Newbie Question - Paint Brushes

[Scots_Ghost]

I was wondering if someone could recommend the best make of paint brushes to
use with enamel paints. I've tried various makes such as Revell, Premier,
etc and both sable and nylon but after a few uses they all begin to fray and
separate at the ends making accurate painting impossible.

Thanks

[Rufus]

I use sable artist's brushes, and select them by shape and size - I
never use "modelers brand" brushes.

One thing you should do is to keep that little peice of plasic tube that
comess over the end of the brush to protect it. If you replace that
after cleaning you'll find the brush will last longer and fray MUCH
less. I had a 000 sable brush that I just had to finally throw out a
few months ago after 20 years of use.

--
- Rufus

[Max Bryant]

I use all brands of brushes and prefer natural hair over synthetic bristles,
although I do use both.
Remeber you get what you pay for. Just today at a tool store my son brings
me a pack of artist brushes. You got like 20 for 10 bucks. I told him that
they were not quality and we did not want brush bristles in our work when
they leave the handle.
Anyway do keep the plastic protector as was suggested. Also I always rinse
my brushes out with warm water and liquid hand soap even if they were
cleaned in mineral spirits. Now I learned this from an art teacher decades
ago and it probably is soooo wrong to do. After I do the rinse I put the
brush in my mouth and remove it through my closed lips. This leaves the
bristles pointed and they dry this way. Put the plastic protector on and put
them away. If you do not have a plastic protector you MUST store your
brushes in a bristle up position. I have mine in a desktop pen holder.
My daughter did this a week or two ago. She left a brush in a cup of water
(She was using watercolor) thinking she was cleaning it, then got into some
other playtime activity. When I found the brush a mere few hours later the
bristles were bent at about 80 degrees and I have never effectively got that
brush back into shape yet.
Bottom line is buy decent brushes and take care of them and they will last
for years.

Cheers,
Max Bryant

"Rufus" <srol...@mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:3E86044...@mchsi.com...

[OSWELCH]

>I was wondering if someone could recommend the best make of paint brushes to
>use with enamel paints.

As stated in a recent article in SAM, get the best quality sable brushes you
can afford. For me, that used to be Floquil's line, but they're getting harder
to find and the last ones I bought were inferior in quality to the 'old'
brushes. The Model Master 'natural' brushes I bought a few years ago seem to be
holding up pretty well, too.

In the UK, Windsor and Newton or similar artist-quality sable brushes and hog
flats are a safe bet. With care, they'll last long enough to repay the initial
investment: something that 'Scots_Ghost' is sure to appreciate. ;-)

hth

Scott G. Welch

[Don Stauffer]

You may find cheaper prices on brushes at a discount craft store like
Michaels or JoAnns rather than a hobby shop or normal art store. Sable
brushes are great, but you must take care when cleaning to keep them
from fraying. This is as much cleaning technique as brand of brush.

At one craft store near us there is an oil painting section and a crafts
painting section. Same brands of brushes, same sizes in both sections,
but brushes in crafts painting section are cheaper than in oil painting
section. :-)

--
Don Stauffer in Minnesota
stau...@usfamily.net
webpage- http://www.usfamily.net/web/stauffer

[Jack Horstman]

Go for sable hair brushes. If you have a Michael's store near you,
look in your local Sunday paper for a coupon. Michael's frequently
puts in a coupon for 40 percent off any on item in the store. Can save
you some serious money sometimes.
Jack "the 109 nut"

[pix&sounds]

> Anyway do keep the plastic protector as was suggested. Also I always rinse
> my brushes out with warm water and liquid hand soap even if they were
> cleaned in mineral spirits. Now I learned this from an art teacher decades
> ago and it probably is soooo wrong to do. After I do the rinse I put the
> brush in my mouth and remove it through my closed lips. This leaves the
> bristles pointed and they dry this way. Put the plastic protector on and
put
> them away. If you do not have a plastic protector you MUST store your
> brushes in a bristle up position.

Like Max I was taught to clean brushes that way years ago and I'm still
using brushes that are 15-20 years old. True, they've lost a few hairs in
that time (haven't we all?!) but they still keep a good point. I usually buy
Rowney or W&N sable but lately I've been experimenting with synthetic
'Prolene' brushes and have found them to be very good. These are available
from art shops and seem to be intended for watercolour use. I clean and look
after them the same way as with sable.

Good luck.

Gavin.