Tutorial for brush holder

[knightkrawler]

A painter of higher skill than i told me that storing brushes facing upward is a bad thing to do, gravity would drag paintremains down to the roots of the hairs, pushing your hairs apart. Since that time my brushes are stored flat on tissuepaper. dunno if im doing the right thing to be honest.

As a counterargument against my storing brushes bristles down in the plastic cap tasoe said that this won't let the moisture evaporate so well.
He might be right, but in that case the water runs down the bristles, along gravitational lines and keeping the tip in perfect shape.
I'll stand by my storing method.
Of course, you're supposed to rinse the brush extensively after painting and T. is also right by panicking when paint goes into the ferrule. Rinse the brush immediately in that case.

[Sjeng]

I wash them, and when wet (nice tipped brush) I put the plastic tuby thing over the tip again and store them horizontally. But I have cheap brushes, so if one is looking bad, I simply toss it.

[knightkrawler]

I wash them, and when wet (nice tipped brush) I put the plastic tuby thing over the tip again and store them horizontally. But I have cheap brushes, so if one is looking bad, I simply toss it.

Toss them altogether. Use them for aimed washes.
Buy one size 0 or 1 Windsor Newton Series 7 (not the miniature variant, but the regular one) and do everything but basecoating, drybrushing, and washing with that one.
Trust me, you'll be amazed at how that one brush makes your life easier and your miniatures better. Nowadays, I paint the eyeballs and the light effect within with a size 0, everything I just mentioned with a size 1.
Just trust me on this.

[Daedalus]

...And a question: How many brushlickers are among us.
I started doing this recently.

...Also, I can't imagine anyone not licking the brushes when it is necessary to make a pointy edge. Those people are a disgrace to the hobby.

I can't read this without a shudder. Story goes my grandfather who was a commercial artist nearly died in a hospital because of lead poisoning from brush-licking. Finally after months of worsening condition, an old House doctor asked the right questions and cured him with lots of milk.

I realize today's hobby paints don't contain lead, but how does one know if those various pigments and binders are safe for internal exposure? Then there's lead figures, which are often filed or nicked. Nuh-uh...tip licking ain't for me.

[knightkrawler]

I want to quit, but I can't.

[tasoe]

Well, I guess it could be dangerous although the paints are not toxic. But still it is very useful during painting and it is done almost involuntary.

[Patroclus]

I am not a pro painter but I don’t use soap to clean my brushes, I use a hair conditioner. With it, it’s very easy to keep the edge pointy if you leave some of the conditioner on the brush (you don’t have to lick the edge). Also, it keeps the hair smooth and my brushes are very old but still pointy.

[knightkrawler]

To clarify: the brushlicking takes place while painting, not after a session.
That's what it is about. You lay down paint on the mini, and after rinsing you lick the point, or, in my case, you rather put it between your lips and twistingly pull it out.
Brushlicking is not about sharpening the tip after a session so that you have a pointy tip next time. After sessions, the appropriate measures are taken: rinsing, dabbing on towel, twisting on plastic, in some cases washing with brush soap.