BRUSH RESTORATION

Vermeer using a mahl stick in "The Art of Painting"

RESTORING PAINT BRUSHES

How-to-restore-paint-brushes-before-and-

Producing artwork will take a toll on even the best brushes, with time they can become damaged and lose their contour. While not every brush may be salvageable, many can be given a new lease of life by following a few simple steps.

This guide will show you the method we now employ after many years of testing.

MATERIALS

Winsor and Newton Brush Cleaner
Artist's brush holder
The Masters Brush Cleaner
A cup of boiling water
Water Soluble artists gum arabic

STEP 1

Suspend the brush in a jar of Winsor and Newton Brush Cleaner until any dried paint has softened or dissolved.
Use a brush holder and be sure that the tip does not touch the bottom.

Resting a brush tip down for even the shortest length of time, in any medium, risks damage to both the point and the shape of the brush

STEP 2

Rinse the brush in warm water and then use some Master Artists Brush cleaner on the end.
This is a bit like soap, so work in through the hairs or bristles removing any loose dried on paint.
Now rinse the brush once again.

Paint that has dried in the base of a brush near the ferrule is particularly problematic and removing it is not always successful. This can lead to a less than satisfactory outcome.

STEP 3

Now place the tip of the brush into a cup of boiling water.
After a few seconds the hairs should spring back towards their original shape.
you may need to repeat this a second time.

STEP 4

Finally dip the brush in a little Gum arabic and smooth the brush with your fingers back into its proper shape.
If there is an odd hair that still refuses to co-operate, carefully trim it. However, this should be avoided if at all possible.
Let the gum dry and store the brush safely for a week before using it again.
You should now have a much-improved brush. Just remember to rinse the gum arabic out of the brush before use.

How to restore paint brushes.pdf