New brush
På SvenskaA newly purchased brush cannot be used immediately. Two things must be done before you can start painting with it. I’ve noticed that not all of my students know how to handle a new brush, so I don’t think it’s common knowledge.
The first thing to do is to remove the plastic tube that protects the brush hairs. Everyone understands that, but some continue to use it as a protection. You should not do that, you should throw it away as soon as it is removed.
If you put the tube back after you paint, moisture will accumulate, which is not good for the bristles. In addition, it is difficult not to bend a brush hair when you have to put on the plastic tube. Allow the brush to dry without plastic wrap, in the open air, and avoid damaging the hairs, throw away the tube.
The other thing to do is to remove the glue from the bristles. A new brush is always glued to protect the hair and to make it look nice. The glue must be removed before the brush can be used.
It’s water-soluble glue (of course), so it dissolves easily in water. I usually just roll the brush gently, with only light pressure, against the inside of a cup of water. When all the glue is gone, you can run the brush through your fingers to check that there is no glue left in the brush, if you feel any roughness, rinse it again.
Store the brush upright in a cup or rolled up in a brush mat, or in a brush case.
