Organizing Brushes?

Is there anything specific that you guys keep your brushes in that holds a lot of brushes and doesnt bend them? I have mine in a pencil box but they're so unorganized Ive been trying to look for a good case to hold them all but theres not one with enough little pockets that I can find. Any reccomendations would be amazing

I get these cheap tackle box trays from the fishing store... cost like $4. Each has 4 channels in it. So, I put wide brushes in one, medium liners in another, fine liners in 3rd and flat brushes in 4th- I have another one that all dirties get dropped into once used (I don't use a brush on more than one person before washing) A lot of people use popsicle forms. I have seen a block of foam rubber with various holes poked in it used well, also the pre cut black packing foam.

Wash a Pringle potato chip can out well. let dry. poke a small hole or two in the lid and sides for air circulation and store your brushes UPRIGHT in this can between gigs. you can also find plastic "tupperware" type cases used to store spaghetti or crackers, they work well also... just drill a small hole or two in the sides for air circulation. Just be sure and keep the containers stored upright, your brushes will stay safe.

I love these ideas I will be going to the store soon

http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supply/CJBH002_9608_cheap-joes-brush-holder-quot-x-quot-holds-brushes.asp are what I usually use...cheap, last a long time & keep me organized as I paint...

5.99!! I paid almost $20 for the one I use now.

This is what I carry mine in

I use something similar to ...well I still can't post links yet. Google "Cheap Joe's Brush Holder, 7" x 13-1/2", Holds 15 brushes" to see


It has a string on the bottom with a plastic bit that holds it open as a stand. Then you just flip it closed in the other direction and it's quick to put away and set up! -though it is a fair number it isn't a TON of brushes. I can't see myself using more than that though- what other brushes would people really need?

When you have to wash and santize between each person you need a fair amount. I have 4-6 each of my favourites.

anniel wrote:http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supply/CJBH002_9608_cheap-joes-brush-holder-quot-x-quot-holds-brushes.asp are what I usually use...cheap, last a long time & keep me organized as I paint...

This one looks just like the one I'm looking at that is sold by Mehron. But of course that one is $20. Hmmm......

Shannon Fennell wrote:When you have to wash and santize between each person you need a fair amount. I have 4-6 each of my favourites.

I agree with you Shannon. I have to tell you, I used your method of sanitizing brushes at the last fair I did...OMG did it save me so much time at the end of the day. My brushes were so much nicer and my table generally cleaner.

billiebcc wrote:

Shannon Fennell wrote:When you have to wash and santize between each person you need a fair amount. I have 4-6 each of my favourites.

I agree with you Shannon. I have to tell you, I used your method of sanitizing brushes at the last fair I did...OMG did it save me so much time at the end of the day. My brushes were so much nicer and my table generally cleaner.

What method? *curious*

ALSO I bet you all save a TON of time and go a lot faster cleaning a bunch at once, rather than I the ones I used between each person.

Currently my method is handing the dirty brush to mom and grabbing a clean one.

Then she washes it with some ivory soap, rinses three times in clean water, then saturates them in 70% isopropyl alcohol, and then they airdry.

Once they are dry they go back into circulation for me to continue using.

(p.s. mom comes on the public gigs with wheelchair access, all other gigs I do my own cleaning between each person)

Can I borrow your mom, Shannon?
The girl that works with me, (she does the temporary tattoos and washes brushes/changes water/etc) is a VERY mature 14 year old.. but, still, just 14. *L*

I have numerous quirks.. (some people call it OCD, I call it... well.. ahem... anyway)... and I like my brushes separated by style so that I don't have to dig through to get them... argh..

Friday night, my husband washed/cleaned them during the festival... I swear, I believe that I developed an twitch just below my left eye!

That's, it, I'm buying brightly colored fingernail polishes tomorrow and color coding my brushes!


To address the post, I bought plastic (round) cracker boxes shaped like pringle containers at BIG LOTS for less than 2$, drilled a couple of holes in the top of them... they work great..

After each use the brush gets the soap, then the water then the alcohol then sits in a sponge to dry. They are dry by the second child. It's marvelous! I have at the MOST 4 of each brush VS 20. LOL I love it. LOVE it I tell you. Plus the paint doesn't eat the brushes. AND the scrubies get adhered to my little cuppies that hold the water and alcohol as well...yes overkill I don't care. I have access to scrubbies through my lovely son's OT.....the scrubbies we use for our feather brush basin are the same ones he uses for his OT. So I have a stock. LOL.

You guys are all so helpful thank you! And i love the method of sanitizing brushes Im definitely writing down notes

I use the ice cube tube tray, then, I store them in the tool box, upright. This ties on to the handle of my tool box, and I take it off and put it in the car so it is always upright.

I also use ivory, and the feathersoft basin.

I love your kit is that a fatmax that you use? You have a lot of mehron prisma cakes i have one and i love it =]

That is the plano rolling tool box, it is a little taller, lighter, and has drawers, which I LOVE. You can only get it at Menards, which is a bummer. The bottom holds my water, my jewles, and my basin (which is bigger now that I switched to the feather soft) and my paints are in jewlery cases now, but still pretty much the same. I can lift it into the back of my car and it is a breeze to set up. I am set up in less than 5 mintues. I carry my own chair (I am a sitter) but one side of this case has hooks on it, and I hang my kid chair and bucket, tie on my brushes, and I can walk into a gig in one trip, not needed anything from the client but an empty space of 5 by 5 or so. I love, love, love my kit.
I have had all the prismas, and I use the rainbow a lot, it last sooooo much longer than any other. Not crazy about them for one stroke, but love them for butterflys. I also like twist!

Oh i wish there was Menards in florida! I saw that Suzy has that as well but theres none down here Ill have to find a store that has something! lol

What about cracker boxes? I use a 3 compartment pencil or pen holder with pretty clear pebbles in it for my brushes while painting. I have a separate cup full of clean brushes next to it and as I need a new color brush, I choose from the clean lot and the only ones that make it into my main brush holder (the 3 compartment one) are the ones that I've used so I don't wind up washing clean brushes at the end of the day. I am a one brush per color painter primarily, but I do periodically 'retire' my brushes during the day if the need arises (like the little boy who decided that it would be funny to attempt to EAT my brush while I was painting a muzzle on him). The retired brushes get dropped, handle first into a round cracker container that sits in my dirty sponge basket. I suppose you could get a square cracker container if you have a LOT of brushes like Shannon, but for now I don't need one. The cool thing is that they are like $2 a piece. I should go get more...

@ a face painting mom...what are the foam brushes on the far left of your kit (look like lollipops)? What are they used for?? Thanks

I use the Loew Cornell Brush Well, another artist left it behind in the building my old studio was in, here's a link:

http://www.rexart.com/product688.html

While I was on that site I just discovered this holder:

http://www.rexart.com/product11067.html

I like how the design looks, but not the brushes that are in it. I wonder if they will sell it without the brushes? If not, I may make something like this in the future!

I got this holder a few weeks ago at Blick Art Materials. I now see that Cheap Joe's holder is "cheaper", but I was able to get it along with some other supplies for an art workshop that my client covered, so it was a good deal for me

http://www.dickblick.com/products/alvin-prestige-paintbrush-holders/#description]

I like it but I need to have a few more, as I have a bunch of new brushes on the way soon and I'll have to separate all my FP brushes from my other multimedia brushes.

I've sewn together 2 towels (halfway through) and then made dividers in them, so I can organise my brushes by type, and I can wash the brush-holder easily...

Here's an old picture of it, but since then I have a lot more brushes...

Radiant Jasmin wrote:I use the Loew Cornell Brush Well, another artist left it behind in the building my old studio was in, here's a link:

http://www.rexart.com/product688.html

While I was on that site I just discovered this holder:

http://www.rexart.com/product11067.html

I like how the design looks, but not the brushes that are in it. I wonder if they will sell it without the brushes? If not, I may make something like this in the future!

I got this holder a few weeks ago at Blick Art Materials. I now see that Cheap Joe's holder is "cheaper", but I was able to get it along with some other supplies for an art workshop that my client covered, so it was a good deal for me

http://www.dickblick.com/products/alvin-prestige-paintbrush-holders/#description]

I like it but I need to have a few more, as I have a bunch of new brushes on the way soon and I'll have to separate all my FP brushes from my other multimedia brushes.

I found just the holder here. I hope this isn't in violation of the TOU for the forum to post this link since it isn't in the store. It's $17.99 for the holder alone and the shipping looks to be around $8 or so...Still cheaper than being saddled with crappy brushes for the sake of getting an awesome holder. I think I'm going to pick one up for my makeup brushes.
http://www.madisonartshop.com/wobrho1.html?cmp=bingshopping&kw=wobrho1