works for me. Nice video👍
Thank you for the god-tier info Miss Witch!
Thanks for the tips!
Great tips! I’ve been meaning to try Dr. Faust’s tile wet palette idea… I’ve been adding a splash of ammonia to my wet palette but I sometimes neglect doing so out of laziness.
Solid tips. Thank you
"B&J "The Masters" Brush Cleaner and Preserver" Is what i have been using to clean my brush's and i love it.
Thank you for the tips!
I use the Windsor & Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer. Does not work miracles but helps.
Thank you! Looks like I’ve been storing my brushes the wrong way for years!
Hi Lyla, I use shaving soap in a bowl, the firmness of the soap block allows you to massage the soap into the brush hairs thus softening the paint in the ferrule. I also have a jar of a mix of anti microbial soap and water which I rinse the brush through with afterwards. I find this keeps my brushes in a good condition 👍
Awesome tips, thank you for this video!
The Artis Opus brush cleanser and paint remover are fantastic I’ve found! They are not cheap but I find the Artis Opus stuff really keeps my brushes in great shape and I have to admit I don’t clean my brushes after every session!
If these tips help me prolong my brushes by even a little bit, it'll be well worth having watched this! I'm going to start using a couple of these right away!
Heck yeah!!
Well I learned a bit and learned what to not do with the palette thank you for the info and love the merch now I have to decide what to get on pay day
It means a lot!
Very handy tips. Thanks!
Thanks for the tips.
I don't know why, but I don't see you videos very often but when I do, each one has a great bit of practical knowledge that many other hobby channels don't touch on :)
Fantastic advice thank you!
Pool Noodle!! Genius!!
Thanks!
I'm getting better at and about cleaning my brushes more frequently, I'll admit. Currently I'm using Monument Games' Jentastic Brush Goop and it's doing really well as a cleaner and restorer. I got into using a bit of dish soap in my wet palette water because of your suggestion and it seems to be working well.
Do you leave the dish soap in the water while using the pallet? How much dish soap are you talking about?
@@truehearted2295 I fill a squirt bottle full of water and just a dot of dish soap, as in a little squeeze. Then I shake it up until it's nice and foamy, let it settle, and soak the sponge with it as usual.
Thank you for all the tips and tricks...your videos have helped very much!!!! I don't paint Minis but I do paint my 3D Models. Your vids are still very relevant!!!
Thank you!
Awesome tips and tricks thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
ngl that pool noodle idea is actually genuis. I would like ask about the whole "never store your brushes upwards" thing because you are literally the first person ive heard say that. Every youtuber says store it upwards to not crush the brush
Pool noodle idea is dope thanks
Just started painting miniatures and literally had NO IDEA about not storing brushes upright. Thanks so much!
Granted I don't have a wet pallet yet but the info was a great tip. Along with the tips down tip, I've always wondered about if they should b tip down instead
I use the masters brush cleaner and I am very happy with this :), I also gave a brushsoap bij Master's, which I use mostly on my dry brush brushes
I use the Master's brush cleaner as well, for cleaning and reconditioning.
After cleaning the brush with the Master's and rinsing it well, I soap the bristles once more and reform the tip with my fingers. Then I let the soap dry in the bristles -- it helps reform the tip of the brush, and the soap rinses right out in my water jug the next time I use them.
One other thing I use are brush protectors to keep the bristles from getting banged around. I bought a set nylon mesh sleeves, which slide onto the brush when I can't find, or don't want to use, those clear plastic tubes the brushes come with. Just make sure you always slide them on and off the brush one way, from the handle end.
The handle end is genius!
I am guilty of storing my brushes point up, so I need to probably correct that. I use The Masters brush cleaner and it definitely seems to help. Cheers!
i didnt think i needed this video, but i wqs blown how many tips i needed in just a few mins in!
Great video about brushes!
I use gel hand sanattizer to clean my brushes and hot water and a bar of soap to condition them. It's worked pretty well so far. Even dollar store brushes last months.
The longest I've ever had a brush last was 20 years, 15 as a prime brush then another 5 as a utility brush for all sorts, it was never given much more than a swill around the water pot for a clean but i have always added a very tiny amount of washing up liquid (about the size of a peanut of volume) to my water pot. I've found good quality Sable Brushes split anyway regardless if there is paint in the ferrule or not, its just more obvious to see if the is paint getting into the ferrule of the brush.
I use a few different cleaners but the latest one seems good. Master Werks cleaner and conditioner
The Masters brush cleaner and preserver is what I use on my brushes, on those with no point can make up a lather with it, make into a point and let the lather dry, then rinse off and voila, point is back.
I have some Winsor Newton Brushes I have been using for 10 years now and they are still going strong.
A point to help keep paint out the ferrule is to never stick your brush into paint when its dry, always use a moist brush, seems counter intuitive but it works. Also, acrylics do dry quickly, thats the nature of them, so constant rinsing/cleaning whilst painting helps a lot, the paint on your figure is dry... its going to have started drying in your brush.
As to the sponge, no idea, I imagine you were getting the weird result as it still had vinegar in it.... I use old chinese plastic carry out dishes and kitchen sponge, throw it out after a week :)
I use the same Brush cleaner stuff and it works for me too !
Windsor and Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer works great for me (Guy from Midwinter did a video on it). For the wet palette, I just use parchment paper ($1.50 a roll at the dollar store, discard after every couple of uses - a bit of effort to cut to size for my masterson wet palette, but oh, so inexpensive. Same for the sponge - thin cellulose sponges from dollar store, replace when they get nasty)
Best WP paper is matersons . I tried many and only matersons holds up to long term use. Even as far as washing the paint off and reusing it for 2nd and even 3rd paint sessions . Soooo worth it .
I have always used hair conditioner on my brushes to keep the bristles/hairs aligned and in good shape, remember to rinse the brush before use.
Great stuff friend 👏 👍
Mouldy Wet Pallet, my pallet consists of a Jaye Cloth instead of a sponge and parchment paper for the paint. Very cheap to replace as I only use half the Jaye Cloth.
I have a method for cleaning/restoring brushes that I've had pull back brushes from the ruined/unusable to a working state. I've mainly used this on drybrushes/brushes used to move lots of paint, not detail brushes.
I have a ultra sonic cleaner, I use about 1:5-1:4 simple green to water solution in to strip minis, but I also use it to clean my brushes every couple of months, or if a brush gets gunked up with paint. I use two rulers and some rubber bands to set up a rig, and have just the bristles and some of the Ferrule sitting in the water. I run it for about 30 minutes, rinse the brushes with water, then clean them with Masters Brush Cleaner a couple of times to recondition the bristles, as the ultrasonic cleaner strips everything off the bristles.
This generally gets them back into a reasonable state, and then for flat dry brushes I have some pegs clamped over the bristles as they dry, so that they realign flat if they're splaying out. My drybrushes (which are the things that generally get the most beaten) are living probably 4-5 times as long as they used to now.
I have found the Master's brush soap and preserver to be quite good
Windsor & newton brush & hand cleaner works great for each session and if you let it rest a bit will start to get at the old paints. the master's brush cleaner & restorer works great to preserve, and the soap for cleaning the paints off your hands, under nails, and enamels/oils too. i use vms clean slate rmvr 2.0 for deep cleans or aztek universal acrylic cleaner, but that is some nasty stuff, wear gloves and a filtered mask.
Using a separate (crappy) brush to scoop paint out of the pot is probably the best lesson I've learned. Getting a big glob of undiluted paint all over your main brush is terrible, even if you rinse it off right away.
Things nobody told me when I started. Have to buy a completely new set of equipment. Glad I found this video, it will save me a lot of money.
This will be handy to save my brushes 😍
Thank you!
Always pleased to get tips or reminders to clean my brushes. My sable brushes are always a bit of a mess when they’re dry but thankfully still keep a point when wet. #NotificationSquad
Yay notification squad!
When your brushes are dry you should try conditioning them! It helps alot
finally painting in a format beyond airbrushing 100 models the morning of tournaments & got some nicer brushes that I would feel very guilty ruining, this was super helpful thank you
I use windsor and newton brush cleaner/restorer. it will strip the paint off the handle so you don't want to dip it beyond the ferrule.
I use a plastic lid with wet kitchen roll on silicone paper on top for my wet pallet never had any issues and you can use the same paper towel for weeks or months
I use a couple synthetic brushes just for washes, since the super thinned down paint will wick straight up into the ferrules every time.
I've used the artist opus paint remover and brush cleanser ontop of their soap for brushes I've been hammering. Seems good..
I use distilled water and never have mould.... I also drink purified water so I don't mould. Seems to work X'D
Not a solution to all brush issues, but I've often rescued a brush by just dipping it in VERY hot water, on the edge of boiling. It can help to get some dried paint out and help to restore the shape. Any chemical beyond the H2O has led me to issues similar to what you found with the vinegar.
Have you tried Silver Brush Black Velvet, they are made of squirrel hair and black synthetic. They use to be really cheap, but not anymore of course. However they hold a great point, but they also curve. Some of my favorite non-sable brushes.
I just bought one of these, but I haven't used it yet. I'm excited to try. Not really one I've heard much about. Glad to know someone has had a positive experience. Amazon reviews are too easy to buy to trust too much.
@@Ali626AMM I never bought brushes from amazon, pretty risky on there. At first I wasn’t a fan, I expected to be more like sable but after a few uses and no jay hooks I dig em.
@@RandomGamer1984 I bought a Raphael brush and it is absolutely amazing for gradients across larger surfaces. I was doing dragon wings. 3 color blends across surfaces that are 2.5x4.5" with perfection. I'm in love. I hope the Silver brushes are as nice and I like it better than the Windsor and Newton that I bought on Amazon that I'm convinced have to be fake to be so bad.
@@Ali626AMM I love my Raphael’s and other sables, but synthetics these are the only ones I have actually liked.
I use sponges washing up, think they are called spongex flat yellow ones weird texture. Also you can get a paint additive which inhibits mould and you need like one drop in the water for the whole pallet. Also if you do get mould I would say use Milton or the stuff to sterilise baby bottles. Also Windsor and Newton brush cleaner is the best I have tried or IPA. Good video and great tips. Also bar of soap like Dove and hair conditioner and shampoo works well to clean your brush. Cheap hair gel for short hair works on brushes when storing them to hold their point and washes out in water.
The Windsor newtons brush cleaner is what ruined my brush! It left it all dry! Did I do it wrong
@@LylaMev I don't think so but it doesn't work on some brushes only real hair sable. If it's real hair did you try hair conditioner to see if it would bounce back.
Vallejo’s Brush Restorer can work some miracles
Regarding the mould and boiling it in water and viniger. I can say with confidence that it's the viniger that wrecked the sponge for you. As if you only boil the sponge which works to as it kills the mould spores. The sponge stays in good condition
Thank you
I use the Abteiling 502 Magic Potion for brushes if normal soap doesn’t so it. I’ll suspend the brush head (not the handle, the paint will melt) in the bottle overnight then rinse and use soap the next day. It works really well!
I keep my wet palette in the fridge just to reduce prep time to get to painting; nothing kills my motivation more than thinking about what I need to do first just to get paint on a model. When I'm done painting, I add some extra water, put a lid on it (not airtight!) and chuck it in. When I get back to painting, I grab the palette from the fridge, fiddle with the water level, put on a paper and it's good to go. No weird smells have developed so far. I also throw the sponge in the microwave every now and then to steam off any gribblies that might be lurking in it.
Some hot tips for you mold-cursed hobbyists:
I use a home-made wet palette made with cellulose cloth sponges and so far I've not had mold develop in my wet palette. It might be because they have a tiny bit of soap in them.
I also use demineralised water for my wet palette. That might also help.
As for brushes...
I only use synthetics and recycle them when they get bad...
Also recommend copper tape under the sponge which inhibits mold growth.
I'd never thought of storing my brushes point-down! Thanks for the tips. Though I will admit, I really love my curved-tip brushes. I find them very helpful for detail work.
For brush cleaning id recommend Abteilung Magic Potion for Brushes, I find it great for regular cleaning and it’s great for old crusty brushes if you soak them in it over night. They also have a Magic Gel for Brushes which is great for shaping the brush after cleaning and also acts as a conditioner.
How do you find the reusable pallet paper? Is it worth getting or am I better off sticking to the regular stuff?
I prefer the one time use paper, but everyone is different ☺️
To clean the spunge of your wet-pallet, I'd suggest isopropyl alcohol. It effectively kills mold (IPA is the active ingredient in almost all industrial strength desinfectant) and also disolves most of the paint that seeped into your sponge (interior decorators use it to remove acrylic paint that accidentally got onto surfaces) . Just soak the sponge in the recipient of your wet pallet for some time (préférably over night) and rince abundantly the next day with clean water. That should do the trick.
it sounds like i might need to do a video on wet palette cleaning hacks.
For what it's worth, I tried IPA and it destroyed the sponge
@@JonathanTaylorW Well. Don't let it soak in IPA. What I do is I water the IPA down to about a 50:50 mix when working with 99% pure IPA, and squirt some of it on the sponge, then rub it and soak immediately. I repeat that a couple of times until I am convinced, I can't get any more paint out (which is not the main reason I am doing this, but to kill mold).
I am still using the original sponges of my Kickstarter Redgrass palette and have no mold issues or issues with the sponge not working anymore.
@@travelminipainter thanks bud! I'll give it a go. I'll also try and pick up a redgrass wet palette if I can as well
I should have made it clear in my original post and my reply that the soaking part overnight is with *diluted* IPA, never *pure* IPA. Sorry if that caused any confusion.
The rubbing part comes in, once the soaking has been done (couple of hours).
About time you mentioned properly loading your brush XD. I remember seeing your first videos and calling it out all the time! XD
Also - brush mashing when rinsing your brush. Oooh that’s another cringe topic. It’s like nails on a blackboard.
Is there a link to that paint cup you use? Thanks
copper tape in the bottom of your wet pallet helps as well.
I remember one time when I dipped my brush Abbadon black, and then realized how l late it is went to bed. After that got up to do some more painting and found my brush in it's a Abandon black shell my Dad managed to get it off with paint stripper.
POOL NUDDLE OMG what a brilliant idea!!!!!
Mold can be killed, but the stains will stay. Easily done with most bathroom cleaners or anything with chlorine in it. Alcohol could work too, but it has to be high proof (70% and up) and it needs time to kill the mold.
Thanks for the tip with the poolnoodle.
Have you tried Abteilungs magic brush restorer?
Windsor and newton . Best tip restore is to add some water to a hotplate and heat it . Roll the tip as the water evaporates . Best on synthetic brushes.
Where can I find your paint brush holder ?? ..... sorry if I missed the link somewhere in here.
could someone tell me where i could find her water cup? Seems perfect