Do you like Cleaning? I think we’re all guilty at some at some point in our creative lifetime, of not taking care of our art tools enough – love them and they will be around for many years to come. My failing is unloved paint brushes… I have no excuses now!
“Here are some tips for cleaning three of your basic mixed-media and collage tools.
Brayers:
- It’seasier to clean them if you do it before the paint, ink, etc., dries.
- If you have a brayer with a removable roller, take it apart for easier cleaning.
- Check with the manufacturer/instructions to see whether your brayer can be cleaned with anything besides water (such as a solvent).
Paintbrushes:
- Remove the excess paint from the paintbrush by wiping it onto (or with) a cloth or paper towel. Gently squeezing the bristles from the ferrule (the metal part) to the tip helps to remove the paint, but avoid pulling on the bristles.
- Rinse the brush in lukewarm to cool water if you painted with a water-based
medium. Use turpentine or a paintbrush cleaner specifically for oil-based products to remove oil paint. Never use hot water; it can cause the bristles/hairs to fall out. - Wipe the brush on the cloth again to remove any paint that remains. Once all of the excess paint is removed, wash the brush gently with mild soap. Rinse and repeat until there is no trace of paint or soap.
- Shake the water from the paintbrush and then gently shape the brush head into its correct shape with your fingers.
- Stand the paintbrush, handle-side down, in a container and allow the brush to air-dry at room temperature. Never rest the paintbrush on its head to dry as the bristles will lose their shape.
Stencils:
- Acrylic paint and modelling paste can build up and fill in the details of your stencils. After using these products, soak the stencils and then gently clean the surface with a baby wipe.
- Water-reactive sprays left on a stencil will reactivate, often colouring your artwork. (Sometimes this is a bonus, sometimes not.)
- Store stencils flat so they don’t bend or tear.
You have my permission (as if you needed it) to leave your studio a mess. But please, for the love of your mixed-media/collage art supplies clean them before you move on……..” Sourced from Quilting Arts.