There are many ways of doing this, but I'll discuss some of the methods I've used and my current method. Cleaning your brushes when you are done painting is meant to remove all the pigment, oil, and medium in the bristles so the brush doesn't become stiff and unusable. Cleaning while painting is just to remove most of the color currently on the brush so you can use that same brush for another color and not create a mess on your canvas. There is a difference in how you clean your brushes while your painting versus how you give them a final cleaning after you are done painting. The pigment buildup in the bottom of the jar can contain toxic substances such as Cadmium and Cobalt and can be difficult to clean off your skin. When you clean your container make sure you wear gloves, especially if you clean your brushes with linseed oil. Since I use linseed oil cleaning my container is a bit messier and I honestly don't do it as often as I should. Oil paint will build up at the bottom of the container and will make it more difficult to clean your brushes. Whatever you use, make sure that you clean it periodically. Yet I kept the coil and use it in a food jar and it still works great! Since I use linseed oil to clean my brushes while painting, my jar ended up getting pretty gunky over time and had to be disposed of. This is a handy jar with a lid that contains a large coil to rub your brushes against to get a more thorough cleaning. If you are using solvents you will want a jar with a lid to keep down on evaporation and fumes.Īnother option is the Silicoil Brush Cleaner Tank. So now you have some options on what to use to clean your brushes, but what exactly should you clean them in? Of course, the cheapest solution would be a thoroughly cleaned soup can or jar. It's also really good at restoring hard bristles. Once again it's non-toxic and has less odor than other cleaners. There is also Windsor Newton Brush Cleaner and Restorer. Some artists like the odor of these items, others don't. Once again these do not contain harmful fumes. Other similar options are Chelsea's Classical Studio Citrus or Lavendar Brush Cleaners. It should be noted that unlike artist-grade mineral spirits or linseed oil, Turpenoid Natural should not be used as a medium for thinning oil paints. I can't say it makes the brush like new, but it does save it from the garbage can. But soaking the bristles in Turpenoid Natural overnight will usually loosen up the bristles and render the brush useable again. There have been a number of times when I forgot to clean a brush that become stiff and hard. Turpenoid Natural is also incredible for cleaning brushes that have become stiff from neglect of cleaning. You also don't need to worry about spontaneous combustion. It has a thicker consistency like linseed oil, and a strong citrus odor which some people may not like, but is free of any harmful fumes. Turpenoid Natural, also made by Weber is a non-toxic, flammable, citrus-based brush cleaner that works really well for cleaning while painting. If fumes or metal garbage cans are not your style, there are other options to try. But I don't take any chances and neither should you. I can personally say that I've been using this exact method of cleaning my brushes for over 10 years and have never had combustion occur. Therefore you must dispose of them in a metal or fireproof trash can that has a proper lid. Rags or paper towels that are soaked in oils such as linseed oil can spontaneously combust. The most important thing to be aware of is the proper disposal of any paper towels or rags that you use to wipe the excess oil. Be sure to use adequate ventilation when using solvents indoors, which is changing the air in your studio at least 10 times per hour. If you are painting in an enclosed studio, there are health concerns from breathing in all those fumes. Solvents evaporate quickly and are very easy to breathe in. The drawback to using a solvent is the fumes. A few dabs at the bottom of the jar will get most of any color out of the bristles. The benefit of this approach is that mineral spirits are really good at removing a significant amount of paint in the quickest amount of time. One of the most common ways to clean oil painting brushes while painting is to dip them into a jar containing some type of solvent, such as odorless mineral spirits. The process for cleaning brushes while painting should be simple yet adequate so as to keep your colors clean and not cause any disruption to the painting process. The process for cleaning your brushes while painting is different than when you give them a final cleaning once you complete a painting.
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