6
Met a guy at a gallery opening who changed how I look at brushes.
He saw me painting at a local show in Portland last month. Said my strokes were too perfect, told me to try using a broken brush with rough edges. Now I'm wondering if other artists have gotten random advice from strangers that actually worked out?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
wader7115d ago
Honestly, that broken brush thing is legit. I had a similar moment a few years back at a plein air event in Austin. Some older guy saw me stressing over my trees and just handed me a beat-up palette knife with a bent tip, told me to stop "painting leaves and start smearing shadows." It felt wrong at first but it completely loosened up my landscapes. Now I've got a jar of mangled brushes and old credit cards that I use just for that rough effect. Best random advice I ever got, right up there with "use a dry rag to wipe your brush instead of water.
6
emmaking15d ago
Oh wait - old credit cards? That one threw me for a loop. I've heard of using palette knives and busted brushes but a credit card? That's wild. I mean I guess it makes sense with the stiff plastic edge creating those scratchy marks but I never would have thought of it myself. Might have to dig one out of my wallet that's expired and give it a go next time I'm messing around with some acrylics. The dry rag trick I've done before though - that's a game changer for sure.
1