You never know what life-changing tip you might learn from a class. I love to paint but I’m not always as thorough as I should be on the cleanup. I learned about this product from an instructor on Creative Bug (our local library offers free access). 

The supply list included The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver, so I ordered some from Blick Art Supply. It seemed like an amazing product, one that could bring stiff-as-a-board-brushes back to life. I was skeptical but thought a brush cleaner might help. 

I set up to do a painting and the first brush I picked up looked okay but it was clearly not. I last used it for a complicated oil painting project. It was time to put the miracle brush cleaner to the test. And of course, it was an Ad Reinhardt-inspired black on black oil painting. Would anything remove dried black oil paint? I assumed the brush was a goner, but I put the blush cleaner to work, and holy moly, it’s almost as good as new. It did take a while. I had to do several rounds of cleaning and rinsing but was rewarded with a favorite brush back in the lineup. 

Painting design by Let’s Make Art. I did this version with acrylic paint instead of watercolors.