Painting questions and answers

what are you painting? that determines what kind of paint you need, the application etc.

basically, use waterbased acrylics for everything, (those that wash up in water), at least until you have some experience under your belt. enamels paints (those that wash up with turps) are heavier to apply and need more careful application that the lighter acrylic paints.

not environmentally a fab idea but; i buy 20 brushes in a packet when bunnings has them for $10/packet. i wrap them in a plastic bag when i take a break and often overnight (in cooler times). when i am finished with them, i chuck them out instead of washing them. i do the same thing with rollers. we're in the middle of a drought and it takes ages to wash a roller properly.

likewise, a brush with old crust in it will not give you a pleasant, happy painting experience!

never dip the brush into the paint all the way up to the ferule. (that's the metal bit which holds the hairy bits in). it clogs up with paint and becomes quite heavy to use. acrylic paint dries in the ferrule and then will drag, making the job much harder. always wipe the brush on the side of the can before lifting it.

go for a trip around your local paint stores and ask to see their mistints. you'll buy your paint at a fraction of the price of retail paint. you need to be prepared to be lateral with your colours though, although cream is a good choice. if you can afford to be patient, you can get some good colours sometimes.

when you are painting, have a damp rag within reach all the time. if you spill, drop, splatter, overpaint or any of a myriad of painty delights, wipe it up STRAIGHT away. trust me, it is much easier to clean up when it is wet.

always clean your surfaces first. terribly boring but waste of time painting unless surface is reasonably clean. that said, don't go overboard. it is not a hospital!

grace