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STUDIO

PAINTBRUSH CARE
HOW TO CLEAN, DRY AND STORE YOUR PAINTBRUSH
 BRUSH CARE
WHILE YOU'RE PAINTING
If you take good care of your paintbrushes, they can last a lifetime.

Gouache can be a little harder on brushes than watercolour paint. If you want your brushes to last longer, it’s a
good idea not to use your favourite ones for mixing or re-wetting paint on your palette. Use a stiffer brush, or
a cheaper synthetic brush for this job. (Do as I say, not as I do!) 

When you’re painting, lay the brushes you're using on a piece of paper towel. Make sure you don't leave your
brush standing on their bristles in your water jar - this will destroy that nice pointy tip!  Try not to submerge the
brush too far into the water when you're rinsing off paint. Water can soak into the glue that holds the brush
and handle together, and can cause the handle to crack. Make sure you shake out excess water and dab your
brush on a paper towel, don’t use your fingers to pull on the bristles.

CLEANING
It's a good idea to clean your brush immediately after use. Wash your brushes carefully in cool-warm water,
not hot water. You can use a mild soap, like vegetable soap or baby shampoo, but this isn’t always necessary
with water based paints. Minimise soap use if you can, as they will remove the oils in the hairs. You just need
to carefully rinse the brush until the soap and water runs clear. It’s important that you don’t leave any pigment
in the bristles.

DRYING & STORING

You can just remove any excess water by shaking the brush, and reshape the brush gently against the side of
your finger so that it comes to a point. Leave the washed paintbrushes to dry flat on a paper towel and make
sure the brushes are fully dry before storing them.

You should store your paintbrushes upside down, with the bristles facing upwards in a jar or cup. Don’t store
your brushes in an airtight container, as the dampness can cause mildew which will damage the brush hairs.

If you want to take extra special care of your paintbrushes, you can condition them occasionally with a little
hair conditioner. Work it into the wet, clean brush with your fingertips, shape the brush into a point and let it sit
and soak up the conditioner for up to an hour. Then just rinse the conditioner out and shape the brush as
usual.

Get Started With Gouache | Paintbrush Care

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