Sometimes we end up with brush handles that are cracking and peeling off… 99% of the time it happens because of long exposure to water when washing the brush or if you leave it soaking in the water while you paint.
The water climbs up the bristles into the ferrule and the wooden handle starts absorbing it. The wood than swells and crack the paint coating. What a hot mess! Even worse when it happens to your all time favorite brush that is not manufactured anymore… what to do than?
Its important to keep in mind that your customers may not know why it happen and will think your station is dirty. As long as you can fix your brushes and make them look professional again – do it! If they still look messy after you “rig” them, than its time to make them your home or craft brushes and move on to a new brush set.
This question was brought up in our face painting group and there were so many clever ideas I had to post them here…
• Seal them with nail polish or paint.
• Use electrical tape and wrap it around the handle. Lasts really well and you can color code your brushes too. (image by Dani Oatham)
• Heat Shrink tubing at Walmart just slide your brush in and heat with a lighter or hair dryer it’s like a rubber coating very fast to put on and comes in different sizes and colors, you can get a multiple size pack.
• Duct tape and it comes in super fun designs and colors.
• Either sand and dip in plastisol ( the stuff electricians use to make their tools safe- plastic/rubber handles after n nice colors). Or, sand and paint with fingernail polish and seal with a clear coat after i dip the tips in glitter.
• Apply multiple colors of washi tape then dipp them in clear plasti-dip
• Used chunky glitter and UV resin to glam up old brushes. (image by Adelle Berg )
• You can spray paint or sponge them if you wanted to you could spray a clear sealant over it and it’s good as new!
• Just buy new ones. It’s the cost of doing business and reflects better on you as a “real business”. Customers see everything so it’s important to keep that in mind when things start to degrade or look unprofessional. I keep old brushes at home for practice and training new painters.
The list of ideas was generated from comments made by our group members on facebook. Make sure to join the conversation and join our face painting help group.
