Reddit reviews Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer - 4 oz. bottle
We found 7 Reddit comments about Winsor & Newton Brush Cleaner & Restorer - 4 oz. bottle. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Brush Cleaner and restorer safely and easily cleans both natural and synthetic brushes without damage to brush headsIt leaves no oily residueEmits a low amount of Vapor and is non-toxicBiodegradable, water-soluble, non-flammable and non-abrasiveComes in 4-ounce bottle
I use an iwata HP-BCS.
http://www.iwata-medea.com/products/iwata-airbrushes/eclipse/
Its great because it will take any paint I have thrown at it without thinning. It feels like an industrial airbrush with the thick paints I can use and it's really nice not to have to worry about thinning paint. This can also be a bit of a problem because it will also throw paint chunks if you have contaminated or old paint.
This brush does have some disadvantages. The needle does on occasion needs a touch of lube to keep it working well and it took me a long time to figure this out (herp derp). The double action is nice but it makes it a little harder to clean but I've never really had a problem cleaning it so this is mostly what other people say about the double action brushes.
That said, It might be nice to have the style with the top feed hopper, something like the HP-CS. A design like this would mean I would waste less paint and make it easier to just drip some in and go. With my brush you need to fill enough of the bottle to allow the pickup hose to reach the paint and this wastes paint when It comes time to clean the bottle. I also find I am poring paint back and forth a lot, and all that can lead to paint contamination and spills.
As for maintenance I use mostly water cleanup paints so I just run water through it. For the occasional deep clean I use this magic stuff called. ["Brush Cleaner and Restorer" from Winsor & Newton] (https://smile.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Brush-Cleaner-Restorer/dp/B005M4W1VK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1511330111&sr=8-6&keywords=paint+brush+cleaner). It has very little smell seems pretty non-toxic (and is labeled as such) and will remove any oil, enamel, acrylic, or wax paints I have ever used. I can't say enough about this stuff. Just soak the needle and spray head in this stuff for a while and wipe with a q-tip and your brush (air or hair) will look like new.
In conclusion, with my experience with the just the HP-BCS, I would probably not buy it again, but instead get the HP-CS. Its pretty much the same brush but that top feed style seems much easier to clean and would waste less paint, especially with the dropper style paints like Vallejo sells.
Been painting a few years and lurking here forever, here's my advice:
> Mixing Brush: I am told that you should not mix paint with your primary brushes. Where can I buy a cheap brush for mixing, and anything special I need?
If I'm already using a "larger" brush (1 or higher) I'll mix with my good brushes and just be mindful of how far up the ferrule I am or use the back of the brush. If I'm using a detail brush I'll use a super cheap synthetic 2 or 3. Look on amazon or at a local art chain (Michaels) for cheap student grade packs of round brushes. You'll end up using these for terrain, PVA glue, and all sorts of other things.
> More Brushes: My kit came with a 2 flat and 0 round. What other brushes will I need, and what in your opinion is a good brand to buy? Any set that covers all the basics? Although I am new to painting, I'd like something that will last me and be quality. They sell SoHo brushes in my local store, which look like they are great quality. Any users here?
This topic can get pretty involved. Brushes have a lifespan so if you're new to the hobby I wouldn't recommend dropping money on higher end Kolinsky brushes like W&N Series 7 or daVinci Maestro. For a new painter I recommend Winsor & Newton's University series and Army Painter's Wargamer brushes. The W&N University brushes are higher than average student quality acrylic brushes that can be abused. They're great for basecoating with thicker mixes. The Wargamer brushes are a cheap intro into real sable hair so you can get started at layering with thinned paints.
> Primers: This is a big ? for me --- Spray primers, basic black white and grey? Which ones, what brand, etc... Really unsure what is recommended here, as in a store there are so many, but hoping /r/minipainting can help as we are all painting the same stuff. Would love some specific product recommendations here.
For the most part, you have three options: spray cans, brush-on, and airbrush. I can't really recommend spray primers - they require ventilation, have trouble with humidity, and can only be sprayed at one consistency. Many of the hobby spray cans advertised for basing your minis aren't actual primers. Brush-on primers are the most economical but run the risk of losing detail on the mini if applied heavily. Airbrushing is my preferred method using either Mr. Hobby's Mr. Surfacer 1500 thinned with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner for highly detailed minis, or Vallejo Primer for tabletop quality minis. Vallejo Primer's are acrylic and polyurethane so they're more protective but can sometimes take away detail.
> Finish: I saw a few videos where they spray some 'protective' finish on a product, I believe there are matte finishes as well as gloss finishes? Can I get any 'matte/gloss finish' product, or are there certain ones for miniatures?
Same three options as priming. If your minis are going to be handled often, I recommend a glossy coat then a matte coat. Glossy varnishes are stronger than matte varnishes, so this combo will give you the most protection. You are more likely to lose some detail this way. If your minis are for display only you can skip the varnish and just be careful. Dried acrylics are basically thin plastic so they have some durability on their own. Brand-wise I airbrush using Liquitex Professional gloss and matte varnishes, thinned with Vallejo airbrush thinner and a drop or two of Vallejo flow-improver. Vallejo varnishes are also good but Liquitex offers the best bang for your buck.
> Mini Holders: I found this product which looks amazing, but is not available until late 2017 since the Kickstarter has ended. Are there any similar products that someone could recommend, or should I just go with something very simple? Would love to hear some ideas.
I use an old Citadel paint pot and white poster tack to stick to the bottom of the base. If you want to paint individual parts, heat the tip of a needle/pin with a lighter, press it gently into the glue joint of the mini (the hole will be hidden later), then press the other side of the needle into a wine cork or similar.
> Brush Care: I got a "masters" paste from a store that I was told to rinse and swirl my brushes in after painting. Any other tips or is this okay?
Master's is the best option, just make sure you follow the directions and use warm water for best results. You can also get a small bottle of W&N Brusher Cleaner and Restorer to have on reserve if you accidentally let paint dry on one of your better brushes. If it's a cheap or synthetic brush you can clean it with original Windex (WITHOUT Ammonia-D) or Vallejo airbrush cleaner, followed by a wash with Master's.
> Carving/Scraping tools: I know some minis need to be cut from a sheet and some have mold lines that need to be cleaned. How is this done and what tools are needed?
Get a decent pair of sprue cutters - I recommend these. You should be able to find these for $10 at a local hobby store. For plastic minis you should be fine with just an X-acto or similar knife for getting rid of mold lines - just run the blade mostly perpendicular to the line and "shave" it gently.
> Storage Box: For all the little things that come along with painting, what do you use/recommend to store everything in?
A coffee mug works fine as a brush holder. You can try a hardware store for all sorts of containers if you're traveling with paints. Otherwise desk space and some imagination (spice racks) or money (official paint stand) are all you need.
> Paint Agitators: I was told to get some steel balls and put them in every paint bottle I have. It's okay to leave them in there. Would these work, or any concerns?
Please do not use steel ball bearings. You can attempt to buy "marine grade" ball bearings but unless it's reputable and expensive they are still likely going to rust and ruin your paint. I use hematite beads for necklaces for my paints. 4mm for dropper bottles and 6mm for pots. You can get them cheaper at Michaels w/ a coupon and they're inert so they won't stain your paints.
> Flow Improver: Thoughts? I was told to mix this into my washes. How much should I add, one drop? Is this product okay, or is this only for airbrushing?
Flow improver is generally used for airbrushing to extend the drying time and prevent clogs. Fluid retarder in the form of actual art supply from W&N or Liquitex, Vallejo's Glaze Medium, or Games Workshop's Lahmian Medium are what you're looking for. These can all be used to turn a normal paint into a wash (heavy dilution), or can be used to extend drying time for wet blending (light dilution). I can't give you exact ratios as each paint company, each color, and the age of your paints will dictate that. Trial and error is the only method here.
One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is a wet palette. It will save you a lot of headache when learning to wet blend and will let you save mixed paints for many days. You can get one for cheap and use either the papers that come with it or kitchen parchment paper. Both will yield different results so play around with both. Be sure to use distilled water or you're likely to get some funk from mold after a couple days.
This is a fairly affordable set that will help you get started.
Also, get brush cleaner to extend the life of your brushes.
When you get some natural bristle brushes that you want to keep clean this helps keep them in good shape.
Remember to dunk your brushes in water every few minutes, while you're painting, to keep paint from drying on the bristles. Also, don't store them standing up. Store them laying down so that water and paint don't work into the ferrule.
You buy this stuff: https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Brush-Cleaner-Restorer/dp/B005M4W1VK?th=1&psc=1
Works on oils and acrylic.
Here is the brush soap I'm talking about. It's invaluable for getting a good lifespan out of your nice brushes. If he's just rinsing with water, it won't take long before he's got enough built up acrylic in and around the ferrule to split the tip. This might be why he seems to go through them so fast. With the Master's, or maybe even the heavy duty stuff he might even be able to recover some of the brushes he thought were toast.
I'm in Canada too and I just got into painting with the Reaper Bones kickstarter. Sorry in advance if this post sounds like a shill for Reaper stuff.
The Reaper online store has free shipping to Canada for orders over $35. Their prices are pretty reasonable, but they're in USD, so you'll suffer from the current crappy exchange rate.
They have a Learn to paint kit for $35 with 2 brushes and a small variety of paints which seems like a decent value.
Depending on what size brushes are in that kit, you might want to get a larger flat brush for base coats or a size 10/0 "super detail" brush. You can get brushes from Reaper or at a Michaels. I also grabbed a cheap pack of Mod Podge brushes that I don't care about wrecking.
Bones don't need priming, so I have no advice there.
I got this brush cleaner, I don't know if it's a good deal or not.
You can buy a paint palette, but you can also just use a plastic lid to get started, or make a wet palette -- easy and prevents your paints from drying out.
If there's a Games Workshop near you, you can get Citadel paints there. I ended up buying a couple of metallics and a brown wash. They come in pots, which aren't as convenient as dropper bottles.
Here are a couple of videos that helped me get started:
Also, like everyone else has said, check in at your local gaming/hobby shop :)
One thing to look at that hasn't been mentioned, I have one particular red sable brush (it's a Blick Masterstroke) that splits like that when it gets too much water in it (and has from day one).
If technique related fixes and brush soap don't get the job done, try picking up a liquid brush cleaner and see if that gets the job done.