Lives Saved of my old brushes that is. Well On Day 3 of Painting daily till next teaching day... or "What I did on my summer vacation" essay continues with the big reveal this fine Monday morning. I am happy to announce... SUCCESS! Lives of brushes were saved and restored to their fine edges!
Thanks in part to Don Demers suggestion in his workshop to soak them over night in Turpenoid Natural- then clamp matboard to the ends...
Well I added a few steps to that. If you would like to try restoring some well used brushes to life of real edge painting again, here is what I used:
1. Turpenoid Natural
2. Gamsol Pure Mineral Spirits
3. Kafka brush oil and preservative
4. mat board/cut into small squares
5. soft paper towels/rags
6. opened up coated paperclip
7. paperclips/ heavy clips
Ok, first, simply soak your brushes overnight in the turpenoid natural. IT IS IMPORTANT that you use a container that doesn't allow your bristles to touch the bottom, or be bent as they soak. (Brush cleaning tin that has the coil extension at the top works great) I filled it to just over the top of the hairs.
After soaking the brushes, rinsed them in Gamsol. Then those that still needed attention, in the lid of a jar, had a little more Turpenoid natural. Held brush in there and cleaned it by combing inbetween the hairs with a coated paperclip(softer edge) Did this until rinsed completely clean and bristle laid straight again.
Then, rinsed in Gamsol again, then dipped in Kafta brush oil, along with the edge of a small piece of paper towel. Carefully squeezed out excess oil, carefully re-shaped and wrapped the bristles with the slightly moistened paper towel, to keep the hairs straight. THEN sandwich all between too pieces of mat board and clipped the end with either another paper clip or heavy duty clip for bigger brushes.
After leaving them that way over night. Opened them up this morning, and YEAH!!!! Like new brushes to paint with again.
Considering the times, even on sale, new brushes are expensive... so-
have a dozen like new plus to add back to my daily painting jar. YEAH.
Hope these steps work for you too. Just carefully soak, comb, reshape, clamp, and finally reveal- NEW LIFE
Happy Painting, May it be an up day. What have you been up to on your summer vacation?
