In which I brave the fearful elements for the sake of clean brushes

If you’ve been following my blog, you know that today I was supposed to clean my brushes, among other things.

Not only did I get it done, I took pictures.

We begin with a palette covered with dried paint

Here is my long neglected glass palette, covered with dried paint under a layer of plastic wrap.  The wrap was supposed to keep the paint from drying out, but I left it too long and now the paint is mostly dried on.  My brushes are soaking in a little bottle full of brush cleaner.

Some of these pictures look darker than the others, because I had to use the flash.

I scrape the palette with a palette knife

I use a palette knife to scrape off as much dried and semi-dried paint off the palette as I can.  This will make it easier for the solvent to dissolve the rest.

It's in Slovene, but it says "Universal Brush Cleaner"

This is the solvent I use to clean my brushes and my palette.   I have to use it outside; if I tried to use it indoors it would knock me unconscious.  I also have to try to keep it off the lacquered brush handles, because it will dissolve the finish on those too.

Pouring solvent on the palette

I am supposed to be using gloves.

Wiping brushes with paper towels

While the solvent is working on the palette,  my brushes have been soaking.  I wipe them on a paper towel.  A lot of dried paint comes off.

Palette after scraping and solvent

I let the solvent sit on the palette a few minutes and then begin scraping with the knife.  After I’m done there is still some solvent left on the palette, which I will wipe off with some paper towels.

Clean palette

Palette is now clean and ready for further punishment.  The paper towels will stay outside on the balcony until the solvent smell evaporates, and then they will be either burned or taken to the recycling center, depending on how toxic the pigments I used were.

And there you have it.  Clean brushes and palette.