One of the most difficult tasks for an aspiring starving artist is staying supplied. A good quality paint brush is essential for good painting, but it's also less than permanent--and less than cheap. When the art-making budget is lean, it can be tough to scrape together funds for replacement brushes. Fortunately, if you can get your hands on some scrap locks of hair, it's possible to make your own paint brushes, saving you money, as well as a trip to the art store.
Instructions
1. Save hair for use as paintbrush tips. When getting your hair cut (or, when friends or family members are getting theirs cut), explain to the barber what you're doing and ask that the trimmed hair be preserved in locks and sections that are still together and long enough for paint brushes (about a centimeter longer than the length of tip you want). You can also use hair from an old wig or doll if the hair is still of high enough quality. Whatever you use, it should be straight, smooth, and free of any hairspray, gel or other hold products.
2. Select a section of hair to use as a brush tip. Choose the thickness based on what you're used to seeing in store-bought brushes, but make the length about a finger's width longer to account for the portion of the hair that will be glued and secured to the handle of the brush.
3. Fasten the hair section tightly with string. Tie the string closer to one end than the other, rather than in the middle. If you've already chosen an end to be the brush tip, tie further away from that end.
4. Trim one end of the hair section even on the non-brush-tip end.
5. Use a hot glue gun to secure the trimmed end of the hair. Be as generous with the glue as you can without interfering with the part of the hair section you want to paint with. This will secure the brush hairs and help keep them from falling out as you paint.
6. Cut a segment of dowel to about 7 or 8 inches (or whatever length you prefer for your paintbrushes). Ideally, it should also be as close to the thickness of your hair section as possible.
7. Attach the paintbrush tip to the end of the dowel using another drop of glue. Make sure the tip is attached to the flat end of the dowel, rather than the side of the stick, since you want to be able to paint by directing the center of your instrument.
8. Wrap masking tape tightly around the dowel and paintbrush tip to secure it in place.
9. Trim the tip of your paintbrush bristles into your preferred shape. You may decide to leave them as is, especially if your lock of hair has its own natural taper, but you'll want to trim any stray, long hairs that extend beyond the tip. You may also decide to create your own, less gradual taper, or trim the end flat.
