Good Brush Habits and How to Load Your Brush with Paint 

I'm an artist and in defence of this artist he is sharing techniques that work for him. If you're an artist naturally you teach yourself, you develop a style etc. I've had big commissions and nothing teaches you faster than a paid job. I think some of the people in the comments sort of attacking him are out of order. If you're an artist and you think you can't learn anything else you're way off base. Life is a learning experience every single day. This man is sharing his experience with others. Perhaps people who paint as a hobby or who are out of practice and those eager to learn are the ones this is aimed at. Not so called "artists" who are arrogant enough to put him down to build themselves up. Art is a way of life if you are a true artist. A lifestyle choice if you eat sleep and breath art and can make a living from it. This man does so he's entitled to share and I always say this. If you don't like it don't f***ing watch it.

I have no one to talk to about this, about art in general...you are amazing.Thanks for being a support and a teacher even from far away.

Mostly self taught oil painter here. It is people like you who make this endeavor so freakin' enjoyable. All these tips from an EXPERIENCED painter are a godsend, my man!

Well, 60 years of oil painting, 3 universities, 4 private teachers, and countless workshops later....I have learned more and come to understand brushwork better in the few minutes here than all those combined!....Thank you!

Mark's a great teacher. He's really straight forward and thorough.

Your teaching is better than many fine arts colleges. I am a new students to painting. After I feel comfortable using your methods in your courses, I have on my bucket list to learn directly from you. I'd better hurry 'cause age and time are not my friend lol.

I like how you teach you come across to the point and down to earth. Some teachers on here seem intimidating, or too lost in there own eccentricity to make sense.

I love the thought -provoking narrative you provide. As a beginner I think my self awareness is heightened each time I watch one of your videos. Thanks for the thoughtful work and videos.

I just ordered the Geneva Essential Palette in appreciation for the great lessons you provide online.

Thanks, Mark, your explanations of WHY ridges are not good, or WHY lighting is so important, or WHY paint fluidity is a big deal, ETC. ETC. are so appreciated. You are the genius mix of an artist and a scientist.

I'm fairly new to oil painting and your videos are the best at explaining all the myriad details that make successful oil painting a straight forward process.

I have learned much more with your videos than in art university I’ve been for 3 years, thank you 😊

Just starting into watercolors and watched lots of videos and no one has mentioned how important mixing the right color before you hit the canvas/paper. you presented it in a way that made it obvious (to me anyway) how important that is regardless of the medium. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Funny I was there at the beginning of your journey and now I’m looking at the number of people are following you. Wow it is incredible, but it is well deserve. Congrats Mr. Carder.

I have a very bad habit of using the same brush throughout my painting, I change brushes if I need to paint details but I don't notice this bad habit when working. I don't use expensive brushes but I do ruin them quicker, I have no problems making muddy mixes, I usually get the colours mixed right to the colour I'm after as I go along, using a limited palette. I don't even wipe my brush out between colours, maybe srub them with rags. I just start with a darker palette then get lighter values then back a touch darker then more light again. I think I picked this habit through 25+ years as a graffiti artist where id use the same cap (nozzle) throughout my piece/work etc. I've basically learnt oil painting by my self but watching vids on youtube now to change my bad habits. Good video man.

I have picked my paint brushes once again after 25 years. I watch vids on youtube to see what is the latest and the way you explain things just make me want to learn more. We all have our ways but the teaching is for all whether you use it or not. If it does not work for then ignor it. I hate it when people bush other people down. This guy has taken time to teach and yet some push him down. If you consider yourself better then good for you or show us your way.

Dear Mark, thank you for sharing your gift. This knowledge and sparks of your talent will always live in my heart.

Hi Mark, saw your video 3 days ago, and I'm hooked to your techniques, you are so honest. Blessings. Hope to meet you in person someday. Loved your wife's painting too! From India

I do the same thing with my brushes. Actually, I use acrylics and don't like to always rinse a brush out just to put the same color back on later. I usually have a bunch in use at one time, each devoted to one type of color. I put them in a plastic bag as I work though, to keep them from drying out.

That tip about using lots of brushes is very interesting. I will try that. Thank you for your videos :)

Overall I find your guidance should be pretty helpful to most novice painters who paint in a representational style. I agree with one big point you made, which is that the artist should address and solve the problems that later result in distracting glare on the final painting. The best teachers for this are the great paintings in museums, where each artist has solved this problem. I spent six years in good art schools, which I found to be mostly time spent to become "self taught", since none of them ever taught specific lessons like you do on the brass tacks of painting: mixing colors, observing values, the sequence of steps involved, and many other practical concerns. Instead, the art schools are quite "hands off" where students are really on their own to make paintings (or drawings) with very little actual guidance. Personally, I believe the reasons for this are two-fold. One, it is out of fashion and not in keeping with modern culture for art teachers to give specific lessons and demands, which would be resisted and resented. And, two, I actually believe that most art school professors are themselves very unskilled in fine techniques and abilities. I did not meet any art teachers who I respected as quite talented and capable of following or emulating, in terms of their actual skills. But I do not look back thinking art school was a waste of time, because I made very good use of my time there and developed many good skills on my own. Incidentally, from watching you work with these Geneva paints, I can see that they are not for me. I find them too loose and rather bland, like the basic "8-pack" crayola crayons children use.

I’m just at the crawling stage of development as an artist, so this was very helpful in going forward. Thank you for making the video.

Thank you for your videos! I watch them over and over again ! I never stop learning from them . Thank you!

Thank you for teaching me this! I just started oils a month ago, so excited! I appreciate benefiting from your experience.

I am loving your video's only discovered today and have just subscribed. I liked your video on why not to blend too early. So true. Classical, renaissance painters work is rarely blended so smooth you cant make out strokes. They are usually blocky, rigid and full of form and colour.

thanks for sharing, these tips are so practical and totally explain all the problems I've run into in the past. Appreciate it!

This guy has such boring uncle who you can never please but is actually a master of his craft and teaches you more in a minute than a month in school energy I love him.

This was the question I wanted answered. Thanks Mark.

i am so grateful mark takes the time to make these wonderful videos he is the only professional artist/teacher that does so for free most artists on youtube charge for patreon service to get the full videos. thank you sir, you and your wife are very wonderful artists. does she make tutorials as well?

A bf gifted me an oil paint set many years ago. Curious, I thought, cause while I consider myself an artist of sorts, never a painter. Never tried. Anyway half-heartedly attempted without the right knowledge/materials a few times and considered giving the set away. For some reason I've decided to go all in and learn the proper way. I discovered you and your wealth of content! Thank you. In addition to the help, I enjoy the relaxing vibe of your videos. Started my first painting last night - well - just got the drawing portion done. Here goes nothing....

This is the best lesson you've given. Brilliant!

You have one of the best channel on oil painting

I clean my brushes the next day, first with solvent. I like my brushes always clean. The second step is to wash with soap and water until all the oil residues are removed. I've never had any problems with this method. It's a good idea to have several brushes to take turns.

I can not express enough how thankful I am.

Not for nothing but ... every time I look for some tips tricks just any info on oil painting since I am a newbie at the level of beginner to an intermediate artist ( I end up wasting a lot of time when Mr.Carder to me will never steer you wrong ...) and I say that because I've been at it for about 2 years with studying it through many videos ... learning and painting on canvas as well trying to retain as much information as I can. I am in my young 50s but I do want to say to anyone out there that Mr. Carder is very "informative" 'very professional" "smart as heck" ( now getting to the point ! ) he has the No B.S. best info out there for a lot of what most of us need to learn! what I really like is how silky smooth your line of paint looks ... ready to go ! I wish you had some small tubes I could try like trial size before I invest since I'm on a very limited income ... I've painted houses inside an out for years so I do know what it feels like for a painter to have the right tools to do their best at what they do. I'm not saying the others are bad just saying its just easier unless you don't mind getting half the info or speed painting ... just saying ugh okay I'm done lol

Why are so many art studios on YT dark and depressing looking? I love the knowledge you teach and I watch your videos several times because you have sooo much knowledge that I hear nowhere else, with years of wisdom that avoids so many potential mistakes, thank you very much.

I really like your videos. They are informational, to the point and really packed with some great habits to learn from. I really like your brush holder, and multiple brush for different colors.

your last comment on "sets" of dark to light colors is a great tip!

This is good house-keeping to facilitate your painting. It is often the small things that trip us up.

thank you for all of your videos, I am really grateful, great teacher and real pro tips, you are a blessing.

Hello. Just wanted to say thank you for your video! I'm new to painting so I appreciated your attention to detail in your presentation.

Thank you I have moved from the bob ross technique to attempting realism and you are extremely helpful thank you and Geneva paints I love it

Really helpful Mark, thank you for another great piece of the puzzle.

Superb way of organising the brushes.

Thank you Mark for sharing your tips and artistic insights. I use your paints love them. ❤️❤️

Great, interesting information that was new for me. Your explanations and demonstrations were easy to understand. Thanks Mark!

Thanks again for the generous information. Could you at some point make a video on essential brushes for portraits?

And again an interesting tutorial! Thank you so much!! Greetings from the Netherlands.

Thank you Sir for the valuable education 🎨

Easily my favorite youtuber. Thanks for the advice!

Excellent advice that I intend to use when painting! Thank you.

That last bit, with the brushes was a huge tip for me! Looks like flats/brights

I just ordered your paints, glass palatte and brush cleaner!!

Very useful instructions Marc thank you for sharing them

I love your videos and just completed my first using your method. Thank you!

good info, the brushes were a big tip form me

God bless you and your generations to come. U r awsome.

Great information I had a close brush once not looking after them.

Great advice sir and very useful for art classes. The video was fantastic Mark to learn about.

This was really helpful!! And the brushes for different values really makes sense! Thank you for sharing, Mark:)

You have an amazing insight into painting techniques...many helpful tips..thank you for sharing..I do impasto painting in oil without mineral spirit and any medium..just paint from tube to the canvas...is dat okay?

It all depends on the style of painting one does going for realistic paintings this is very helpful but for expressionism where I lay on the paint real thick with lots of ridges everywhere it’s amazing how when the light hits the painting from different angles one sees different things in the same painting 👍

Great advice. Thanks so much!

Thank you for that , I have learned a lot, in this video, I have been painting and drawing for a year now and it is so hard for me. I took an art class in college and still have no idea how to do this. I watch a lot of videos about art, I just want to paint and draw, and learn how to make things look alive, not flat and dead. What do you suggest?

Gosh that is great info - did not know about that - thankyou

Yeah, do it right the first time. I'm learning the hard way!

I've noticed that several on-line art teachers don't "wash" their brushes between colors, just wipe it off. Tried it. Subsequent colors get a pretty big taste of what was on the brush before. What have I got wrong?

As far as mixing colors what works for me is, if I am just mixing paint for some details, I’ll do it with the brush I am using. But, if I am painting something bigger and know I’ll need a bigger amount of paint, I mix it with a palette knife, which I find easier and doesn’t ruin my brushes. And I will sometimes separate that pile into different values of that color. Especially for portraits.

Thank you for that. Great info. My question is what if you're painting alla primal with thick brush strokes? How do you deal with light reflections then?

I like your brush stand I’m trying to make a diy one to make it easier

Very valuable stuff. I’ve watched hours of your content and have never taken the time to thank you. So… thank you! Also, if I’ve missed you already state it. How do you make your oils so fluid? Is the medium inside of the paint already?

thank you for these lessons, very informational as a newfound lover of painting.

Thanks a lot!, I’m always waiting for New videos. Regards from Chile

Very useful tutorial, thank you

Nice! Very easy to understand, very relaxed.

Love this channel. I have a question for you Q&A; Why don't you use amazon (FBA or not) to sell your Geneva products and fulfill your orders? It seems like it would greatly increase the exposure of your products.

Once again this was a very useful video. Thanks for sharing

Toulouse-Lautrec used to talk about "licking" the raised brush strokes, stroking with a dry brush across the direction of semi-dry paint to reduce their elevation and flatten the surface of the paint. Is that approach still popular? He seemed to recall it from his own instruction as an unnatural annoyance.

Absolutely amazing and informative video! Thank you!

your tips are gold!!!

Great as always, keep these coming. Love your paint!

What if I want to paint impasto style?

Great tips Mark! Thank you for sharing that!

Can you give assistance on the best way to clean and maintain your brushes too?

Thanks Mark! A very helpful video, as usual.

So professional and informative !

This is just amazing! I like your videos. They're so much helpful😀

Super helpful! Thank you so much for your videos!

Always informative 👏🏻👏🏻

Thanks a lot Sir. Your Channel is Rich of content

Thank you and enjoy listening to your knowledge. Please continue

Thank you Mark. Great advice.

This was super helpful, thank you!

You are amazing. Thank you for sharing. Cape Town

Extremely helpful! Thank you.

Thanks for all the help pretty new to Oil Painting

How would you calibrate this advice for watercolor paint?

Dear Mark, what type of brushes (hair type, length, shape, size, brands?) do you recommend for all-round painting? Regards, Rutger

Do you varnish all your oil paintings? Are there times when you do or dont? Thanks.

Excellent tutorial!