Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Tricks of the Trade: The Bigger the Brush

I recently did some work in the Community Cupboard at our church;  this ministry provides food to those who need it in our area.  The woman who runs the Cupboard, Donna, works tirelessly in this ministry!  I wanted to do something that would spruce up her work area a bit...

Take a look at the brushes below... which do you think I used to do the majority of the work?

If you said the big one, you're right!  I guess the title of this post might have helped you a little, but you still get full credit.

If you learn how to correctly hold and manipulate a 2 1/2 inch angle sash brush, it will cut your painting time in half!  Not to mention, your lines will be much cleaner.  My favorite brands of these brushes are the Sherwin Williams contractor series (nylon/polyester)
and Corona (can be difficult to find and a little expensive, but if you see one grab it!).  Sometimes Benjamin Moore stores carry them.

Since you'll be paying a little bit more for your brush, you're going to want to take good care of it.  Always wash it thoroughly when you're done painting!  If you get some crusties on the side of the brush (I usually do if I'm painting for a few hours at a time), you can use a wire brush to help you clean/scrape the sides of the brush.  These are super cheap and a great thing to have around

Next time you paint, try holding your brush like this
This is how I would hold it to paint a vertical line.  The brush does all the work for you when it comes to keeping your lines straight.  It is up to you to adjust how much pressure you put on the brush, which will determine the width of your brushstroke.

It will take a little getting used to, but practice on an old board or right on your wall (you can always paint over it).

Here is what the line looked like with the 1" angled sash brush (which is still bigger than an artist's brush)
Can you see how it is all streaky and uneven?  The bigger brush allowed me to do all of the work in one coat and still keep my lines crisp.

Of course, I couldn't use the 2 1/2" brush for everything... the turns on some of the scrolls were too tight for the big brush.  Here is where I switched to the little brush.
*I know I've talked about this before, but remember to use white chalk to draw your design out!  It erases later with a wet rag*

Now you just finish out the design with the smaller artist's brush
You'll probably need two coats on these parts... but it's better than having to two coat the entire thing!

I added some orange accents in, just to make it stand out a little more.  The colors I used in this space were all pretty similar in tone and I wanted to give it a little more pop

Then I added a few leaves and tendrils, just because it needed something else

I also painted the Community Cupboard's mission statement on the wall... again, use the biggest brush you can get away with to keep your lines straight!

I played with the opacity of the paint in the words "love" and "Christ" by mixing some of the background color with the orange color.  Overlapping some of your words helps add visual interest too!

One more trick:  use your fingers!  Do you see the colon after the word "mission"?  I dipped my finger in the paint and it gives you a nearly perfect circle!  This works great for dotting your "i"s and periods too.

Who needs vinyl, right?  I just printed the words out onto paper and traced the outlines onto the wall.  I'm sure that vinyl would have given me crisper lines, but it just isn't in the budget right now.

Have any questions?  Ask in the comments and I'll do my best to answer!  If you are a "noreply" blogger, please be sure to leave your email address.

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings,
Jamie
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48 comments:

  1. this is exactly like the orange tree i painted on emmy's wall and i also used a wider brush and did it the same way.... who knew i actually knew what i was doing? not me!
    looks awesome, jamie!

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  2. You did a perfect job! I can't even tell it's not vinyl, but very glad it isn't...makes it so much more personal.

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  3. AH-MAAAAzing!!!!!!! (said in a melodic voice) come paint my house ;-)

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  4. I LOVE that you posted this! I want to paint a branch/tree like that in my daughter's room!

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  5. What an inspiration. I need to paint a bathroom today, but I'm not sure I would get the same awesome results. Found you on Crystal and Co. :)

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  6. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TIPS.I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE MY LIFE EASIER.

    http://trescherechattel.blogspot.com/

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  7. Wow great tips! Thanks for sharing at my party!!

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  8. Using the chalk is such a lifesaver. This turned out just beautifully.

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  9. These are great tips! I learn something new everyday in blogland. Can't wait to try that out. Thanks.

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  10. that's so gorgeous ! Thanks for the tip!

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  11. Just beautiful...the painting AND the sentiment!

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  12. Your decorative painting is beautiful.

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  13. This is so great! Thanks for all the tips... I'm ALWAYS painting something so it's nice to hear others experiences :)

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  14. I tried out you wire brush tip today when I cleaned my paint brush and the brush is almost like new! GREAT tip. I hate when my expensive brushes become useless. Thank you.

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  15. Great tips!! Thanks for sharing...I recently read a tip for cleaning brushes. Soak in hot vinegar for 30 minutes. Have you tried that one before?? Great work!

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  16. These are really neat tricks of the trade! I am so inspired to pick up the brush! Found you on Delicate Construction.

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  17. What a wonderful way to share your talents. This turned out so pretty. Thank you for sharing the tips at this week's Blog Feature Friday.

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  18. Fabulous tutorial! Your work is amazing and beautiful. What a blessing you were to brighten up their space! Thank you so much for sharing all of these great hints and tips with us at Inspiration Friday!

    Heather

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  19. great tutorial! I always love new tips. :) I have always used the rounded end tip of my brushes for dots too. Great way to use your gifts for ministry! I like the chalk idea too. Thanks Jamie!

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  20. Good tips, Great Job on the Wall! I love the angle brush, I never tape ceilings when painting walls anymore! It does pay to spend money on this brush, it is so worth it! The time it saves alone, not to mention the tape. Wire brush? I will have to try! New to your site, thanks

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  21. This is soo pretty! Thank you for sharing!

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  22. Lovely mural! And your lettering is perfect! Great tips on using a large brush. Sometimes I'm too scared, but you're right - the little ones add tons of strokes. How wonderful for the church!

    Dropping by from Think Pink Sunday.

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  23. Wow-I can't believe you used the big brush for that-I'll give it a try! I'm a follower now!

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  24. Wonderful tips! The scrolls are lovely. I need to invest in better brushes. Thank you for some recommendations!

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  25. WOW Jamie! You are amazing!!! I never would have thought to use a bigger brush. Thanks for teaching us your tricks!!!!

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  26. Love the wall. Thanks for the tips. If you get a chance I would love you to link your tricks of the trade up to More the Merrier Monday. It lasts through Wednesday so you have plenty of time to stop by. See you there. http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/

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  27. I wouldn't dare put my design on the wall freehand, but have used an overhead projector to get my initial image up there. Like all your tips, will have to remember them next time there is a project to do.

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  28. Great tips. Seems like I get scared and always go to the smallest brush I have. I guess practice holding and painting with the larger brush is what I will be doing from now on. Oh, and the tip about white chalk... so clever.

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  29. This is wonderful advice, I think everyone can learn something from this. Thankyou

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  30. Great tips and lovely work. I am going to feature you on Friday morning at Bacon Time too! Thanks for linking up.

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  31. Love it! I featured you at my Hookin Up with HoH party this week! Congrats.

    Feel free to stop by and grab a button if you'd like.

    xoxo

    Allison @ House of Hepworths

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  32. Who needs vinyl is right! Loved the tutorial and really loved the saying!!!

    I'm your newest follower.

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  33. What a beautiful gesture! And I just love the mission statement and your amazing tree... thanks for your sharing your tips with the Pink hippo Party... can't wait to see what you share next!

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  34. Awesome tips! I am featuring you at my party this week...it will be up on Tuesday:) Thanks for linking up:)

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  35. I love your artwork, looks fantastic. No doubt it will be a welcoming encouragment. Great mission statement.

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  36. I’ve never attempted a wall mural, but these tips make me feel as though I might actually be able to! Thanks so much!

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  37. We put a bid in on a house and we're waiting to hear back. Meanwhile, I'm reading your blog for A-MAH-ZING tips, how-tos, tutorials, and designs. I'm getting more excited by the post. Love it!

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  38. I absolutely LOVE this! I am living in an apartment, so I can't paint right on the walls, but I want to do this on some large skinny paneled canvas and hang them as a series in my art studio/guest room! Would you recommend any different techniques or brush sizes for smaller painting spaces?

    Echo: gnomesatemyhomework.blogspot.com

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  39. What a cute idea! I've been wanting to do something unique and fun in our spare bedroom... maybe I'll try something like this :D

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  40. On the HGTV urban loft giveaway they did a tutorial from a painter who did a whole wall like this. To get the pattern to be a symmetrical repeat, he taped a large piece of butcher (?) paper onto the wall that he had drawn a pattern onto, and traced it with a Tracing Wheel (like a pizza cutter with spikes). Then he put loose chalk into a pantyhose leg and dusted the holes that the tracing wheel had cut into the paper. Then he moved it and dusted the holes again onto the new section. Similar to your chalk use but on a big scale. So cool!

    Your wall came out beautifully, BTW!

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  41. Wow! Your handskills are admirable. My dad always told me this, but I've been a wimp and used a smaller artist brush. I'm going to have to try this, though. Thanks for the encouragement!
    -Revi

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  42. dannie
    Great job, I really like it. Thanks for the idea. I am going to try it.

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  43. Hey, Jamie! I'm a new follower. Thanks for the painting tips. I plan to do swirlies in my craft room when I can take over my daughter's bedroom. Mixed blessing.
    Feel free to check out my blog. I do a lot with vinyl and paint.
    Fondly, Tami
    www.thisandthatfromtami.blogspot.com

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  44. Hi! My oldest daughter saw the purple room.............and well, now it's on my list of to-do's! LOVE it! When you mention using chalk first, do you paint over the chalk?
    loribrookskwrealtor@yahoo.com

    Lori

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