Acrylic and Oil Brushes

How to Care for Your Acrylic Brushes:  Art supplies, including acrylic brushes, can be expensive. This makes taking care of your acrylic brushes an important task. Properly cleaning your acrylic brushes after each session is important. An acrylic brush is made from nylon or polyester filament, making this a more durable brush than other brushes. Nonetheless, preserving the integrity of your brush requires that you clean and maintain the brush appropriately.

Acrylic and Oil Brush Sets		Artist Grade Natural Brushes		Artist Grade Short Handle Brushes		Artist Grade Synthetic Brushes
Scholastic Grade Brushes		Student Grade Brushes

The tips that follow will help you to keep your acrylic brushes in tip-top shape:

• Before using. When you initially purchase your acrylic brush, unwrap it from its package and remove the round tubing that is over the brush head. Allow the brush to relax and take shape. Rinse new brushes in cool water. This will remove any excess debris or filament while also removing any preservative or gum Arabic that is sometimes applied to new brushes during the manufacturing process. Shake the acrylic brush until dried, or press the bristles into a paper towel to sponge off any excess water. Store the brush on a flat surface.
• When using. Keep a few containers of paint thinner or water on hand when working with several acrylic brushes at once. You will definitely benefit from having a container of paint thinner or water for clean brushes and another for dirty brushes. Between color changes, change out the paint thinner or water as well, or whenever the solution has taken on a murky look. When cleaning acrylic brushes, dip them into the solution, swirl the brush around, and then rinse under clean water. Position the brush on its side. Avoid leaving the brush in the solution with the bristles pointing downward, or your bristles will take on an annoying “C”-shape that can destroy the shape of your brush.
• After using. Leaving paint on your acrylic brush is a huge no-no. Because acrylic dries so fast, within twenty minutes, the paint that you leave on the brush will be there permanently. Always store your brushes with the tips pointing down. This allows any excess water to drip out of the brush instead of remaining in the bristles or brush head. A good brush holder will help you to store your acrylic brushes for longer life.

Do I Need Oil Brushes to Work with Oil Paint? (Or Can I Use an Acrylic Brush?)

Creating a masterpiece in oil requires the right equipment – the best oil paint brush. Painting with oil paint necessitates the need for an oil paint brush. You cannot use a brush designed for use with acrylic paints if you are working with oil paints. The tips that follow will help you to choose the best oil brushes:

• Never use your acrylic brushes when you are using oils. While you can paint with oil on top of acrylic, you will need to change brushes before doing so.
• For oil painting, sable, hog, and squirrel bristles are best. Squirrel and sable are soft brushes that can be used for layering paint. Hog hair brushes are a bit stiff, and are good for painting in subtractive style. Synthetic sable brushes are less expensive but work well for many applications.
• Use a good synthetic sable artist brush when you want to add smooth effects. Sable brushes for oil painting are usually super expensive and hard to care for, but they are great for glazing, blending, and making less-defined, softer marks.
• Keep in mind that not all synthetic brushes are made for oil paints, so be sure to read the product description before purchasing.
• When selecting brushes by shape, be sure to choose at least one flat, one bright, one round, and one filbert brush. This will give you a variety of brushes for everything from applying cover evenly to a specific area (flat brush) to making distinct calligraphic letters (bright).

Choosing the Right Size Oil Brush

When selecting the size of brush you need for oil painting, there is no hard or fast rule that states a certain size brush should be used. Choose your brush size based on the size of the surface that you are painting. A good rule of thumb is to start with a number two round brush and a few other brushes in various shapes in sizes four through eight. These are good starter brushes. Once you have created a few paintings, you will have discovered the size and shape of brush that you prefer most, and then it’s a simple matter to buy more!