Brushes? Whatever works.
I’m not a traditional painter. I never have been. I tried it once and really didn’t like it for some reason. Sure, I have my can-o-brushes, I even use most of them, but more often than not I use whatever comes to hand. So I thought I would share some of my unconventional brushes and techniques that have worked for me.
Ye Ol’ Paint Cans (or circular object)
On occasion, I need something perfectly circular. I tried masking this off, and was really… disappointed. I don’t know if I just don’t have the patience for it or what. I’m slightly impatient. I’ve used spray paint cans to the large house paint cans to get the size I want. I’ve even been known to use altoids tins and cds to the inside circle with the masking tape.
Brushes (not that end)
Sometimes it just doesn’t seem like you get the right feel to a particular spot. (for some reason I can’t come up with an example right now) Anyway, I’ll use the other end, blunt or sharpened to get a certain scratch type look into the canvas. I actually have brushes I’ve jammed into pencil sharpeners to bring them to a sharp point for a certain project. My wife typically hides her brushes from me when I hit spots like this.
Other Paintings
I don’t do this often, but I do it on occasion. I don’t plan my paintings very well. In fact, I seldom ever even think about what I am going to paint before I paint it. I typically just grab whatever comes to hand to be my palette for a particular painting. I’ve used cardboard boxes, wood slabs, tin cans, and other canvases (used and unused) to be my palette. Then sometime later, I’ll use that canvas again and use the colors already on it as inspiration for the new painting. One of these days, I am just going to display one of these with just where I mixed the paint. Often times, I enjoy just looking at the range of colors that happens here on the palette.
Stir Sticks, Squirt Bottles, and spoons
Being an abstract expressionist at heart, I will use the pour method of applying paint on occasion. Not to the same degree as ol’ Pollack, but incorporating it into the work. Stir Sticks are more of a drip method. (depending on the consistency of the paint) If the paint is too thin, spoons work here. If it’s thicker, skewers can be used. For higher velocity spatter (can you tell I’m a CSI fan) squirt bottles work. Hey, art is also about having fun right?
Sponges, Frisking, and the runs
- I thought I’d end with some of the more fun methods… Grab a sponge and pounce it on the canvas. (Pouncing is basically a technical term for attacking it with something for the sake of art). They sell pouncing brushes that you can use for this too. Check out your local Home Depot for one of these. Well worth the 20 bucks… (or you can cut off part of a horses tail and get a rubber band to hold it all together… I hope you know I am kidding…kinda).
- Frisking is a little more complicated. Well known to the airbrush artists out there, it’s basically a low tack contact film that you can use to mask off an artwork for a particular element. Frisket film is made mainly for illustration board, but the same thing works with contact paper or masking tape on a canvas. Just make sure it’s not too sticky…
- Ah, the runs. You know it’s too late when it happens and nothing will ever really replace the feeling. Sometimes the best effects happen when things get kinda screwed up. I’ve often felt more inspiration from these events than I ever thought causing me to re-envision the whole painting around it or inspiring something else entirely.
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