I paint a lot and I have many paintbrushes that have been with me for over 5 years! 

So I will show you how to properly clean and preserve your brushes as well as an introduction to paintbrushes. 

Here is a simple guide to different paintbrushes:

The Different Brush Shapes

The world of artist’s brushes is incredibly diverse. Brushes come in a multitude of shapes, sizes, and materials, each with its unique characteristics and applications. Here are just a few examples of the most commonly used artist paintbrushes:

• Round Brushes: These versatile brushes are a staple for artists. Their fine point is perfect for precise details, making them essential for intricate work like portraiture.
  
  
  
• Bright Brushes: Known for their broad, flat bristles, these brushes are great for creating sharp edges and covering large areas with bold strokes.
  
  
  
• Fan Brushes: I love fan brushes!  I use two types of pan brushes to achieve different effects: the ones that are flat and stiff could be used to quickly paint tree leaves or add small water drops in seascapes.   The second staple of fan brushes I use are soft and fluffy, perfect for blending skin tones and all other areas that need to be smooth and soft looking.
  
  
  
• Filbert Brushes: A hybrid of round and flat brushes, filbert brushes have a rounded tip that allows for both detailed work and broader strokes. It probably is the most versatile of all brushes.
  
  
  

The Brush Materials 

• Synthetic vs. Natural Bristles: Brushes can have either synthetic or natural bristles. Natural bristles, often made from animal hair, are prized for their ability to hold and release paint smoothly. Synthetic brushes are often cheaper, durable, and can be a cruelty-free alternative.

The Brush Sizes 

The size of a brush is determined by its width, with smaller brushes being ideal for intricate work and larger brushes for covering more substantial areas.

The size 0 is the smallest, great for painting hairs and the smallest details. 

The bigger the number is, the bigger the size of the brushes will be. 

I like to use a big Bright shaped brush to lay down the background and the first layer of thin and flat paint. Then progress to smaller brushes as I build up my painting.

Why You Should Avoid Mix Brushes Between Different Mediums

.Here are some key reasons why artists typically do not mix brushes between different mediums:

• Contamination: One of the primary concerns is contamination of the brush and the resulting impact on the artwork. Residue from one medium can remain on the brush even after cleaning, leading to unintended color mixing or undesirable effects when switching to another medium.
• Medium Compatibility: Brushes are designed and manufactured to work optimally with specific mediums. Watercolor brushes, for example, are typically made with soft bristles that hold water and pigment, making them unsuitable for use with thicker mediums like oil paint, which requires stiffer bristles to handle the consistency of oil paint.
• Medium-Specific Effects: Different mediums require brushes with specific characteristics to achieve desired effects. For instance, acrylic brushes often have synthetic bristles designed to withstand the harsh chemicals and fast-drying nature of acrylic paints, while oil brushes have natural bristles that work well with the slow-drying and viscous properties of oil paints
• Longevity and Durability: The compatibility between brushes and mediums also affects the longevity and durability of the brushes. Using a brush with a medium it’s not designed for can lead to premature wear and damage to the brush. And you will not want to ruin your favorite brush because of this reason!
• Artistic Precision: Artists often develop a familiarity and preference for specific brushes for their chosen medium and style. Mixing brushes between different mediums can disrupt this familiarity and make it challenging to achieve the level of precision and control they desire.

My Favorite Paintbrush Brand:

My favorite brands are Princeton, Silver Brush, and Rosemary Co. 

How to Properly Clean Paintbrushes

Properly cleaning brushes is essential to maintain their longevity and ensure they perform well in your artistic endeavors. Here’s a general guide on how to clean brushes effectively:

Materials Needed:

• Water: For water-based paints like watercolors or acrylics, you’ll need water for cleaning.
• Solvent or Paint Thinner: If you use oil-based paints like oil paints or alkyds, you’ll need an appropriate solvent or paint thinner. Common options include mineral spirits or odorless turpentine.
• Container for Cleaning: Use a container, such as a jar or a cleaning basin, to hold the cleaning solution.   I use a stainless steel cleaner with tight seals. There is also a removable trainer cup inside it so the residue from paints will filter to the bottom.  
  
  
  
• Paper Towels or Rags: These are handy for wiping excess paint and solvent from the brushes.

Cleaning Process:

• Remove Excess Paint: Before cleaning, gently wipe excess paint off the brush using a paper towel or rag. This step minimizes the amount of paint that needs to be cleaned in the solvent or water.
• For Water-Based Paints(Acrylics/Watercolors):
  • a. Rinse the brush under running water to remove any remaining paint.
  • b. Swirl the brush in a container of clean water, gently agitating the bristles to release the paint.
  • c. Repeat the process until the water runs clear and there’s no more paint coming off the brush.
  • d. Gently reshape the brush to its original form.
• For Oil-Based Paint
  • Although Oil paints need more elbow grease and steps to clean than acrylics, but with proper care, your brushes will last a very long time! 
  • First, swirl the brush in a container with the appropriate solvent or paint thinner. Use enough solvent to fully immerse the bristles without submerging the ferrule (the metal part that connects the bristles to the handle).
  • Second, Remove the brush and wipe it on a paper towel or rag to remove loosened paint.
  • Repeat the process with clean solvent until the brush is clean.
    
    
    Reshape and Dry: After cleaning, gently reshape the brush to its original form. Lay it flat to dry, ensuring the bristles are not bent or misshapen. Avoid leaving brushes standing in water or solvent, as this can damage the bristles and the handle.

Additional Tips:

• Avoid using excessive force or harsh chemicals to clean brushes, as this can damage the bristles over time.
• Cleaning your brushes immediately after use can make the process easier and more effective. A couple of times I forgot to clean some of my favorite brushes and left them in my studio overnight, ended up ruining them because they were made of delicate natural animal hair.  I hope you don’t repeat my mistakes.
• If you have neglected brushes with dried paint, you may need to soak them in the appropriate solvent or use a brush restorer product to revive them. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for these products.

Proper brush care and cleaning are essential habits for any artist. By following these steps, you can help ensure your brushes remain in good condition for many years to come!

Let me know if this post is helpful and happy painting!

The post All about paintbrushes and the best way to clean brushes appeared first on Ying McLane.

Recently someone in my community asked me how to choose a palette. The palette can really influence the aesthetics of your painting. Here are some of the most commonly used color palettes in different art genres.

Portrait Palette: 

When it comes to portraiture, the artist’s palette takes on the responsibility of conveying the intricate nuances of human expression and emotion. A portrait palette often emphasizes flesh tones, capturing the diversity of skin hues, shadows, and highlights. Here are some key colors that I use often in portrait painting:

• Cadmium Red: Used for warm undertones on skin and rosy cheeks.
• Naples Yellow: You can use it as the base of many different skin tones. 
• Yellow Ochre: It adds warmth to skin tones.
• Ultramarine Blue: Provides cool shadows and can be used in mixing with yellows and reds for subtle variations in skin tone.
• Burnt Sienna or Raw Umber: creating darker and tanner skin tones, and shadows. 
• Titanium White: Essential for highlighting and achieving light values. Tip: Don’t use it alone, the highlights you see on a person’s nose tips or check bones in portrait paintings are usually not pure white, but mixed with Naples yellow, or similar colors. 

Bouguereau is famous for his life-like portraits:

Plein Air Palette: 

Plein air painting means painting outdoors in nature.

Some popular plein air palette includes:

• Viridian: Ideal for capturing lush greens in landscapes.
• Cerulean Blue: A must-have for painting the sky.
• Sap Green: Not as saturated as viridian, so it’s perfect for foliage and natural elements.
• Yellow Ochre: Adds warmth to earthy tones and captures the glow of sunlight.
• Cadmium Yellow: Capture sunlight that bounces off everything in nature. 
• Burnt Sienna: Useful for earthy tones and capturing the essence of trees and rocks.
• Raw Umber: Cooler than Burnt Sienna. Another must-have to paint earth and shadows in nature. When you add a little Raw Umber with Blues, you will get the darks that are close to black but not totally black, so it looks more natural. 
• Cadmium Red: You can use it to mix with blues to make purple shadows, instead of using purple. I found it more natural looking when I mix them. 

landscape painter George Inness loved to paint the beauty of 19th-century American landscapes.

Still Life Palette: 

Still, life is a great practice to improve your painting skills. When I was in art school, my teacher first taught me how to paint cups, glasses vases, and all kinds of common household items. It’s a great way to learn forms, edges, compositions, and all those important fundamentals in painting. 

A still-life palette is often a delicate balance of soft hues and muted tones, to bring out the peace and calm in our environment. Key colors to consider for a still-life palette include:

• Ivory Black: Provides depth and creates shadows and darker areas.
• Burnt Umber: Useful for earthy tones and capturing the texture of objects.
• Cadmium Yellow: Adds a vibrant touch to flowers, fruits, or other focal points.
• Rose Madder: Offers a soft, delicate touch for floral arrangements.
• Soft Grays and Pastels: Perfect for creating serene and contemplative atmospheres.

Paul Cézanne set the ground for the emergence of modern art movements with his inventive still-life and landscape paintings.

Those are some of my favorite palettes. Of course, there are many, many different color combinations. When you paint paint a lot, you will find your personal favorite color palette. 

If you have any questions about painting and art business in general, just comment on this post and I will make sure to get back to you!

Cheering you on!

Ying 

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I don’t know about you, but I used to think that in order to make great art, I needed to wait until genius inspiration struck me. And I am a perfectionist, so that I will revise my painting over and over again. Because of that, I have ruined a couple of good paintings. And one painting took me four months to finish!

Not until a mentor taught me the good habits of a professional artist, and read a great book about the psychological aspect of habits, then I find my past habits were completely wrong. And today I totally changed the way I make my art.

First, if you want to make art your profession, you need to put out an average of two pieces of small to medium artwork per week or one big piece per week. A reputable gallery won’t even look at anyone’s portfolio unless they have at least 15 articles with the same level of quality. 

I know it’s not easy. But with a good framework and mindset, it’s totally achievable. 

NYT bestseller author James Clear introduced a couple of key mindsets regarding building good habits in his recent hit “Atomic Habits.” 

First is the power of starting with small habits. Small habits, consistently practiced over time, can lead to significant improvements. For an artist, this could mean starting with a small daily habit, such as spending 15 minutes drawing or writing. Over time, this habit can be built upon and eventually lead to longer and more productive sessions.

So, instead of setting a lofty goal for yourself, try starting with something simple like spending just 10-15 minutes a day on your craft. Over time, you can build on that habit and eventually work your way up to longer and more productive sessions.

Habit stacking is another tip from the book that I find particularly useful. It’s the idea of attaching a new habit to an existing one. So, if you always make a cup of coffee in the morning, you could attach the habit of spending 10 minutes sketching your next painting subject while the coffee brews. This can be a great way to incorporate new habits into your daily routine.

Another key takeaway is a 4-step framework, which is composed of cue, craving, response, and reward. James calls it ‘The 4 Laws of Behavior Change’. I can’t explain it in this short email. Here is the link to the book https://amzn.to/3mmjpj2

One good tip from my personal experience is to build a comfy workspace. 

It will be hard for you if you only have a kitchen table to work on your art. Find a space that is comfortable, quiet, and has all the necessary supplies within reach. Make sure it’s conducive to your creativity and free from distractions. This will help you stay focused and productive during your work sessions.

I like to put on my favorite podcast or music while I am working. It helps me to get into my “zone” faster and easier.  

Also, keep your workspace clean. It doesn’t have to be spotless. After all, which artist doesn’t has stains and messes in their studio? But to avoid turning the “creative mess” into “distracting chaos”, make it a habit to clean your brushes and major mess right after your painting session. And schedule a deep clean once a month.

Another habit I found that I can’t live without is incorporating exercise and stretching into my routine. 

The older I gets, the more I find my body needs periodic breaks in between painting sessions, or I will have a terrible backache. 

As artists, we spend much time sitting and working on our craft. It’s crucial to take breaks to move our bodies and stretch to prevent tension and fatigue, especially our backs and wrists. . Try doing some yoga or taking a quick walk around the block between work sessions. Trust me; your body will thank you!

Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the creative process! Establishing good working habits is essential, but it’s equally important to enjoy what you’re doing. Experiment with new techniques and ideas, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination.

So, there you have it – some tips to help you establish good working habits as an artist. 

Again, I highly recommend the book “Anomic Habits.” get it from here:  https://amzn.to/3Knrjk1

Don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to get into the groove. With consistency, discipline, and a little bit of positive reinforcement, you’ll be well on your way to reaching your artistic potential. Let me know if this post helps!

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