Itty bitty hairs in paint...

[72moonglum 14917]

So I've been noticing and it's kind of obnoxious that every so often I'm finding really small hairs, maybe a millimeter or five while I'm painting pushing around paint lately.  Has anybody else ever had this issue?  I sometimes wonder if it's the paintbrushes I use, currently Rosemary and Co.  I don't remember this happening much when I was using the Winsor and Newton series 7 brushes....

[Kheprera 36862]

I've found cat hairs and dust.

 

If you leave your brush water out and reuse it, cover it so it doesn't collect dust or bugs.

 

If your mini was primed a while ago and sitting, dust it off. I keep hogs hair oil painting brushes around for this.

 

Other than that, I got nothing.

[frogimus 374]

Could it be lint from whatever toweling you are using to wick off moisture?

 

I did have some breakage in the past with sable brushes I suspect from harsh cleanings. I use Master's brush soap now, try not to be as aggressive in how I rub the bristles, and use a dab of my daughter's hair conditioner when I'm putting the brush away for the night

[Chris Palmer 25887]

Sounds a bit like static grass...has you paint or brushes, or figures been near where you do basing?

[Dr.Bedlam 36111]

Quit massaging the cat.

[Inarah 42490]

I have cats and hair is a constant problem. Clean water, clean towel, keep the palette covered when not in use, wash your hands before painting if you have pets.  It could also be your brush getting old and breaking up. 

[Pegazus 39524]

If you are using paper towels, it could be fibers from that. I've heard tell of that happening. I followed the suggestion of using coffee filters. Just a thought.

[Heisler 10729]

My Games and Gears brushes, which I only use for mixing now, will shed hairs like that. As stated above it could be the hairs in the brush actually breaking off.

[K2h2m3 373]

I've had hairs before that were about a millimeter. Turned out they were from the paper I was using on my wet palette starting to break down.

[Wren 8296]

Do you use a wet palette, and if so, over a period of time? (I mean you use it, close it up, use it again another day, repeat until your palette paper is full.) If you do, it can happen that fibers/dust from the air start to build up on it. Also, has anything changed other than your brush brand? New rug, new apartment/house, new pet, etc. Any of those things could be dispersing fibers into the air that eventually drift on to your palette. If it's finer than stray brush hairs, it's probably not the brush. Torn up fibers from palette paper or fibers coming from whatever you blot your brush with are also good things to check, as previous people mentioned. 

[Suden 5402]

I don't think gremlins can be ruled out.

[Arc 724 18318]

My Games and Gears brushes, which I only use for mixing now, will shed hairs like that. As stated above it could be the hairs in the brush actually breaking off.

I can attest for this! My sister-n-law bought me the $100 set of hybrid brushes with the cool looking stand. Although really nice brushes, they do tend to break off a little and split. I am looking into another brand.

[Matbar 3798]

As others have mentioned, I used to get them when I used paper towels.  Using a sponge now and it has pretty much eliminated the issue.

[Pezler the Polychromatic 61770]

CCCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eastman 367]

As others have mentioned, I used to get them when I used paper towels.  Using a sponge now and it has pretty much eliminated the issue.

 

I use a coarse-textured microfiber cloth. Same improvement over paper products.