Beryl Appleby

• When using a putty rubber always cut a piece off - this makes the putty rubber go further and means you always have a clean piece available.
  
  
• You can erase pencil work when you have painted watercolour over your drawing. A plastic eraser is the best to use for this purpose. this means that you will lose some depth of colour but you will also lose the pencil lines.
  

Pens

• Remember always to clean your pen after use and take care to clean the slot in the nib
  
  
• If your nib tends to scratch the paper rub the nib in one direction on wet and dry paper to remove any burs then try again. If you still have problems the paper may not be conducive to pen and ink so use another grade of paper.
  
  
• When using a new pen nib for the first time clean the nib in hot water first. This removes any wax which some manufacturers use to protect the nib
  
  

Paint - refilling the paintbox

• When using hard pans of paint, you can replace when empty, with tubes of the colour that you require.
  
  
• Please remember that tubes of paint are soft therefore before closing your paint box please use a hairdryer to semi harden and put a film over the paint. This stops the paint from contaminating other paints when the box lies on its side.
  
  
• Always make sure that the metal threads on the tube of paint are kept clean. This will prevent the screw top from jamming. If this happens put the tube of paint under hot water. This should soften the dried paint and the screw can then be undone.

Paint - care of paintbox

• Do remember that when mixing paints use the mixing wells rather than mix in the paints themselves.
  
  
• This means that when you require a pure colour you are not wasting paint by having to clean up your colours every time.

Brush Care and Brushes

• To keep brushes pristine when you have finished a painting clean brushes thoroughly using a proprietry brush cleaner if possible. Rinse well and then gently shape the brush with a pulling and twisting movement. then stand brushes upright, bristles uppermost, in a jar to dry.
  
  
• Never put wet brushes into an enclosed brush holder as this can ultimately damage the brush.
  
  
• Brush Protectors do just that but please make sure that you do not split the hairs of the brush when replacing the protector.
  
• If you loose a brush protector a drinking straw cut to size is a cheap replacement.
  
  
• If a brush is looking the worse for wear clean it thoroughly, rinse and then dip the tip in Gum Arabic and shape the tip of the brush with your fingers. Leave to dry. When you want to use the brush again wash it in warm, soapy water, rinse and you now have a better looking and performing brush.

Miscellaneous

• Empty film canisters are very useful as they can be used for holding various grades of salt, brush protectors, bits of kneadable erasers, pastels (bits) inks, pen nibs, even water !