How to clean my brushes from acrylic paint?

[Ivan.R]

I have painted with acrylics for the first time today and I can't clean my palette and my brushes. Can s.o. give me a tip how to clean them?

[Mindflaw]

Hi

to clean the brushes just use water and soap...Don't let the paint dry in the brushes cause then you wont be able to clean the brushes.

Same thing with the palette though if the paint have dried you could always scrape most of the paint off.

[Flake]

Sounds like you've already learned the first lesson of acrylic painting- don't let it dry on your brushes.

Consider it a valuable lesson, you won't do it again. :)

Hope they weren't expensive brushes btw.

[Seedling]

If the paint has dried in the brushes, you could try dunking the brushes in rubbing alcohol. I vaguely remember a teacher saying something about using alcohol of some sort as an emergency brush-cleaner, but I never tried it. You generally don't want to let the acrylics dry in your brushes, because it ruins them.

You can scrape off your palette with a razor blade.

[DavePalumbo]

once acrylic dries, it becomes plastic. Don't let it dry on anything that you don't want to bond with plastic (clothes, brushes, carpet, the dog, etc.)

[Elwell]

If paint has dried in the brushes, try a soak in ammonia. Windex will do in a pinch. They'll never be as good as new, but you might be able to get them to a usable condition. Maybe.

[jrr]

wn makes this brush repairer that works like curseword. it's fantastic! i tried it on some of my really beeped up brushes and they were soft again!

[arttorney]

While you're painting, have a little pan of water handy so when you are not using a particular brush put it in the water. Put it in there preferably laying at an angle, so the paint doesn't dry into the brush while you are using another one. Everybody's right. If the brush dries before you clean it out with soap and water, then you have a big problem.

Laying at an angle is just so the bristles don't end up being warped out of shape. Don't leave the brushes soaking in the water for days because the wood of the handle will soak and split. The water bath is only a temporary thing so your brushes don't become useless sticks.