In my daily rounds of scouring the net for art stories that could be of interest to our readers, I thought I might compile some tips for caring for your art brushes especially in these tough financial times for everyone. We need them to last after all. Brushes that are well taken care of can give you many years of use and enjoyment.

1. Do not use the same brushes for your watercolors, designer colors, or gouache as you do for your oil or acrylic paints. This shortens the life of the brush.
2. Wipe or rinse the brush regularly during use to prevent a build-up of paint: no more than half the length of the bristles should be full of paint. This is because once the paint reaches the stock (the metal band which holds the bristles together and attaches them to the handle) it is almost impossible to remove, and will quickly build up and cause your brush to become stiff and misshapen.
3. Soak your brushes in a brush holder that keeps the brush heads above the bottom of the vessel they are soaked in. This will prevent the tufts from being bent out of shape.
4. Allow your brushes plenty of time to dry thoroughly before storing them in an air-tight container. To avoid damage, make sure not to over pack your brushes in their container; leave plenty of room in between for air to circulate.
5. Always use the protective plastic sleeve that came with your paintbrush. If you no longer have these, a good substitute can be made from a length of drinking straw: cut a piece of straw long enough to cover the stock and the bristles plus a little over, slit it lengthwise, slip it over the brush handle, slide it up to cover the bristles, and tape it closed.
6. Don't push down onto the bristles while painting - unless you're using a stencil brush!

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