am I doing something wrong

[godfather]

In a painting session I will have used about 10 or more brushes to paint a figure in oils. I find that I use one brush to lay the oil down another to place shadows, another for darker shadows then another brush to blend these. Same with highlights. You get the idea. I do this because I took verlinden's advice not to clean your brushes while painting as this would make a mess. I have also found that the different colors contaminate my other colors so I need fresh brushes. Am i doing something wrong or is this the norm?

 

[Guy]

When I paint oils for flesh on a figure, I too, use alot of brushes and keep brushes aside just for oils.

 

[Joe Hudson]

I too have a ton of brushes laying around but I now only use 3 brushes. I paint a little weird though I use one brush to lay down the base coat of oil, then use my blending brush to smooth out the oil and then use the same base coat brush for a very few highlights and shadows. I then cook/heat the figure/bust then use my one brush for all my acrylic work.

Joe

 

[Bluesking]

I clean them and never had any problems

 

[John Long]

I usually use about three to four brushes. One for shadows, one for highlights, and one for blending. I usually use the same brush for midtones as I do for shadows. The only brush I refrain from cleaning is the blending brush. If you make sure you wipe out any excess thinner you should be able to use the painting brushes just fine. But with the blending brush, any thinner used will remain in the brush for quite some time. I usually wipe the blender on a cloth to clean out excess paint. I only clean it with thinners after a painting session.

 

[jjgurk]

I have 2 W&N Series 7 for blending oils, 3 brushes for laying in different colors, and 2 brushes with one maybe two hairs on them for the eyes only (been using them for almost 10 years). As I lay in the paint, with the exception of the blending sables, I continually clean the 3 brushes that I use for laying in the colors with mineral spirits and have never experienced any problems.

John

 

[KeithP]

Interesting comments from all of you.

I don't think there is a wrong or right answer. If the results that you acheive are satisfactory then the number of brushes you use is not really that important.

Keith

 

[Kisifer]

I usually use 3-4 brushes. As stated I also use one for the lights, one for the shadows and certainly one for blending which i never clean it with a thinner during blending. I wipe any paint from with a clean kitchen paper or something like that. I clean it with the thinner only when i'm finished.

 

[Guy]

Originally posted by KeithP@Aug 16 2005, 07:41 PM
Interesting comments from all of you.

I don't think there is a wrong or right answer. If the results that you acheive are satisfactory then the number of brushes you use is not really that important.

Keith

I think what Keith has said pretty much sums it up.......if it works for you.....the amount of brushes it takes is unimportant.

 

[Blind Pew]

I think I must be a real weirdo. I use just the one brush!

I reckon that if you ask 10 different painters, you'd get 10 differnet answers on this one.