How to Store and Care For Art Supplies and Paint Brushes

How to Store and Care For Art Supplies and Paint Brushes

There is no better time to get things organised than right after a bank holiday and at The Art Shop Skipton, we have all the means to get your studio sorted. Over time, regular maintenance of your tools and paint can save you time and money in the process so here we explain how to store and care for your art supplies and brushes…

Oil-Based Paints

There's no doubt oil paints require TLC, especially after a painting session so when it comes to keeping oil colours well, simply follow these easy rules. During painting, squeeze from the end of the tube rather than right below the neck and as time goes on roll up the empty part to monitor how much paint is left. After painting, make sure to wipe the threads with a rag before screwing the cap back on. This will prevent the cap from getting stuck when you next come to do some painting. When it comes to storing your oil paints, opt for a metal or wooden box and then sort by shade, warm to cool, to avoid having to rummage around.

Oil Paint Palettes and Brushes

Once all of your oil paints are stored away, it’s time to take care of the tools because they need to be carefully cleaned after use to avoid any paint residue from drying. For the palette, remove any excess paint with a spatula or palette knife and then treat the wood with some linseed oil to retain its shiny appearance. For brushes, again remove any excess paint from the bristles with a piece of paper. Then rinse in white spirit and dry with a rag before washing with soap and warm water. Once this is done gently smooth the paint brush bristles and leave to dry on absorbent paper. Once dry, oil brushes should be stored in a container and always bristle end up.

Acrylic Paints and Brushes

Acrylic paints are great for beginners because they are easy to use but they also need to be appropriately stored to protect consistency and colour. Once you have finished painting wipe the edges of bottles, tubes or acrylic jars. Not wiping means paint can dry around edges and again cause lids to stick. If you use a damp cloth to wipe any bottles, make sure it’s dry before storing away. This is because water has a tendency to bring bacteria and can often discolour acrylic. Once they are clean and dry, place your acrylic paints in an airtight plastic tub and also make sure that the container is clean before going to seal the lid. Ideally, it’s good to store acrylic in a room without varying temperatures. For example, a kitchen or pantry is suitable if you don’t have a separate studio. In terms of cleaning your acrylic brushes, there are many different methods but the simplest one is to remove excess paint before cleaning with soap and water.

Preserving Precious Watercolours

Much like oil paints, watercolours, need a little time and care so with tubes make sure the caps are back on, every time after use. If you prefer instead to use watercolour pans, unfortunately, they are prone to cracking but this can be stopped from happening fast by storing in an airtight box. If you also spot a few flecks of mould on your watercolour pans, in particular, simply clean with water and absorbent paper or wipe carefully with a rag.

Cleaning Watercolour Palettes and Brushes

Once you’re done with the paints let’s look at the brushes and palettes of watercolours. With the palette, make sure to rinse straight away so the paint has no time to dry. Use a little soap and water to clean it right up or a sponge for dried on paint. Once spotless, dry your palette with a rag or paper and pop away somewhere safe. For brushes, wash these under soap and cool water and swirl the brush in the palm of your hand. Repeat this process until the water runs clear to avoid any build up of colour. 

Organise Your Art Supplies in 2019

As an essential part of an artists craft, it’s imperative your tools are looked after. This is when they perform to their highest potential and produce some serious results. Now that you’ve got the knowledge to ensure your materials stand the test of time, why not browse our range of handy storage for tidying art supplies? As Benjamin Franklin once said: ‘’For every minute spent organising, an hour is earned.’’ And if that means an extra hour for painting, well, so be it.

How to Store and Care For Art Supplies and Paint Brushes.