Making your own brushes allows you to create brushes with a variety of different textures and qualities at the stroke of the brush. Brushes can be made from a variety of materials and many of them may already be available around your house or yard, and they will create different effects in your painting. Making brushes can also be a fun craft project in itself, especially for a young artist on the way. These instructions will walk you through the process of making your own brush.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Gathering Ingredients
Step 1. Gather the materials for the brush bristles
Decide what material you want to use to make the brush and gather the necessary materials. You can use any material that will hold the paint on the tip of the brush. Here are some suggestions for materials that can be used.
- You can use hair, such as hair in a mane or ponytail, human hair, or other animal hair, available at sporting goods stores, to make fishing lures.
- Plant materials such as needle-shaped leaves on trees, grass, or straw can also be used. Larger fibrous plants such as yucca stems or lembang can also be shaved to make brush bristles.
- You can also use household items such as some foam, cardboard, cotton swabs, some torn clothes, hairs on a broom, etc.
- Craft materials such as yarn, pompons, crepe paper can also be used to make feathers.
Step 2. Choose a handle
Materials that can be used as brush handles are also widely available. Try a twig in your yard, bamboo, a tongue depressor, or a measuring stick.
- For a more professional and neat look, you can use a cylindrical stick.
- If you are using string, twine, or other long fibrous material as the bristles, you can pull the material through a wide plastic straw.
- If you're using a small object such as a pompon or cosmetic sponge as your brush head, or if you want your brush to give an accurate or long lasting result, a shortcut is to clamp your brush material with clothespins, then use the clothespins as a handle. This is a great approach for children.
Step 3. Choose the adhesive and binder material
To make sure your brush is firmly attached, you will need to choose an adhesive (eg some kind of glue) and a binder to bind the bristles together.
- To make a brush that is strong and lasts a long time, use a strong waterproof glue.
- There are many different materials you can use to tie feathers to your handles, including string, thread, elastic bands, or wire.
Part 2 of 2: Making Brushes
Step 1. Apply glue
Place about 0.5 to 1.5 cm of glue on the bottom of the stick where the feathers will be inserted.
If you don't really care about making a brush that lasts a long time, you can skip the gluing step and secure your bristles with a binder
Step 2. Attach the bristles to the brush
Cover the tip of the brush handle (where the glue was applied) with bristle material about 0.6 to 1.3 cm.
You can adjust the thickness of the brush by applying more or less bristle material
Step 3. Tie the fur tightly
Wrap string, twine, or other binding material around the bristles and brush handle.
- Make sure the ties are tight so the fur doesn't slip out, especially if you don't use glue.
- You may need to apply more glue to the binder for a stronger, longer-lasting brush.
Step 4. Let the glue dry
The amount of time it takes for the brush to dry will vary depending on the type of glue and how much is used. Follow the directions on the glue package, and if in doubt, wait longer than necessary.
Step 5. Cut and shape the feathers
Once the feathers are securely in place, you can trim them to the length and shape you want. You may need to keep the length around 2.5-5.1 cm. The width of the bristles will vary depending on the thickness you want the brush to be.
For a brush that gives a more accurate result, trim around the ends but the bristles are slightly shorter than the center, so that the bristles form like sharp edges
Tips
- Consider using a natural glue-rather than synthetic glue, which is usually toxic-such as Arabic gum or animal organ-based glue.
- Try different coats to see which one you like best.
- Pay attention to materials from nature or other objects that are usually thrown away, to be used as brush material.
- If you're using horse hair, collect a few strands of horse hair until it's the thickness and length you want. Many barns and grooming stations may allow you to use discarded horse hair.
