Why Cleaning Your Brushes is a Waste of Time - Oil Painting Advice

In this video I explain why oil painting artist should never waste time cleaning brushes.

For more about my art supply company and the paint that I use visit:

[paintcoach]

I have been using your brush dip for years and love it! I recommend it on my channel all the time. The best!

[I_r_i_n_a_]

I’ve never tried this method, but am intrigued. I wipe my brushes with paper towel and clean in solvent. If I’ve missed a brush that then has gotten hard or ruined bc it dried with oil paint or whatever, I just dip it in a cup of a Murphy s Oil soap without any water for a day or two, then rinse and they’re as good as new. I’ve saved many of my brushes this way over the years.

[denizkaptan]

I just dip them in linseed oil, dry them with paper towel and leave them for the next day. It has been working for me, better than cleaning with turpentine. turp made me lose many brushes. Might try this brush dip recipe.

[internationalartprojects]

If I watched this 10 or 20 years ago I would have disagreed with this but the last few years Ive learned so much about desaturating colours that this makes perfect sense. thanks for the tip

[allenvoss]

I have the brush dip and love it ! Not only saves time in the studio but I have noticed the life of my brushes last longer .

[KathyBrooksArt]

Great to see you back. Have your brush dip, it's great.

[foolishwatcher]

Even more interesting than the info in the video itself are the comments on this one. This is one of those topics that have less to do with art, personal expression and techniques, but very much with personal habits and traits in general. There are so many ways to clean your brushes (and make no mistake: even what Mark describes here is a way of cleaning them, despite the title to the contrary). Just use what works for you, what fits your way of doing things. If cleaning up after work is part of your routine in general whatever you do, cleaning brushes will not feel like a waste of time. If you feel like it, experiment with other methods. I myself use different methods for different brush types, sizes and shapes and depending on if I expect to use the same brush the next day or probably not.

[mariacoy]

Thank you Mark for all the important information I always take your advice to heart. Love your oil paints!

[rellaingram]

I generally agree with you on most things, but if you're a person who can't paint regularly or switch mediums often, you need to clean your brushes. If you're using a longer drying paint and painting daily, then I might agree. However, that doesn't fit all situations. But as usual, I still enjoy your videos!

[timprichard]

Good to see you posting again. Hope you are well.

[shirleecampbell]

Good to see you again. I recently bought your paints and love them!

[miriamscigliano]

I completely agree! Your brush dip changed my painting life! 10 out of 10 highly recommend 👌

[lewistaylor]

I still have my signwriting quills for 35 years...Use them for oil gold sizing too...Always cleaned in white spirit, spun by hand and then petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to keep the for 35 years...Signwriting quills are pretty expensive and there are ways to make them last a life time...

[liamoliver]

You’re a legend Mark. Thanks for all the great lessons.

[tiagodagostini]

My counter point would be... good luck on trying to get rid of phtalo blue with a paper towel well enough to not green your yellow. It is jsut faster to "wash it " in some solvent.

[shashank]

Please make a demonstration video. It's been so long since you uploaded one. It's a delight watching you paint. 🙏

[searchingnlearning]

Haven't listened to the video but I agree right off the bat. I spent so long procrastinating because I knew I had to spend a long time cleaning. Now I use disposable pallet paper and I now use a little bit of mineral spirits, dab, and dip in oil and wipe. The brush comes out clean and it doesn't get hard.

[CarlosFerreira-kaiko]

Fantastic advice from you. Thank you very much. I used to clean brushes while doing painting and always whished to be a better way to do that. And your tip is brilliant. It is clicked

[tulunharmankaya]

Hi, I am so happy to be receiving your video once again. Thank you andI hope you will kindly continue to do so. It was quite some time since I received the last one and I missed them a lot. This came as a wonderful surprise.
Wish you and your family the best. Tülün Harmankaya

[AutomHatter]

That brush dip smells good from the clove oil! I love using it between painting sessions.