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Q: How do I paint fine lines?
Answer(s) to this Question (
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Fine lines
The best way to get nice lines with your painting is to start with thinned paint. You can use water for this. Use your brush to add water to the paint puddle and brush mix for a thin ink like consistency. Unlike using other brushes, load the liner brush with the handle low to the surface (not upright) and lay the bristles in the paint. Give a wiggle and pull the hairs from the paint so they come to a point. A nice pointy brush is what you want. When painting lines control the width of them by only pressing the very tip of the brush to the surface. maintian the same width by moving from the shoulder rather than the fingers or wrist. That is...pretend your fingers, hand and wrist are frozen. the only way to move is with your shoulder and limited movement through your elbow. Use the support of a phone book or something similar to rest your arm on so you remain steady if the piece is high off your table surface.
Borders
The loading of the liner brush is the most important bit in your line work. The paint for fine lines must be thin like ink, and for nice commas can be thicker at the tip. When loading the liner, be aware that you load it by holding the brush low to the pallette surface and pulling the full length of the hairs through the thinned paint. As you leave your pallette be sure the brush hairs have formed a point. If you want a nice rounded end for the beginning of a comma stroke, tip the brush into a little thicker paint.
Fine lines in high spots
Sometimes the item you are painting is too high off the surface to paint nice lines on. Try placing a stack of telephone books or similar beside the work so they are at the same height as the surface you are painting...then rest your forearm on this while you paint the lines.
