A 50-Year-Old Paintbrush—and the Secret to Saving Money

Why am I showing you a photo of a 50-year-old, broken-handle paint brush? It's because I want to illustrate an important point that will save you, the artist, lots of money.

Often, a new student will arrive to my classes with dirty brushes thrown into their art box that have bristles glued together with dried-out paint from their last painting session. They're brushes you wouldn't use to paint a fence much less a work of art.

The paint brush you see in the photo above is my brush. It has been with me since I was a student. We've gone through many battles together and it has never let me down. Yes, it has a tired, worn-out, broken handle, but the old soldier's bristles work as well today as they did when they were new. That's because I faithfully clean my brushes with a solvent and wash them with a detergent after every painting session, making certain all paint has been removed. Then I shape the bristles to their original form and put them on my windowsill to dry. It doesn't matter what time of the evening I get to it. It doesn't matter how tired I am at the end of the day. I go through the routine I just described, always! The brush you see here is not the only "old" brush I have in my artist's tool kit. I have brushes that still work great after 20, 30, and 40 years old. That's because I take the time to keep them clean. Do the same and it will keep you from having to buy new brushes, saving you a lot of time and $$. Cha-ching!!

I always tell my students, "Take care of your tools and your tools will take care of you." Happy Painting! https://gerardbianco.com/

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