Hair care for artists
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. I have no idea who ‘they’ are but they are definitely onto something! And I often find that when I have a problem my unconscious mind will set to work behind the scenes and then suddenly, as if by magic, a cunning solution pops up and the problem is solved.
I had a problem with my brushes. Beautifully shaped when straight out of the packet but within a week or so, no matter how carefully I washed, reshaped and dried them, they’d gone from sleek and tapered to horribly splayed and pretty much useless. Bristles sticking out in all directions—the paintbrush equivalent of a bad hair day—every day! So what to do? Throw them away and buy more? Surely brushes should last for longer than a few weeks?
They’re smooth and shapely when wet. So I just need something to keep them in shape as they dry. Mmm … methinks “What do I use to keep my hair in place …?”
Then suddenly—lightbulb moment!!
I happened to have a packet of Kirby Grips* kicking-about from the last time I put flowers in my hair—which happens a lot more than you’d think for a Scottish woman of a certain age. Any excuse will do. Weddings (well mine at least), festivals, fancy dress parties. There’s always a good reason to stick a few flowers in my hair and often the odd fairy light too because … why the hell not?!
So fellow artists I give you my simple yet (and I quote) genius idea!! The Millar Brush Groomer. (Patent Pending)
Simply wash brush well, squeeze off any excess water, reshape and place a Kirby Grip over the end to keep the bristles in place as it dries.
This works an absolute treat! And after 4 months in lockdown without a hair cut (I'm not counting the fringe I gave myself with a pair of dressmaking shears in week 4) my brushes are now considerably better groomed than I am!
So here you have it …
Brush care for Artists
Like this top tip? I’d be delighted if you shared it on Pinterest.
Caroline x
*Bobby Pins for my ‘across the pond’ and possibly ‘down under’ readers.
