Dye or pigment ink: choosing a bottle
Bright colours that wash out, or permanent ink that needs more care. How fountain pen inks differ, and which suits your pen.
Caring for watercolour brushes
Rinse, reshape and dry flat: how to keep a good brush pointed for years.
A good watercolour brush can last many years, or be ruined in a week. Most damage happens in the water jar. Never leave a brush standing on its tip in water; the hairs bend and do not recover.
After painting, rinse the brush in clean water until no colour runs out. For stubborn pigment, a little mild soap worked gently into the hairs near the ferrule helps. Rinse again thoroughly.
Shape the tip with your fingers into a point, then lay the brush flat to dry, or hang it upside down. Drying upright lets water run into the ferrule, which loosens the glue over time.
Keep watercolour brushes for watercolour only. Acrylic and oil paints dry hard in the hairs and are difficult to remove. When travelling, use a bamboo roll or a tube that protects the tip. A brush cared for this way will hold its point long after the handle paint has worn off.
