Paint Brush Shaper



Creativity Street. Designer's Touch. Gam Paint Brushes. Great American Marketing. Infiniti Elementz. Innovative Products of America. Product Title WOOSTER F5117-2 Paint Brush, 1. Amazon's Choice for color shaper brush 2 Inch Barvotti Silicone Color Shaper, A Flat, Sharp-Edged Flexible Tool To Apply, Move and Remove Acrylic Paints and Water-Based Mediums with Precision. Excellent for Craft Work. Use Brush Shaper to maintain or restore your brushes to the original factory shape. Once your brush is clean, simply dip your brush into Brush Shaper. Using your fingers work.

Brushes by Shape

These free charts describe the different brush shapes and hair types, and Blick's system of standard brush sizing and measurement.

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Flat ferrule, short-length hairs, set with longer hairs at one end. Useful for precise strokes, and for lines and curves, with thick or heavy color.

MEDIA

watercolor
acrylic
decorative

FIBER

bristle
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Flat ferrule, short-length hairs, usually set in a long handle. Width and length of brush head is about equal. Useful for short, controlled strokes, and with thick or heavy color.

MEDIA

oil
acrylic
decorative

FIBER

sable mongoose
bristle
badger
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Flat ferrule, spread hairs. Natural hair is more suitable for soft blending, and synthetic works well for textural effects. Useful for smoothing and blending, special effects and textures.

MEDIA

oil
acrylic
decorative

FIBER

bristle
badger
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Thick, flat ferrule and oval-shaped medium to long hairs. Long handles. Natural hair is more suitable for blending because the hairs hold together when wet. With its soft rounded edges, the filbert is suitable for blending and figurative work.

MEDIA

oil
acrylic
decorative

FIBER

sable
mongoose
bristle
badger
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Flat ferrule, square-ended, with medium to long hairs. Provides lots of color capacity and easy maneuverability. Use for bold, sweeping strokes, or on edge for fine lines. Use heavier filling for heavier paint.

MEDIA

all
media

FIBER

sable
mongoose
bristle
badger
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

A hake brush is an oriental-style wash brush on a long flat handle. It is useful for laying in large areas of water or color, for wetting the surface, and for absorbing excess media.

MEDIA

watercolor

FIBER

squirrel
goat
ox
bristle
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Also known as an outliner. Round ferrule, square-ended brush, with extra-long hairs and a short handle. Large color carrying capacity. Useful for delicate lettering, outlining, and long continuous strokes.

MEDIA

ink
sign paint

FIBER

sable
squirrel
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

A mop is a round, full version of the wash brush, made of soft, absorbent natural hair. It is useful for laying in large areas of water or color, for wetting the surface, and for absorbing excess media.

MEDIA

watercolor

FIBER

squirrel

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Flat ferrule, square-ended medium to long length hairs. Short handles. Large color carrying capacity. Useful for painting block letters in a single stroke.

MEDIA

oil
ink
decorative
sign paint

FIBER

sable
squirrel
ox
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Wash brushes come in varied shapes. The oval wash has rounded hairs, flat ferrules, and produces a soft edge, with no point. A wash brush is useful for laying in large areas of water or color, for wetting the surface, and for absorbing excess media.

MEDIA

watercolor

FIBER

squirrel
ox
bristle
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Plastic or natural quill ferrule, with a permanent or detachable handle. Long hairs, and a natural-shaped tip. The writer has a round ferrule and a short handle. Useful for lettering and poster work. Good on smooth surfaces such as glass.

MEDIA

ink
sign paint

FIBER

sable
squirrel

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Round ferrule, round or pointed tip. Useful for detail, wash, fills, and thin to thick lines. A pointed round is used for fine detail. A detailer is a pointed round with very short hair.

MEDIA

all media

FIBER

all hair
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

The long handles and tapered bristles are perfect for detailed work on large paintings. Also good for delicate decorative painting.

MEDIA

oil
acrylic
decorative

FIBER

bristle

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Pointed, narrow brush with very long hair. Liners are shorter and narrower. Short handles, round ferrules. Large color carrying capacity. Useful for delicate lettering, highlighting, outlining, and long continuous strokes.

MEDIA

watercolor
decorative
ink
sign paint

FIBER

sable
ox
synthetic

DESCRIPTION AND USAGE

Wash brushes come in varied shapes. The square wash can produce varying shapes and widths, and often has a short, 'flat-footed' handle for scraping, burnishing, and separating watercolor paper from blocks. A wash brush is useful for laying in large areas of water or color, for wetting the surface, and for absorbing excess media.

MEDIA

watercolor

FIBER

squirrel
ox
bristle
synthetic

see also ...

You pull a clean, fresh paintbrush out of the pile, and a smile stretches instantly across your face. There is simply no better feeling!

Brush

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could keep your brushes in this good of shape for as long as possible? It may not come as a surprise, but all it takes is some regular care and maintenance.

But, while dirty brushes are the bane of every painter’s existence, they happen. Whether they are accidentally forgotten about after a long day in the studio or merely on their last leg, seasoned artists and brush makers have a few tricks up their sleeves for bringing your brushes back to life.

So, think twice before you pop that trashcan lid, and consider these twelve tips for caring for and salvaging your favorite brushes.

“Repeat the washing and rinsing process until the soap and water runs clear. Keep your water warm, but not hot, as hot water may cause any remaining paint to clot.” - Winsor & Newton

“Soaking your brushes in fabric softener periodically will help restore softness and pliability to their bristles, keeping them from becoming brittle and breaking off.” - Paint Nite

“You can use vegetable oil for cleaning a palette and dish soap and water for brushes. Just don’t let them sit in the water—it will ruin them. But, if they do lose shape, you can stick them in boiling water for a few seconds and they will reshape.” - Lori McNee, Fine Art Tips

ShaperSilicone

“ Remove all excess paint with a soft rag or paper towel. Never let your brush rest on its head. There are many accessories available that will suspend your brush.” - Princeton Artist Brush Co.

“The most important thing to remember with regard to caring for your acrylic brushes is not to let the paint dry following use, as the paint is not soluble in this state and will produce a plastic-like dried texture.” - Winsor & Newton

“Soak oil paint-covered brushes for 5-10 minutes in baby oil (yes, baby oil). This gets a lot of paint and medium off before washing thoroughly with mild soap and warm water. “ - Teri Granger Martin

“The area near the ferrule is often the hardest to clean, but it's actually just as important for maintaining a brush's shape as the tip. Any paint residue that coats the bristles at their base will prevent them from coming together at the top.” - Craftsy

“If the ferrell gets gummed up, I was told that you can soak your brushes in rubbing alcohol for a couple of days and that will solve the problem.” - Carol McIntyre

“After washing with dish soap and water I finish the job as a usual rule with olive oil! You fight oil base with oil! Won't believe how much oil paint is removed from what I thought was a clean brush! The olive oil keeps the bristles soft as well!”

“Grab a glass cup and fill it about 1-2 inches deep with distilled white vinegar. Heat it in the microwave for 1-1.5 minutes then submerge your nasty paintbrushes into it… Take some dish soap (Dawn, Palmolive, etc.) and rinse off the brushes in warm soapy water.” - Crafty Morning

“If you have a painting project in mind, but the only paintbrushes you have are old, hard, and frayed, don’t go through the trouble of buying new ones. Revive old acrylic brushes with hair gel instead! Coat frayed bristles with any hair gel to mend the tips, then wash and soak them in fabric softener. They’ll be good as new!” - Paint Nite

“No matter what works for you, ensure that you reshape your brushes to the way they first looked when you bought them before you let them dry.” - Rosemary and Co

Paint Brush Shaper Gun

Hungry for more painting tips? Check out this smart advice for all painters we scored at the Plein Air Convention this year!

*Tips may work differently for acrylic and oil paint brushes. Make sure you double check any recommendations with the type of brush and paint you are using, as it varies with paint types.

Related Articles

Brushaper

Let us know what you think.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.comments powered by Disqus