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Brush Care

Just a few minutes of your time can assure longer life for your most important investment in quality brushes. New brushes come shaped with a packing material. Gently rinse the packing material out of your brush with warm water, then wash with a little soap and rinse again. The brush is ready to use with all water based media. For oils, reshape and allow the brush to dry thoroughly before use.

DURING USE

    1. Change rinse water frequently (for oils, keep your mineral spirits or turps decanted).
    2. Don't allow the brush to stand in your water or thinner as this will bend their bristles.
    3. Rinse and/or clean brush whenever a buildup of pigments is beginning to occur within the fibers or bristles.
    4. Whenever possible use older brushes for more invasive procedures, saving newer brushes for more gentle use.

FOLLOWING USE

  1. Gently wipe out as much of the paint as possible from the fur or fiber.
  2. Rinse well. For oils, gently working in mineral oil or baby oil and wiping out will save some exposure to thinner or turps.
  3. Wash well with a good brush soap. Rinse well. Reshape brushes that are used for stroke work.
  4. Store brushes upright, protecting bristles or fibers from bending.

 

SPECIAL HINTS

  1. Prolong the life of your acrylic brushes by working a little Jo Sonja's Retarder Medium intothe fur or fiber, reshape and store. Even if the Retarder dries out of the brush, it won't hurt it. The use of the Retarder can help prevent a buildup of pigment near the ferrule of the brush. For oils- leave a little Vaseline or baby oil in the brush.
  2. Protect your natural fur and bristle brushes from insects and animals, which especially like the most expensive brushes best. Moth balls, cedar chips, or covered containers are possible choices.
  3. If a brush should become bent during storage just briefly dip it into a cup of very hot (not boiling) water and give it a few swishes; this straightens out the fur or fiber.
  4. If a brush loses hairs:
    a. The loss of short hairs usually indicates rough treatment during painting, cleaning or insect invasion. Check your technique.
    b. The loss of extra long hairs, usually noticed during first use, may indicate missed gluing or tying of the brush during the manufacturing process. Return to maker or shop where you purchased brush.
  5. Quality brushes are made with care and concern but it is possible that a problem could have occurred during the assembly procedure of your brush. Reputable companies will stand behind their product. and gladly make exchanges when a brush problem is due to a manufacturing oversight.

Copyright © 2002 Jo Sonja ®
Jo Sonja's Inc. - P.O. Box 9080 - Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: (707) 445-9306 - Toll Free: (888) JOSONJA

Web site designed by Bethany Jansen, Mark Jansen, & Matt Basham
email: For Technical Support