Brushes

[Ken Smith]

I just finished a fairly large oil painting (on masonite), and toward the end of the painting, I seemed to spend more time fishing errant brush hairs out of the paint than I did painting.

I've read through all/most of the forum brush discussions, but I still have a few questions:

I suppose my brushes wouldn't fall apart if I cleaned them better (I've read the several notes on that), although most of the disintegrating brushes (Utrecht sables) had only been used in this one painting---and they're not completely falling apart--just a hair here and there.

I've read the techniques involving baby oil, shampoo, etc. But here's the question: are you all using a dozen similar size brushes at once for a painting (I read one note that said Marvin Mattleson used 20 in his demos)?

I'm using about four or five different style brushes so consequently, I'm cleaning them a lot (using turpenoid and "the masters" brush soap). Is it the norm to have a lot of similar size brushes with different colors, so that there's only one major clean-up at the end of the day? Or might there be some other critical tip here that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance for the info!

Ken

[Geary Wootten]

Hi Ken,
I see what you're saying. Your "mileage may vary" takes on a whole new meaning with using just a few brushes throughout each painting.

Based on what you've shared.....I'm going to go with the belief that lost hairs are due to a daubing technique. If you're pushing and daubing so hard that the hairs are being bent backward to the ferrule....then it makes sense that you're creating a scissors effect with the motion. Especially with such a hard surface as masonite.

The current natural brushes I'm using are Isabey Mongoose and I LOVE them. Do a google search on them to get a close up view and explanation of the material.

Hang in there, we're pullin for ya!
Geary