My art students will appreciate this one. During my art classes I try to give my students tips to help them be better painters and sometimes those tips are not just about how to put a brush to canvas. They also include things about supplies and caring for equipment. The one thing I say the more than any other involves leaving brushes is solution. It is one of my biggest pet peeves. NEVER leave a brush standing in turpentine or water even for a few minutes. It bends the tips and ruins the brush. It is so much better to swirl the brush in the solvent and then lay it flat until you pick it up to use again. And when finish with your painting session clean your brushes well with brush soap and again, lay them flat to dry. Taking care of your equipment is part of painting. If you clean your brushes after each session they will last a long time.
The Studio 