Part of an aspiring artist’s responsibility is to keep all the art materials in good condition. Perhaps the most challenging of this is keeping your collection of paint brushes clean and organized. But what if you frequently use water-based and oil-based paints?

Here are some tips to keep your paint brushes serviceable.

Buy the Right Paint Brushes

It starts with buying the correct paint brushes for each medium. While you might be fond of certain shapes, hairs, and brands, not all paint brushes can be used for all of three popular media, such as watercolor, acrylic, and oil. Acrylic and oil paints can shorten the life of your paint brushes if you do not clean them properly.

For watercolor, most experienced artists choose brushes made from soft synthetic materials or squirrel hair and have the quality of springing back to their original shape and will hold a lot of paint and water. For acrylic, choose brushes that are stiff to create texture, but others also use synthetic brushes made for watercolor to create a smooth texture.

It should be stiffer than brushes for watercolor, but less thick than that used for oil. While for oil, pick synthetic brushes that are thick and dense. Synthetic bristles made from nylon are cheaper than most animal hair, so they are more practical. Lastly, use separate brushes for each type of paint to make cleaning easier.

Cleaning Your Paint Brushes

Cleaning the paint brushes also take into factor the type of paint you are using. Some manufacturers include cleaning instructions on the package, so make sure to follow those. Clean your brushes immediately after use and do not wait for the paint to dry on the bristles, because that will make it more difficult to remove. Do not use the same brush when switching from water-based to oil-based paint, as discussed above.

For both water-based and oil-based paints, do not soak the brushes in water or solvent, because that can weaken the bristles. To remove the oil, varnish, shellac, and lacquer from the brush, use only the correct cleaning solvent recommended by the manufacturer then dip the brushes in the solvent several times.

To remove latex paint, mix soap and warm water in a container then dip the brush repeatedly before rinsing in clean water and remove the excess moisture. In some cases, you might need a paint brush comb to remove residues (especially on a ferrule) and a paint brush spinner to remove excess water and solvent.

Storing Your Paint Brushes

Before storing your paint brushes, make sure that there are no paint or residues left, then let them dry on a clean towel. Once dry, store the brushes separately in a clean, dry container. Some artists advise to place the brushes horizontally, but you can place them in paint brush holders as long as the bristles do not get bent or damaged. If you need to transport them, buy a plastic tube or brush case.

There will always be that time when you’ll question where your relationship is going. Sometimes it can feel like the relationship might end sooner or later. Other times you just know there are still ways to save it. Either way, you’ll have to discuss the situation with your partner one way or another.

Why or how you were hurt

Mostly, you’ll feel that the relationship is going downhill when your partner keeps hurting you be it physically or emotionally. Of course, you’ll have to lay it all out! In some cases, you’ll also have to say how your partner hurt you. This is because there are a lot of people who don’t know they’ve been making a lot of mistakes already. No matter how you put it, this is something important to discuss before the breakup, or if you’re looking to make your partner change.

The things you are willing to do

On the other hand, if your partner tells you about your mistakes, tell them about the changes you are willing to make. If you’re sure that you still want to stay with this person, you’ll have to discuss how you can fix your actions and how you can bounce back in your relationship. Listen to each other’s sentiments and adjust accordingly. Of course, if what you did was beyond forgiveness, you can’t really expect the other person to be too understanding.

Figuring out what you need in the relationship

Sometimes what you need from the relationship will prove if you will stay together or not. In many cases, one person becomes dependent while the other one doesn’t think much about the relationship at all. That’s why it is important to discuss and make clear what you both want and need in the relationship. The thing is though, this is one of the hardest things to do. Especially if both of you have different needs already.

Discuss the lack of effective communication

Another very common reason why relationships fall apart is the lack of communication. It’s already obvious that things will go badly if you rarely talk to each other anymore. But there are also times when even if you do talk a lot, you’re not exactly “communicating” with each other. One simple example is when your partner keeps changing his/her story. It’s easily because of this that your relationship turns sour. That’s why you’ll have to talk about it eventually.

Talk about all the good things

Lastly, if you feel that the relationship can still be saved, talk about the good side of your relationship with each other. This is simply because when you’re having a rough time together, it becomes easier for you to see the other bad points in your relationship. So, seeing a bit of the positive side can at least help you see better. On the other hand, if it really is leading to a breakup, then at least you can have better closure.

To those who have little knowledge about it, coding may look complicated and intimidating. And it is true that it’s complicated. Though it does take some time to learn, knowing how to code actually has a lot of benefits! So, here are some good reasons why you should learn to code even when you’re not working in IT.

It opens up your career opportunities

With the thriving of technology and the internet, web developers are becoming more and more in demand. But even if you’re not a computer engineer or anything like that, it’s a great skill to acquire. You can just become a freelance coder as a side job and you can still earn some extra money! Or if at some point, your workplace needs a developer, you can at least show an extra set of skills and impress your employer.

It improves your overall knowledge of tech

Believe it or not, having a good understanding of coding can make you more knowledgeable about tech. Of course, this is very important in this day and age, especially because we have technology everywhere. Becoming informed about the digital world can make life pretty convenient for you. That’s because you’ll know of programs and software that can make your work easier. And again, it can be a boost on your career overall.

You’ll become more confident with the knowledge that you have

In connection to the point above, being knowledge will also make you more confident in yourself. Because many people don’t decide to learn to code, you yourself already have an advantage in terms of know-how. In addition to that, the more confident you become with your coding skills, the more you’ll be willing to learn!

It tests your analytical skills

To put it simply, coding involves a system of variables that function in many different ways. The simplest you can compare this to is languages. How you right codes will differ with each program you use just like how grammatical rules differ in every language. That’s why you’ll really have to be analytical with everything. In coding, you’ll have to separate different functions to figure out how they can come together logically. The skills you develop in coding will definitely help you in other aspects of life.

It will improve your interactions with others

Web development usually involves team projects and collaborations. It’s generally hard to do everything by yourself. Coding can help you engage and work together with more people. In other cases, for example, you’ll have co-workers or even friends who will ask for your help regarding web development. In some ways, knowing how to code will give you a better perspective on results and deadlines when it comes to working with teams.

Not ready to give up your growing book collection? Besides investing in a quality bookshelf, there are several things you can do to ensure that your investment will last for decades, so your children can still enjoy them.

• Determine if the book is made with acidic paper. There are deacidification sprays and interleaving sheets sold at hobby shops if you are concerned about the deteriorating quality of the paper of your books.

• Place paperbacks in archival-quality storage. You can go the extra mile by investing in bags or covers specially made for protecting books.

• Do not pile books on top of one another. Some book lovers will not have enough space to store everything, so they will cram everything if there is some tiny space left. Maybe it is time to buy a new shelf or move the books to another room so they do not get damaged.

• Do not place books in areas where there is direct sunlight. Even paper can get damaged when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Place the bookshelf away from windows or invest in closed cabinets to protect it from the elements.

• Do not place books near sources of heat. Books are made from flammable materials, so it is common sense not to place them in the kitchen, near electrical outlets, and any home appliance, gadget, or fixture that produces or emits heat.

• Regulate the temperature and humidity around your book collection. High humidity and high temperatures can damage books over time. How do you determine if it is safe for your books? Try staying in the area for 10 minutes and see if you feel uncomfortable. The most acceptable range is at 35% relative humidity.

• Books should not be stored in areas that are excessively dry or humid. This is just a follow-up of the previous tip. The components of the book can fall apart when exposed to humidity for a long period of time. Paperbacks for example, will become ideal homes for fungi. You can regulate humidity by installing a dehumidifier in the room.

• Address musty smell in books. Maybe the paper used is acidic or the room is too humid. If you are concerned by the smell, you can install an air freshener near the books and seal the volume in a dry container for a few days.

• Clean your shelves regularly. You can dust off shelves at least once a week with a duster, but thorough cleaning should be done at least once a year so you can assess the condition of your books.

• Do not use paper clips, rubber bands, adhesive tapes, leather dressing, glue, and acidic inserts in your books. There are bookmarks made from acid-free paper you can use. Never ever fold the pages if you need to mark it.

• Keep food and drinks away from your books. If you need to read while relaxing and enjoying your snack, you should at least keep your hands clean when handling the pages.

• Expensive and rare books that have suffered some damage can be sent to a book restoration shop.

Getting tired after a long day is normal. Feeling tired in the morning after not having enough sleep is also normal. It’s also normal to feel exhausted after a certain time doing a lot of things that are physically or mentally demanding.

However, if that feeling of exhaustion lasts even after you’re supposed to feel rested up, you might be experiencing fatigue.

How Fatigue Affects You
Fatigue can show a lot of symptoms that are easy to identify, such as outright exhaustion, the inability to focus or concentrate on a single task, behavioral issues, slower reaction time, and even a decreased overall memory.

While you can try to fend it off with sugar, coffee, energy drinks, or even vitamin supplements, they only provide a temporary relief at most. In fact, there may be other underlying reasons behind this overall loss of energy and zest in life.

Why You Feel Drained
To know how you can stop feeling fatigued, you need to know exactly what is making you feel fatigued in the first place. For instance, it may be one of the following reasons:

• You’re out of alignment. Being exhausted doesn’t always refer to the physical aspect of one’s health or well-being. Whether it’s mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, there may be an aspect of your life that you find less than fulfilling.

• You’re not eating right. What you’re eating and how much of it you’re putting into your system doesn’t just affect your body – it also affects your state of mind. This is why you’re not supposed to have too much sugar, fats, and oils in your diet.

While they can provide you with a temporary boost of energy, they can also make your blood sugar spike, and once the blood sugar drops, you will feel exhausted.

• You’re unusually stressed out over something. Prolonged stress can cause a build-up of cortisol in your system, which can affect your sleep and make you feel drained.

Excessively worrying over something can also do the same to your mind and body, and you will eventually drain yourself worrying over one or two particular things that may or may not even be under your control.

Getting Your Energy Back
While it can be hard for you to take steps to get your disposition back to what it used to be before experiencing fatigue – at least on your own – it can be done.

What you absolutely need to do when you find that you’re experiencing fatigue is to make time to take a breather. Physical exhaustion can be dealt with by regular exercise, yoga, or even simple relaxation activities such as deep breathing or reading.

Aside from a proper diet, taking the time to find out what exactly is causing you the stress in your life (and why it’s causing you stress) will give you an idea on how to solve issues in your life that need to be solved.