Want to share a Brush Cleaning Tip!!!
tony matteliano
When I drybrush a model, I like to use artist oil paints. On my just completed
Tamiya Panzer IV Ausf D model, I tried a new painting technique. I base coated
the entire model flat black. After that dried, I sprayed a panzer grey coat very
lightly, making sure to let some of the black undercoat show through where
appropriate.
After that was dry, I drybrushed the entire model with artist oils using a color
that I mixed to be just lighter than the panzer grey coat previously applied.
I used a scrubbing motion to basically repaint the entire vehicle, again making
sure to let some of the black and panzer grey base coats show through where
appropriate.
Finally, the point of this post. When I finished dry-brushing the entire model, my
1/2 " sable brush just would not come clean with my usual thinner. I happened
to be in one of my local hobby stores and I saw this stuff called "The Masters"
BRUSH CLEANER and PRESERVER. It comes in a plastic canister in the shape
of a shoe polish (wax type) container, and looks like nuetral shoe polish. Well I
figured for $2.79 for a one oz container that I would give it a shot.
By this time it had been about 4 days since I gave up trying to clean the brush,
and it basically looked like it consisted of about 4 1/8" diameter bristles. I wet
the brush and swirled it around on the cleaning stuff and lathered it up on the
brush. After 1-2 minutes I rinsed it in water. Well after 2 treatments, my brush
LOOKED BRAND NEW. This stuff works great!!!!!
Sorry about the long story, I just wanted to share this tip. The $2.79 investment
should be enough to last several years. It even says on the package that it will
clean hard oil paint brushes.
BTW, My finished Panzer IV came out great considering it is my 9th model
finished. It took me about 40 hours (no photo etch, bit I did add several
backpacks, tarps, and crates) .
Now for the fun part, WHAT DO I BUILD NEXT????
Later ... Tony H Matteliano (to...@buffnet.net)
Unknown
>Hello Everyone:
I use this to and I agree it works great (I payed CAN$9.99 in a
discount art store AAAAAAH). I was amazed when I first tried it
on a old brush and it made it somewhat usable again. It makes my
new brushes (mostly cheap sable brushes) last a lot longer.
Remember, do not leave the lid off or it will dry up. Afterwards, I
also put a little Vaseline on the brush to hold the tip as well.
There is also a good demonstration of the black undercoat shading
method in one of the Badger model painting books in a description
of building and painting a Tamyia Quad gun tractor.
John R. McArthur (jmca...@gtn.net)