Tool Time

I'm not sure who said it, but it's definitely true:  "You think with the tool that's in your hand." Lately I've been challenging myself to think in terms of bigger shapes, and to mix larger pools of paint on my palette. It helps me achieve these goals if I have a BIG implement in my hand to apply the paint to the canvas.

In the top photo, I'm using a very large taping knife that I bought at the hardware store. I think it's actually designed to smooth joints when hanging drywall, but who's counting?! I have several similar tools from the hardware store, in varying sizes. Carlos San Millán first introduced me to these tools for painting. He is a master with them. They can create a nice, sharp edge, if you load them with paint and just touch the edge to the canvas. Or they can produce a broad swath of paint, if you drag them across the canvas. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, I have a series of small "drawing" brushes. Some of these have only a few hairs left! They are ideal for directional lines, or for going back into bigger passages of paint to make corrections or definitions. 

And then there are a few specialty brushes. Just above is one of those. I think it's meant for watercolors, but I use it to smooth out backgrounds or skies, when my brushstrokes have become too choppy and detract from the painting. A very light few swipes with this brush can smooth the choppiness, without destroying the shape of the strokes.

Maggie Siner's Toolbox

Of course, there are dozens of brushes that fall between these extremes, and in fact those in-betweens are the core players in my painting practices. But it's always good to vary your tools. Using different tools results in varied types of paint strokes, which make for a more exciting painting. As they say, if you're only using one or two brushes for your painting, you will put the viewers to sleep. Variety is the spice of life--it definitely increases the enjoyment of looking!