Types of Brushes for Acrylics

[TomN]

Hi All
I'm going to start painting some figures. In the past I've always used oily paints, tube oils and Humbrols,
but I want to try some acrylics this time, namely Vallejo and Reaper Miniatures. I like the feel of natural brushes
like sable and Floquils (not sure what they are), but was wondering if some sort of synthetic brushes work better
with acrylics.

Thanks, Tom

 

[AndyFettes]

Tom,

I know they are expensive but Windsor and Newton series 7s are the way to go forward,.. however there are cheaper brushes to be had at Blicks Michaels or even Hobbylobby that are good.

I always use natural rather than synthetic

my 2 pence/cents

 

[TomN]

Hey, thanks Andy,

I was in mid-relpy when the site went down the other day. I do have some W&N series 7 brushes, just wondered if
some sort of synthetic brushes were good for acrylics. I do prefer natural, I think I'll try some DeVinci's too.

Also, what is the recommended brush cleaner for acrylics? Just plain water? When I've used them before it seemed
hard to get the paint out of the brush up towards the ferrule. I used a big mayo jar filled with water, so I could
swish it around real good, but still didn't to get all the paint out.

Thanks, Tom

 

[AndyFettes]

I use distilled water for my paints and really wash them as I go

failing that good old warm water
and
failing that

erm,...

dunno

 

[AndyFettes]

failing that good old warm water
and
failing that

erm,...

dunno

That must rank the best unhelpful answer in the help section ever ! :hmmm

 

[jknaus]

Hey, thanks Andy,

I was in mid-relpy when the site went down the other day. I do have some W&N series 7 brushes, just wondered if
some sort of synthetic brushes were good for acrylics. I do prefer natural, I think I'll try some DeVinci's too.

Also, what is the recommended brush cleaner for acrylics? Just plain water? When I've used them before it seemed
hard to get the paint out of the brush up towards the ferrule. I used a big mayo jar filled with water, so I could
swish it around real good, but still didn't to get all the paint out.

Thanks, Tom

I'm no expert, but everything I've read points to natural brushes being superior to synthetic. I use distilled water to clean my brushes and have dipped them in vallejo brush restorer after every few uses. Dont know what it does, but read it was a good thing, and the brushes do seem to go back to shape easier.
My 2 cents.
James

 

[Gator]

Hey Tom,

I use a synthetic/sable blend and they work fine for me, for now. I cut my teeth on lettering brushes growing up the son of a sign painter and that has spoiled me to all other types of brushes. Just can find an artist brush I like. Anyway, I use water to clean my brushes between colors and then good ol' Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo to give a through cleaning when done. I'll have to try the brush restorer that James recommended. It may help me keep my brushes longer!

Kenny

 

[Leopard2]

I try to use natural hair brushes for my acrylics. It might just be me but it seems that natural hair brushes are harder and harder to come by. As for cleaning the brushes I just use plain old tap water when I brush acrylics. And for the AB I use 91% Iso Alcohol.

Joe

 

[TomN]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful replies...and you Andy.

Sounds like natural is the way to go. Just received some DeVinci Kolinsky sable brushes from BlickArt, they are nice, but
the handles are like two feet long, seem kinda awkward. So I did the manly thing and started whining to my wife about them.
"Just cut them off", she says. Um, yeah...good idea.

Just gotta start messin' with this stuff. Hopefully this weekend.

Tom

 

[AndyFettes]

wahooo chance to be helpful,........... :gogo

I cut my very small brushes ( 000 ) it gives me greater control over the brush ad painting especially thin lines

every brush that is apart from my W&N series 7s !!! hmy:

 

[panzerace007]

ANDY & TOMN ,

I love this Thread ... As I'm in Desperate Need of New Brushes. Good Quality Brushes at that - for Figure Painting at least. as They wear out I can always put them on the Dry Brush pile !!!

Question :

How do you keep your Tip on your 10/0 , 3/0 , 5/0. etc ... I've gotten into a Bad habit of puttin th tip back in th Brush by puttin it in My mouth, rolling it & pulling it from My mouth at th same time & I've noticed that it puts a Short Curl ( more like a Hook) in th Tip ?

I also recently picked up a New 10/0 brush for Acrylic from Michael's - a Lowell/Corneal & That lil bugger has already gotten th hook in th tip & it's starting to frey a little !! I mean it was only $4.00 but Jeez !!! I thought it would at least last a little longer than a Few Months !!

Thoughts ? Besides "Stop Buying Cheap AZZ Sh@t"

 

[AndyFettes]

Happened to me a few times with those very small brushes,...and yeah Id say the cheaper the brush the quicker it gets messy hooked up and frayed,...however hooks are not always a bad thing and you can paint quite thin lines with some

10/0 ,I would`nt personally buy one that small and limit to a 3/0, the reason I say that is unless you have dry retarder then the very small amount of paint you have in the brush drys quicker or drys as you`re putting the paint on the figure and not immediately after when you want it to.

Sticking yer brush in your cakehole shouldnt muck it up really

Heres another tip for when at the brush section in your hobby shop

Hands up who puts the brush in your mouth to see how fine the tip is ??? ( yes I own up too )

Yeah ! so does everyone else !!!

Lick your wrist and roll the brush around and see from there !

 

[panzerace007]

Heres another tip for when at the brush section in your hobby shop

Hands up who puts the brush in your mouth to see how fine the tip is ??? ( yes I own up too )

Yeah ! so does everyone else !!!

Lick your wrist and roll the brush around and see from there !

lol !! I honestly never have done that !! :woohoo: Funny Story !!

Speaking of using a 10/0 - I use Liquitex's Slow Blending Gel & usually mix 2 drops into My Vallejo & it generally keeps th Paint from Drying on th Brush. But I know what you mean. after a long session- I've seen it starting to turn into a Little node above th tip ! I just clean th Brush in Water & some of that Windsor Newton Acrylic Brush cleaner, Let it Dry & Go out side for a Fag ! :woohoo: It's usually a good time to take a Break !!

Next time your in th Art Store look at th Liquitex Slow Blending Gel. It works Great with Vallejo. It seems like it "Lubricates" th paint. It doesn't dry as fast, gives you some time to actually blend th colors & if you put a few X-tra drops in th Paint .... It almost acts like Oil in th fact that you can blend it into your Highlight color or your Highlight into your Base color ... Ya' know what I mean ?

My mixes for Vallejo revolve around a 12 drop recipe ( this is for Only One Color & doesn't include if I have to Mix a custom color) 8 drops of Vallejo color , 2 drops of th Slow Blending Gel , 2 drops of distilled water ! Then if you wanna get it to th point of being able to blend it like Oil then add 2-3 more drops of th Slow Blending Gel.

 

[AndyFettes]

You know I certainly will look into that

I was looking at some dry retarders but they werent Liqutex but I cant remember who they were from

 

[Kreighshoer]

Hands up who puts the brush in your mouth to see how fine the tip is ??? ( yes I own up too )

raises hand! tip inspection and rolling over the tongue is the first and most important step when i buy my brushes (of course when the staff does not look into my direction)

 

[TomN]

I have some of "The Masters" Brush Cleaner and Preserver. Basically a cake of soap that you rub a wet brush on to clean it.
Worked pretty good from what I remember. You can also add a bit of hair conditioner, then when your brush is all shampooed
and conditioned...add a bit of hair gel to hold the shape...it is hair you know.

The Liquitex Slo-Dry gel sounds cool, I find acrylics to feel "dry" and gritty, compared to oils, maybe this is the thing I
need. Haven't seen any at the local shops, but found some online at "Cheap Joe's" along with more sable brushes. Think I'll
order some, can't have too many brushes.

Tom

 

[AndyFettes]

I agree

Tis the tools of the trade