You've been using your brushes wrong all this time!

Head to squarespace.com/squidmar to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code SQUIDMAR
This week, we'll teach you everything you need to know about how to get the best possible control from your brushes!
You can ge the squidmar kolinsky sable paintbrushes here:
www.squidmar.com/shop
Regarding the wetpalette: I was a bit unclear in what i said in the video! If you want to be notified when the wet palette is ready for launch (it's trapped on a massive freight ship right now) you can sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of our website and we'll let you know directly when it comes out!
www.squidmar.com
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🖌️🧟‍♂️👕 Support us by buying the exclusive Squidmar Brushes, Merchandice & sona miniatures: www.squidmar.com/shop
🏆 Support me on Patreon: / squidmarminiatures
👍 Squidmars website for full list of gear I use: www.squidmar.com/gear
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Emil On
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Videos edited by Maxime Dader & Viktor Westermark

[@SquidmarMiniatures]

Regarding the wetpalette: I was a bit unclear in what i said in the video! If you want to be notified when the wet palette is ready for launch (it's trapped on a massive freight ship right now) you can sign up to our newsletter at the bottom of our website and we'll let you know directly when it comes out! www.squidmar.com

[@squeesmyth9025]

Do houthi have them hostage lol

[@Gorriladudes345]

i subed thanks for your videos :)

[@Zocawi]

I skip the difficult brush steps and just dip my models into paint directly. Huge time saver 🎉

[@ger5956]

Genius!!! 😅

[@mhateys]

rofl

[@MechbossBoogie]

Why stop there? Thin your paints when they're wet? Thin them on the model after they've dried, especially if you're dipping them.

[@DaruKari]

Just lick the paint and apply it directly with your tongue.

[@McGoughable]

Why am I only finding this out now!

[@ConstiausPankow]

Hey Emil, I've seen Sergio Calvo removing the excess water of the brush on a paper towel. The difference is having the towel already wet. This helped me a ton and kept me from the dreaded brush licking :P

[@SquidmarMiniatures]

Thats a good tip for those who are not strong enough to lick the brush! Good tip!

[@JasonRoe71]

This has been my method for years as well. I've also noticed significantly less erratic behavior compared to my brush licking friends. 🙃🤣

[@Beets82]

I use lint free papertowls, you can get them cheap at automotive supply shops as they are used for car paint prep.

[@758richy]

@@Beets82 Second this. Was a game changer finding the lint free paper towels. Not more little hairs on the brush tip!

[@jayfreck2]

Is kitchen roll in the UK same as lint free paper towels? It seems like it to me

[@mighty8357]

Instructions unclear. I licked my mini and painted my water mugg

[@Deletirium]

😂😂 There are many reasons why I love the internet. Comments like this are one of them.

[@puppethound]

Wow, you're lucky, I have a broken mug, a chipped tooth and my tongue is like 6 different colors.

[@jamesv.7041]

@@puppethound Yeah well I licked my..... brush...

[@grizzlyblackpowder1960]

Spit is the only medium.​@@jamesv.7041

[@Vortid]

I came here for toothbrush instructions and am also confused.

[@TwitchyMofo]

This is exactly what I've been missing and it's something no painting videos ever go over.

[@ScottMcnulty-gy4mk]

I came here to say exactly this!!!

[@Auriorium]

But what if you want to Beat the Devil out of the brush.

[@MzfrVictorious]

Hahaha Master Ross!

[@historygems1190]

Thank you so much for this. I cannot work out why my brushes keep splitting and you’ve just answered the question

[@legionnaire5947]

I really appreciate that you made a point of dragging the brush downwards and other things that would probably sound too obvious to say out loud, I'm a beginner painter and appreciate basic advice like this! 🙏

[@maevethefox5912]

Having been taught by some 'Eavy Metal guys early on was such a game changer. Realizing I've just been doing all this automatically and not knowing it wasn't common knowledge is a bit of a shock. Will also say that Kolinsky is just ... such another level. It won't make up for a lack of skill, but one you have the skills, you're able to express them so much better.

[@dougsundseth6904]

I'm pretty sure that I have enough cadmium, chromium, bismuth, and acrylic monomer in my diet already, so I'll leave brush licking to people with dietary deficiencies. You can get essentially the same result using a wet paper towel. My paper towel becomes and stays wet quite rapidly just from use. Alternatively, you can drag your brush away from your paint drop on your we palette to get a very similar effect.

[@omgitsnilsson]

I even lick my airbrush.

[@IanGerritsen]

This sounds like an onlyfans promotion : p

[@leog2257]

Most underrated comment

[@campfire_minis]

I am someone who needed this video, thank you so much for saving both my brushes and my sanity.

[@Gorriladudes345]

💀 XD

[@rick_bassman]

Thank you, I just started back into the hobby a month ago and after having lost my old brushes from yesteryore am only down to a citadel starter and small layer. I've been noticing how I use my brushes and how moist they are is super important. I really appreciate the breakdown.

[@JMashProductions]

Superb! I’m sure others have explained the same in tutorials I have seen but the way you break this down is so helpful and easy to understand. I have been painting for years and often wondered why I still couldn’t get the same coverage as professionals - problem certainly solved now! Thanks Squidmar!!

[@BB-pn2qv]

Shockingly helpful, thank you

[@TylerAndToast]

This is possibly the most useful painting video I've ever seen. Thank you

[@jasonevans6091]

Awesome video. I've been painting for years now and tried this out tonight and it was soooo much better than how I had been painting before. Wish I'd seen this video years ago. Thank you.

[@AXEWebDesign]

I have been trying to search for years on how to keep my brush tip pointed and this video finally gave me that answer. Holy shit! I was drying it too much. Very profound. Thanks.

[@Gorriladudes345]

holy shiza (thats how you say it in germando)

[@GriffythTV]

i have to hold the brush in my mouth (full quadriplegic) and really love youR videos. im using the artis opus brushes and they work great

[@TheScribe_TheScribe]

that's dedication to the art

[@DaruKari]

Love you guys, This is exactly the help i needed. Thank you very much!

[@dantana317]

As a person just learning, this is truth. I unfortunately have very shaky hands due to a medical condition but I keep painting and keep learning. The shakes won't ever go but my adaptation will get better. Thank you

[@adammarafioti5370]

Thank you for stepping this out. I expected this to be a video about not getting paint in the ferrule and other basic tips, but it was so much more than that. I've been painting for over a decade now and daily for the last year and never realised that the amount of moisture in the brush head could have been causing my tip to split. I'm also guilty of not rinsing out my brush frequently enough. Your advice in this video should help me keep my brushes keep their sharp tip much longer.

[@thesoothsayer9223]

This is going to be my go to reference for teaching basics. So hard to find someone explaining this is an easy to follow way. I had to stumble for years to get this stuff. Thank you

[@thejayb1983]

I found this super helpful gave me a proper moment of clarity regarding my brush struggles, thanks gor the vid!

[@ochoaE3]

I have just started to get a little more serious about edge highlighting and thought the hair splitting on my brush was just me getting a bad brush from the lot. I'm glad to know the fix is just to keep the brush moist.

[@user-lc5bd9kh6p]

So helpful, so many good tips in here, thanks for making this video.

[@elendor3428]

You recommended I watch this. Honestly this was the perfect content for what I needed. Ive bought brand new brushes and thought they were faulty because they didnt keep their tip when they were dry. Ive even thrown out a couple of GW brushes for this reason. You have enlightened me.

[@TheFriendlyEnglishman]

Actually really helped me with this one! Thanks guys!

[@doncoterel9140]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is the type of detailed explanation/information that I’m always looking for. This will directly impact, and hopefully improve my painting, Tonight when I sit down to paint. Just as important, at least to me, my understanding of what I’m doing has been improved by the information in this video. Did I say thank you….really appreciate your content

[@garethjamescrompton7938]

Thanks for this video, I am guilty of so many of the issues you raised without realising. Now to change tact!

[@keokiw2353]

I needed this!! Can't wait to give this a try

[@danbarnaby4053]

I freaking love this video!! Thank you!

[@Doids28]

Great tutorials, ive just picked up a set of the squidmar paintbrushes so im looking forward to getting their true potential out!!

[@ddstevenson1]

I always use a damp sponge to wick away the excess water from the brush

[@TheMindBullets]

Totally dig that wet palette design! So clean.

[@alexkerridge]

Great and really useful video! Thanks Emil!!

[@MarleneSB]

Great explainations, I think anyone with a brush could learn from this, from minis to DIY decorators. Thanks!

[@edwindaughenbaugh2939]

This was really validating. My technique for keeping my brush hydrated has been before I start painting to pre-moisten the paper towl I use (especially easy when setting up a fresh wett pallette) but what i hadn't considered were thr paper towel fibers. Instead of using my hand I think I'm gonna try a small moistened sponge. Don't feel bad either Emil I also lick my brush sometimes too.

[@YouChen]

I recently upgraded to kolinsky brushes and I was so disappointed in the fact that they splitted all the time, resulting in a lot of frustration. Turns out it was me (not really a surprise) mismanaging the moistness! Thanks for the tips, this really came at the right time and it was incredibly helpful!

[@Gunplabro]

Someone go through all of his videos and make a mega edit of every time he says mini. The way you say mini gives me life.

[@TheWhiteCometOfAkagi]

I read mini in Emil’s voice. 😂

[@DarkLolification]

Thanks for going so much into details ! That's really useful and few people cover this kind of thing. We all see people painting and the results but we don't really see what they're doing.

[@mjdoombreed]

Glad I watched this before I opened my new brushes.

[@IIItiberius]

Great video - very helpful tips!

[@kaz9357]

Wow, that first point, I never even realized!

[@sonoffire]

Great video. It'll definitely help me in the future

[@ryo86ok]

if you use a piece of paper instead of a paper towel, it removes less water and you can also shape it as well. My workflow is now water pot, post-it note pad, palette, post-it note pad (instead of back of hand), then paint on model. no fibres from paper towel & hands stay clean

[@Elbacone82]

Adding moist before painting.. you just blew my mind!

[@scottfekete2982]

dang it definitely buying that wet pallet it looks so cool

[@e7yu]

This was, so very interesting and informative.👍🤠

[@alecryan5962]

I honestly didn't know that removing excess water with a paper towel was causing my brush to split... unfortunately I've started using artist-grade acrylics with toxic pigments, so I can't lick the brush. I'll stick to my hand for now and see if that helps.

[@Swordsnstuff]

You got me right away with the paper towel! I'll avoid this in future. Thanks! :D

[@MarcinEstkowski]

That is sooo useful!

[@Ainar86]

Escoda makes synthetic brushes that are almost identical to sable and some are actually better for certain tasks (they have a version that holds as much paint, keeps a good tip but is much stiffer).

[@cerisekappes580]

Thank you 😊 Definitely a helpful video. 😊😊😊

[@Replicasoul]

thank you , i actually learned alot there, im a crap artist by enjoy trying

[@leobezemer3713]

Great video, usefull tips. Thanks!!

[@sebastianpetersen2617]

Sweet, thanks Emil - definitely been messing up on a few of those - for years... Remember the link for the wet pallette once available, was the first thing I looked for :)

[@anthonywaggett9317]

Thank you for this, I have been using a relatively cheap Kolinsky Sable set from Cass Art (a UK discount art store, around £20 for a set of 6) quite happily but wanted to move up to a Winsor and Newton Series 7 for the finest detail (£25 for a size 1 again from Cass Art) but found the bristles splayed as soon as I started using it, so it went back in it's tube. Now I understand what my mistake was and will be giving it another go.

[@jorgemontero6384]

It's not supposed to splay quite like that anyway: WN has some non-trivial quality control issues nowadays, so you might find better luck with other manufacturers. Rosemary & Co series 33, and Raphael 8404s are cheaper, good brushes that might not have as good a construction as a WN made 10 years ago, but will not look like a witch's broom the second they are even a little dry.

[@anthonywaggett9317]

@@jorgemontero6384 Cheers I'll bear that in mind

[@markbakerii920]

I got my friend a Ork combat patrol and and I are new to Warhammer table top(we've played the pc games). He loves orks I send him your videos, he is nervous about painting because he's severely colorblind. For science I want to take him to pick paints/colors that he does like and watch him paint his Ork combat patrol. Thank you for your content It helps alot.

[@craigcook5121]

This is perhaps the most helpfull mini painting vid I have ever watched. Lol I’ve watched a shed load. Love it and you guys rock.

[@redgrass]

Great video with great tips 👏👏👏

[@Wmaddox333]

I give my brush a hard little whip/ finger snap. It removes the perfect amount of water and holds what it needs, and swirls the hairs into the perfect tip. downside being you send barely a drop of water spraying into whatever direction you aim it - which isn't really bad at all.

[@JOSEDAVINCI_]

Thanks my friend !!! 🤗🤗🤗

[@dylanfife5444]

Most people won’t have issues with most paints, but be careful licking the brush if you are using artist paints. Some pigments can be bad for you like cadmium pigments

[@andybillco2424]

That used to be true but most artist paints don’t use cadmium anymore. Or any other toxic material. Best to check the brands website or the bottle/tube - it’ll tell you what’s in it.

[@ProudPlatypus]

The tiny bit of diluted paint on a brush isn't going to add up too much, even drinking a bit of paint water is unlikely to hurt you, though it’s important to keep it away from pets and small children, I wouldn't recommend drinking it on a dare or anything. Air brushing toxic paints is highly dangerous though.

[@gamer7138]

@@ProudPlatypus The amount of artist that have died young in history due to this disagrees with you. Even in modern day "Nontoxic" just means as far as we know. be safe and just use a small sponge or wet a piece on your paper towel.

[@ProudPlatypus]

@@gamer7138 Well yes, historically a very wide range of toxic substances has been used in paint. Also, I forgot some places still have lead paint. Perhaps I'm underselling it a little bit too far, considering licking a paintbrush for this reason could end up being too regular a habit. Even if airborne paint is substantially more dangerous.

[@kringshot]

I always struggle with the amount of water in the wet palette (Redgrass one) so tricky to get right, what level even is "right"?!

[@rasmuskristensen5901]

To add to this, how do I avoid it pooling on top of the parchment, while still getting it nice and moist

[@16Fishwrap16]

Supposedly when it's just enough to cover the sponge fully, that's the right amount of water.

[@23456bill]

Another W video as usual!

[@cfnfl]

another good tip is two or more water pots one for rinsing and one for painting. Ideally 3 with a second rinse as some pigments are almost always going to get picked up from the initial dirty rinse water. I have perfectly fine Kolinski Sable brushes that have lasted more than 3 years

[@cbjewelz]

awesome tutorial! we need more every tips like this. I'd like to see a "real time" airbrush tutorial showing thinning+loading paint and then swapping colors (intra-color cleaning). No one ever shows the whole process, they just gloss over it verbally.

[@loveDRAGONCON]

Amazing!

[@diyfireking]

Never boring to watch your video 👍👍

[@philgee486]

Would be a great vid just for the advice to carry more water than you'd think in your brush. Always be assessing the tip, it'll tell you everything you need to know, keep your wet palette genuinely wet and don't try to remix/rewet dry/part cured paint, a new drop is cheap, a bad paintjob is forever

[@stevenborman9110]

You should do a video on placement of paint on wet palette, ie do you have a bigger blob of lighter colours near others or do you just blob it wherever?

[@SquidmarMiniatures]

I blob wherever. Every painter is different :)

[@TylerAndToast]

Now can we get a brush care and cleaning video for the kolinsky sable brushes?

[@blablablabla3014]

Now i feel very dumb, thx for telling me! i had the Problems with the splitting Brushes for a long time, this is an amazing Advice!

[@nikroth]

Do you have an opinion on using deionized water, for the water cup or for the wet palette ?

[@TheMuffinBagare]

Great tips! I already do all of these, but they sure are good tips. (Including licking the brush. GW shades are some of the worst tasting paints. I quite enjoy Ivory Vallejo Model Color, it has a sweet taste)

[@artfrombelow]

I never thought a humidifier would help, I keep seeing cheap ones at the thrift store Ill pick one up

[@davidwoody5228]

Been using my mouth to shape my brush for years. No discernible reaction so far. 😂😂

[@Beatstinger]

A wet brush is so obvious is retrospect but for some reason that didn't dawn on me when my brush hairs were splitting...

[@Nikita_Brus]

If i manhandled my minis like that when painting, the paint would strip in seconds. Emil must have the cleanest hands.

[@ryankyle2467]

Another great video!!! Even though I already knew a lot of what you covered, I still know how difficult it was to figure them out on my own! And with how the majority of these content makers edit their painting tutorial videos, you would think a lot of them don’t do any of these steps!!! My biggest issue “still” is that I know what I “want” to do and what I “want” it to look like at the end!?! But for the most part, I still don’t have any idea how to do it?!? But the reason is because now I’m trying to do far more complicated things than I did in the beginning!!! And for some odd reason I’m still having issues with wet blending! Lol I don’t get it

[@howardcoates6985]

helpful video... thanks

[@GoufinAround_]

I do the paper towel thing on the first tip....Let me test this tonight when I do some painting....

[@Gunplabro]

You can also moisten the paper towel instead of licking your brush and eating god knows what.

[@Deletirium]

​@@Gunplabro Pros pee on the paper towel, because the uric acid releases more of the colour's binding agents. Don't lick it though. Or do, it's a brave new world.

[@WiganPaddy]

Do you have a video on brush after care such as moisturizing them or shampooing them not sure on the terminology but how to keep them going and going

[@theemissary1313]

When loading the brush with paint, how do go about stopping the paint getting stuck in the neck of the brush? I get quite a lot of clogging at the base of the bristles no matter how much cleaning i carry out?

[@bachanguyen6881]

I usually use fold the paper tower to touch only the base of the bristle. This keeps the tip still fine.

[@MrZangetsu1997]

I actually use my water cup and my wet palette to remove excess water, I can judge how much water I remove bu how much water is coming off onto the palette, that way I can avoid brush licking

[@Wychfyre_]

If I could paint even 10% as good as Jose I would be set for life

[@darkestcloister]

I prefer squirrel tip brushes over kolinsky, because they somehow hold more paint and have a very consistent stroke

[@cerostan]

I also use the mouth on the tip ! (Of the brush)

[@rachellejanssen2655]

Listening to this I think my issue is that I initially use too much water and then don't rinse it often enough. I always just stack more paint on my brush until it's all dried up or until I have to switch colors. However, when I paint with celestra grey on black I need like 2-3 layers because it's too thin :(

[@SquidmarMiniatures]

Get a different gray color of you've got that much issues with it:)

[@jessicaalvis7063]

Do you have a video about kolinsky sable vs synthetic? Like, when should you use one over the other? Is it good to use oil paints, washes, metallics, or effect paints with sable brushes? Also, what about those who says that the enzymes from your spit will dissolve the glue in the ferrul?

[@Sardauk]

I learned something today 🤔

[@mikepeters8132]

Squidmar and his fine tip

[@magnusb.8589]

Can you recommend good synthetic brushes? The sets I bought previously were pretty bad :(

[@SquidmarMiniatures]

Davinci colineo are the best we've tried. Not as good as kolinsky but still good

[@florianschaffer8120]

nice vid! where’s the promised link to your costum wet palette though? 😢

[@SquidmarMiniatures]

Hey man, there's a link to sign up to our newsletter. Scroll to the bottom of our website and you'll be able to get there!

[@MajorGeneralAwesome]

Can someone explain to me what "Brush strokes following the shape of the brush" means?

[@HectorUrsa]

At the moment he put brush in his my mouth, I had doubt that he is an artist.

[@TysonHamilton-io4xo]

Love your guys videos and I love your warhammer paintings but it would be cool to see you guys do like a witch song miniture or one the other companies that have sponsored you guys. They have some amazing detailed models and it would be cool to see how you guys would approach them.

[@nicolasannawn5715]

About the brush, the funny thing is it's why I don't watch lyla the miniwitch anymore. The way the brush is brutalized is stressing me out ahah. Great video once again. Caring for the brush is vital, moreover when we spend 15-25 in a good brush. A lot of friends told me that "Raphael is shit" because they actually treat them as 2 euros brushes.