Reddit mentions: The best paint brush organizers & holders

> I am using turpentine(switching to citrus thinner soon), and I have been cleaning my brushes in a jar I poured it in like I would clean other brushes in a jar of water. It's a murky colour now, can I reuse it, or did I screw up by putting it all into one jar and not portioning it out?(same question for citrus thinner)

https://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Painter-Brush-Washer-10-Ounce/dp/B00TV38PN6

Pigment settles with this sort of design. So you can swish it and keep reusing it.

I have never used Citrus thinner, it seems to be not super common these days for whatever reason. Would you mind doing a bit of a review on this sub after a few days use?

> I am using linseed oil and didn't portion it out as well, which means there's now paint in the oil. Is there a way to remove the paint from the oil? It's floating about inside and I'd prefer to not have to buy all new oil.

Hmmmm. I would suggest getting an eyedropper and vacuuming up your paint. Otherwise.... condolences? Certainly for any work you're doing that you want to be nice, I'd suggest having some clean oil

I have eyedropper bottles for my oils - this lets me carefully measure out how much I want.

> How do I actually clean brushes? I've found so many conflicting tutorials that I'm getting frustrated, because now I don't know what to do. I am currently brushing them along the bottom of the jar with the turpentine in them, wiping them out on a rag, and repeating until no paint comes off of them. However, I can still see some paint on the brush, are they ok? Am I not doing enough?

There are a few different methods, as you've learned. I clean using Gamsol (less toxic and less flammable than turpentine), using the brush washer I linked above, during a painting session, then after a few days, I will do a Master's Soap clean.

So it looks like this:

1. If large globs of paint on brush - wipe off on pallet
   
2. Wipe a bit on paper towel/newspaper
   
3. Rinse in brush washer, then knock the gamsol back in.
   
4. Dry gamsol off by wiping on newspaper or drop cloth.
   
5. Reuse brush.
   
   Then, after a few painting sessions - usually I cluster sessions of painting , i.e., over a weekend - I'll do a Master's Soap rinse and ensure I get all the pigment out, carefully. Don't abuse the brush!
   
   
   
   

You probably don't need the chip resin brush for either of those paintings, but it wouldn't hurt to own one. The master set comes with a #2 script liner so you don't really need to buy another one. It also comes with a 1" landscape but if you have the money to spare it's really convenient to have two 1" and 2" brushes so you don't have to constantly clean them. (one with the darker shadow color and one with the highlight color, usually).

The only thing I don't see on your list is the beater rack and a trash bin to set it in. The beater rack is what dries the brush, unless you paint in an area where you don't care about paint splattering and can just dry it on the eisel like bob does. It can also be bought in a combo pack that comes with the screen, bucket, and thinner.

There are also some colors that don't come with the master set that bob uses often. You can definitely get by with the colors in the set, but you may want to check the beginners guide and see if you want any other colors.

I would keep practicing, because honestly I don't think they are bad for a beginner.
Here's my first painting and the pile of paintings I've done, not including ones I have thrown into the garbage:
http://imgur.com/a/4wNQX

In that process I have learned that I'm not so great at mountains and I like to do wooded/ forest scenes. After doing that many paintings, I am making ones that I am mostly happy with, but they still don't look like Bob's:
http://imgur.com/a/KgY4J

Try to do some different types of paintings like a forest scene, a meadow or a seascape and see how you like those.

If you are still having trouble with things turning to mud, try using less liquid clear/white. If you are still having trouble with things turning to mud, you might not be beating the brushes out well enough.

The brush beater rack was the single best purchase I made since I started painting.

And remember, Bob Ross did over 30.000 paintings over his career, you've only done 2 so don't get discouraged!

Spending a bit of money will fix your problem.

What you need to do is buy this thing. And then put that inside of a small-ish wastebin. Something like this thing.

Then buy a big thing of turpenoid, like this for instance.

Finally you can buy this guy.

Then here's what you do. When you're ready to change paints, wipe your brush as well as you can with a paper towel. Then clean the brush off in the brush cleaning bucket (which has a screen inside of it, it's not just a bucket--very important). Your brush will be mostly soaked through with turnpenoid, and you then beat off the last bits of paint/turpenoid into the wastebin/rack combo you made.

If you spend this money up front, you will have very pleasant painting experience from now on.

How about something like this, this or this?

Looking on Amazon for knitting stuff didn't really yield many results, so I switched over to looking for kitchen and paint brush organizers. That might help get you started, anyway.

And once you start going through them, you'll likely find there are duplicates that you can get rid of some how. With her permission. Mostly. (I may live with pack rats, too.)

That's the paint I have, I bought the army painter set of 50. I also bought a set of cheap craft acrylics to use for terrain, they average out to like $1 per bottle, magicfly Acrylic 30 pack.

You can find a bunch of paint racks like the ones I got, but here are the ones I bought OPHIR Wooden Paint Rack Stand Pigment Ink Bottle Paints Tool Storage with Cabinet Holder Organizer for 58 Bottles of Paints https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077TGW5QH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Z22nDb0GR3P3T

As far is the light, just search on Amazon for Ottlite And find one you like

this item because I'm planning on getting more brushes and this would be a good way to organize. Thanks for the contest!

Painting can be definitely be messy if you let it be, but a roll of paper towels and a brush beater rack should help you keep the mess to a minimum.

To start, there's always the Happy Little Beginner's Guide. If you still have questions after reading the guide, feel free to post them here.

I'm not sure how good this advice is, but I bought one of these on Amazon recently to clean off my brushes and I've noticed they've been lasting much longer as a result.

https://www.amazon.com/MyLifeUNIT-Artist-Brush-Multifunction-Holder/dp/B01HBL96LO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1540388960&sr=8-6&keywords=master%27s+brush+cleaner

I keep my pens and my colored pencils in a canvas paintbrush holder - I think I paid $10 for it at Blick Art Supplies. Its not to fancy but it gets the job done. I think the one you posted is a nicer choice for only a few dollars more.

A paintbrush cleaning tank/jar? There are a few different kinds coming up in an Amazon search:

Winsor & Newton Silicoil Brush Cleaning Tank https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027ACEI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2endBbEJFRBEQ


Mona Lisa 16-Ounce. Capacity Cleaning Tank (160-017) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001UAOEDS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UhndBb46Z066V


Naturebelle Airbrush Cleaning Pot, Clean Paint Jar with Air Brush Holder + Nozzle Cleaning Brush Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D41W04U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0indBb23RN51R


Portable Stainless Steel Leak-Proof Premium Brush Washer with Lid and Filter Screen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07517W32S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CjndBb6S65C6H

Not sure if this works for you, but I got a canvas paintbrush roll with 15 slots plus a large brush pocket for small extras like cartridges or sample vials. Rolls up and fits into the seat back pocket when traveling.

Something like this.

Looks like a standard paint brush stand, probably slightly bigger version of this: https://www.amazon.com/Brush-Crate-Multi-Paint-Organizer/dp/B004WQG1UG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540827597&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=paint+brush+stand&dpPl=1&dpID=413yzVkU8LL&ref=plSrch

(:

Now you have me thinking outside the box. Is this what you mean? https://www.amazon.com/Art-Supply-Plastic-Pencil-Holder/dp/B06Y3P5B5V/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1525648175&sr=8-8&keywords=pen+storage

I've got one of those. It's a little plastic organizer. Amazon. The toothbrush is probably for cleaning off mould release agent or stripping models. I also sometimes flick blood onto models with a toothbrush to get a splatter effect.

It's for cleaning and drying paintbrushes.

The one linked is for craft paints which come in larger bottles.

I use three of this item
https://www.amazon.com/OPHIR-Pigment-Storage-Cabinet-Organizer/dp/B077TGW5QH/ref=sr_1_4?hvadid=77721733440689&hvbmt=be&hvdev=t&hvqmt=e&keywords=hobby+paint+rack&qid=1574810271&sr=8-4

Looks like he used a sheet of wood or paneling, similar to the stuff used to make this (maybe some rigid pressboard like in the old preschool jigsaw puzzles)

https://www.amazon.com/OPHIR-Pigment-Storage-Cabinet-Organizer/dp/B077TGW5QH/ref=asc_df_B077TGW5QH/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241895369653&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2651421602996873968&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012122&hvtargid=pla-407037410811&psc=1

He cut the design with a laser machine (They can be very pricey unless you have access to one at work or a shop)

Then used a tongue depressor as a storage slide.

get yourself a tall waste paper bin made of plastic:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colourful-Grade-Wham-Plastic-Rubbish/dp/B00FNOUWRY/ref=sr_1_105?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1484214640&sr=1-105&keywords=rubbish+bin
take the lid off
insert this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bob-Ross-Brush-Beater-Rack/dp/B000E9LEVQ/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1484214675&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=bob+ross+beater+rack

job done!
basically you "beat the devil" out of your brush inside the bin by rubbing it vigorously over the beater rack. all splatter is contained within the bin and any excess thinners can be drained back into your thinners container at the end of your painting.