How to Make Paint Brushes
- 1). Select a material for the brush hairs. Not surprisingly, you will probably want to go with hair. Give some thought to the type of line you want to create with your brush. Are you looking to construct a paintbrush for painting super fine lines, or do you need a custom-shaped brush head (i.e. fan-shaped)?
Human hair will work well and is nice because it is often longer than you need, allowing you to create very long brush heads or short ones. You might also want to consider pet hair. Medieval manuscript illuminators often used hair trimmed from a long-haired cat to create brushes with super fine lines.
In addition to hair, you can experiment with thread, yarn or dental floss. For an interesting texture, try unexpected materials like finely shredded plastic bags, fabric, paper towels or sponges. - 2). Find a stem. One of the best stem choices are disposable chopsticks. You can grab some for free at your local Chinese restaurant or in the sushi case at your grocery store. Other items that will work well are dowels, twigs, old pen barrels and even plastic silverware.
- 3). Fasten the stem and brush head to each other. If you are in a hurry, you can use tape or rubber bands to attach the brush hair to the stem. However, if you are looking to create a homemade paintbrush that will last for a longer period of time, consider other fasteners. Try epoxy, hot glue or Krazy Glue -- you can place a dab on the brush hair, and a dab on the stem. Wrap the glue-covered areas together using aluminum foil, wire wrapped around the stem and brush hairs, or metal harvested from tin cans and fused together with a soldering iron.
- 4). Keep experimenting with different materials to create interesting lines and textures. Your art will become more dynamic with each new paintbrush you try out.
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