I’ve personally had bad luck with wooden-handled paintbrushes. I have nothing against them. It is partly my fault — I am a soaker. I tend to soak paintbrushes all day long. Soaking is something I learned about in undergrad. The idea is you soak paintbrushes first to avoid a hardened mess at the end of the day. While soaking is a great materials management strategy (just wash them once a day!), it certainly takes a toll on wooden handles.
Because I like the soaking method, the only option to keep my brushes intact is to choose a plastic-handled brush.
If you want to take advantage of the soaking method, buying brushes with plastic handles might be something to consider when ordering a new set of paintbrushes for your art room next year!
Which kind of paintbrush handle do you prefer? Why?
What other methods do you have for managing paintbrush clean up?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.