The Studio

“Miniature Snow and Fence” is an oil on 3″x5″ stretched canvas.  This painting is available for $40 by contacting me at kwalker@doubledogdesigns.com .

Today I am introducing a new series.  Each Thursday I will try to answer a “trivia” question about art.  I get questions all the time about little things related to painting.  This is where I will address those questions.  Who knows?  Maybe we will learn something on Trivia Thursday!

Today’s question is about the different length of handles on brushes.  Why are some brush handles longer than others?  The short-handled brushes are generally for watercolor painting or painting where you sit close to the piece you are working on.  Long-handled brushes are used mainly for oil painting.  When painting oils you want to try to stand up at the easel.  That way you can stand back from work and look at what it needs.  If the brush has a longer handle then you can put paint on the canvas by standing back from it and seeing where it needs more work.  Many instructors teach new painters to put one stroke on the canvas and walk back a couple of steps.  Then decide where the next stroke of paint should go, put it on and walk back.  This is why you see painters on tv stepping back and looking at the work, generally with their head cocked to one side.  The head cock is optional.  🙂