How to Hold Paint Brushes

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Whether you're painting your bedroom walls or a mural of your dog, learning to hold the brushes correctly is an important to complete your project nicely. Figure out which position is most comfortable so you can consistently paint with ease. Read the following article for some helpful pointers.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Hold an artist brush like you would your pencil. Grab it with your entire hand and turn your hand with your palm up.

Step2

Allow the handle to lay across your fingers with your thumb around the handle. Your hand should be about ½ way down the brush or wherever is most comfortable.

Step3

Use your entire arm to paint with an artist brush. At times you can rest the side of your hand or pinky finger on the wall for even more control.

Step4

Grip a larger bristled brush for wall painting by the handle similar to how you would grip a tennis racket. This will allow for easier control for the larger and heavier ones.

Step5

Hold a sash or trim brush similar to holding a pencil. Place your thumb, index and middle finger near the metal piece near the bristles. The area of the brush that gets narrower should fit around the area between where the forefinger and thumb meet. This technique can be used with all smaller bristled brushes when painting walls.

Tips & Warnings

Good quality paint brushes are always recommended. They hold their shape and won't shed.
If you're painting walls, choose the highest quality paint you can afford. Latex paint is easier to work with versus oil based.