Sometimes art materials can be really budget constraining and we believe money should never come in the way of creativity. If you are looking to save some money and time from roaming around those stationery shops to get for yourself the necessary materials for doing your next watercolour painting, we will suggest you some really interesting hacks in this article that will leave you spellbound and you will be wondering, “why did I not think about this before?”
The best part about these hacks is that they are easily available and you might even have them at your home right now. They will not just ease out your painting experience but will also make it all the more interesting for you. You can not just use it for your custom oil painting routine but also with oil painting or acrylic. So give away your traditional art tools for this one time and give in to these hacks:
- Twigs, Bamboo Sticks, Herbs
Go to your backyard and collect those twigs and bamboo sticks lying around unused, you will need them for your next painting session. Twigs and bamboo sticks can be used as a paint brush handle, while items like herbs and toothbrush bristles could be used as the brush. You could even use items like wood or tinsel as palette knives.
- Sponge
A much used item in your kitchen and easily available in almost all grocery stores, sponge can help to remove excessive paint or soak in paint from areas where there is more than necessary water used – all of it without damping and damaging the paper you are painting on. It also helps to clear unwanted watercolour marks. If you even feel that the paint used is not sufficient enough or is looking dull, you can add more details later on with a sponge.
- Mint Box
A mint box that comes with compartments can be used as a travel friendly palette to hold your paints in it. You might want to throw away your chewing gum or mint boxes but it could be extremely useful to hold your watercolours.
- Pool Noodle
A pool noodle can be useful to hold your paint brushes and they come in handy without taking a lot of space – you can twirl them, bend them and make them smaller as per your requirement. It could be that one tool that you are going to use in the long run for your painting session. What is even better it can soak in water too. So if your brushes are wet after your painting session, it should not be a matter of concern for you.
- Container Lids
Have you seen those plastic container lids that come with your food order. Next time don’t throw them as you could use them as your paint palette. They are the perfect size for watercolour paints. Whether you are painting in your home studio or doing an urban sketching when traveling, it is a convenient item to be used as a palette.
- Glue To Control Loose Paintbrush Hair
Very often paint brushes tend to have hair shedding. You might ignore them but it is not advisable to do so. So how to you control them? Taking a toothpick or a needle with glue on the tip of it, apply the glue towards the deep end of the brush – in the center of the holder. Dry applying it as deep as you can and allow it to dry for sometime. This will prevent your paint brushes from shedding their hair.
So what are your thoughts on these hacks for watercolour painting? Magical isn’t it? Try them for your next painting session and you will over the time make it a habit of using them for the convenience of their use. Not just that, you will find them easily available without spending a single penny on them. If you know more hacks as such or want to share your thoughts on it, comment below. Happy Painting!