Hello:

I am having issues with some of my paint becoming thin on the pallet. For instance, when I create a mountain and then take the brush to pull out the paint or diffuse, sometimes I get runny color. I don't think it is the result of too much liquid white, because I don't see the color changing value.

What I think may be happening is that my brush is not getting dry enough from the cleaning procedure. I am at a loss as to why not, though, because follow Bob's procedure: shake off and then really beat the brush on a brush-beater rack. I beat the brush much longer than Bob does on the show. The brush seems to be a little bit moist, and sometimes I do use a paper towel.

I am using Mona Lisa odorless thinner (I use all BRI paint). Does it matter that I'm not using the BRI thinner? What am I missing?

This is probably the thing that is causing me not to progress in my painting because the paint doesn't hold its firmness once it hits the canvas.

Thanks for any tips.

Your intuition is probably correct; I run into the same thing when cleaning my brushes. I use paper towels even after I beat the devil out of it. I also try to avoid cleaning brushes when possible. I have two of most brushes so I can keep a light one and a dark one in play as I go.

    I just did a painting and discovered that my brown is probably not firm enough. That may be why, in part, I have been having trouble. I did a mountain and scraped and scraped and scraped to get all the excess off. It went a bit better. But then I tried to do a tree trunk. Woof.

      cdub0021

      I think you correctly identify the issue. I don’t have those problems. I dry my brushes with paper towels very very thoroughly before I use them in a new color.
      if I’m going to keep using a dirty brush, as Bob often recommends, I will sometimes wipe most of the paint off of that with paper towels also.

      Good luck!

          IMO the beater rack doesn't work as well as rapping the brush against the easel leg, but most of us work in domestic spaces. On the plus side, your paints are supposed to thin as you work forward. If it's a real issue, perhaps you might get more than one brush and rotate. And shop towels (or Viva brand paper towels, which have a similar cloth texture) are best for absorbing excess thinner, or anything for that matter.

          I don't beat my brush as much as I'd like to.. it really needs it every now and then 😃. I clean my brush in thinner then just push it against the side of the tin to push out as much as I can. Then I used 4 ply HD paper shop towels to dry the brush. Mush less fuss and mess and I have a decently dry brush when I'm done. The shop towel I use is Tork blue 4 ply shop towel but there are others out there. These are not your kitchen paper towels. By not beating the brush, I do not have the mess all over the bucket.. I get virtual no mist in the air and I have better control as to how dry it really is. Here is what I use. They soak up paint and thinner very well. :Tork 13247501 Industrial Paper Wiper, Handy Box, 4-Ply, 12.8" Width x 16.5" Length, Blue

          cdub0021 I also use the BR paints and Mona Lisa thinner so I don't think either of those is your issue. Lot of great comments by others. I try to use one brush for dark colors and one for light so I don't have to clean it so often (as Bob would say, I'm a lazy painter).

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