Tools I Use

I’ve had folks asking about the tools that I use so I thought I’d post this blog again for those who are interested.

The right tools can give you the freedom to bring your artistic vision to life but when it comes to using different tools for painting, I feel, the sky is the limit.  I like to think beyond what is recommended or expected and pick up odd things to use to apply paint.   Here are some of the things I use.

Let’s start with the palette.  I use a polyethylene panel that is about 24 x 34 x 1/4.  I like the large size because I don’t clean it after each painting and keep adding new color so it gives me lots of room to mix. The paint doesn’t stick to this surface and will scrape up easily.  At the end of the day I spritz it with water then cover with a couple of old tops from plastic bins then cover that with towels.  The paint will stay useable for several days.

Brushes are the obvious choice.  I mostly use inexpensive flats from craft stores.  I also add some from the paint department at a local big box store.  The most costly ones are the Isaby.

Palette knives work for getting paint out of a jar to spreading it on the canvas.   One of them is a cake spreader.

I like to move the paint around over each layer so use shapers, spreaders, combs, soft plastic, and wedges.  You can also try some corrugated cardboard, mat board, old credit card or a trowel from the garage.  Lots of different things will work.

Sponges work great for getting the basic coat on a large painting or blending.  Workshop towels can be use to apply paint and, of course, clean up.  The sea sponge gives an interesting effect but I tend to use those intended for grouting tile, cut into pieces.

T Squares and rulers are important in my paintings.  Different pencils, China markers, graphite pencils, and pens get used too.