When learning to paint, there are plenty of things to think about — colour mixing, brush choice, paint consistency, composition and technique. But sometimes a small adjustment to something as simple as how you hold your paint brush can make a surprisingly big difference.
In our latest YouTube tutorial, Stephen demonstrates a simple change to the way you hold your brush and explains how it can give you more control, a clearer view of your painting and better results with techniques such as glazing, scumbling and layering.
Watch the full demonstration on YouTube to see the difference for yourself.
Are you holding your paint brush like a pencil?
When we first learn to draw or paint, it’s natural to hold a brush much like we would hold a pencil when writing. This position can sometimes get in the way of your painting.
Your hand can block your view of the area you’re working on, while the angle of the brush can cause the bristles to press too firmly against the surface. Instead of gently applying or building up paint, you may find that the brush scratches, lifts or pushes paint around.
Our suggestion is simple: change the angle of your brush and hold it in a way that allows you to see what you’re doing.
There are no strict rules when it comes to holding a paint brush, but sometimes getting your hand out of the way and changing the angle of the brush can give you much more control.
How to hold a paint brush when glazing
Glazing involves applying a thin, transparent layer of paint over an underpainting. It’s a technique used by oil painters and can be a great way to gradually build colour, depth and changes in tone.
Because glazes are usually quite fluid, control is particularly important.
Holding your brush at a low angle to the painting surface allows you to gently spread the paint rather than attacking the surface with the tips of the bristles.
If you hold the brush too directly against the surface, the bristles can scratch into the underlying paint and lift it rather than creating a smooth, even glaze.
A small change in your brush angle can therefore help you:
- Apply paint more gently
- Control the strength of your glaze
- See the area you’re working on more clearly
- Avoid lifting the underlying paint
- Create softer and more even layers
How to hold a paint brush when scumbling
Scumbling is another technique where brush control and pressure are particularly important.
In simple terms, scumbling involves dragging a relatively dry layer of paint across an existing surface. It can be used to build texture and create subtle effects of light and shade.
When scumbling, Stephen demonstrates using a small amount of paint on the brush and gently dragging it across the surface.
The key is not to press too hard.
If the brush is held too directly against the surface, you can end up rubbing the paint in and covering the texture underneath. Holding the brush at a lower angle allows the paint to catch on the existing texture, gradually building up the effect.
How to hold a paint brush when layering
Layering is another situation where changing your brush position can help. When building up a painting, you often want to make small, controlled adjustments rather than applying a large amount of paint all at once.
Holding the brush in a more open position gives you a better view of the area you’re painting and allows you to slowly build up colour and form. Stephen works with different tones of the same colour, gradually adding creams, oranges and other subtle colour variations to build the form.
The idea is not to rush the process. Small, controlled applications of paint can gradually build a much better result.
Why brush angle matters
It can be easy to think that painting technique is all about the paint and the brush, but the way the brush meets the surface also matters. Changing the angle can change how the bristles interact with the paint.
A more direct angle can cause the brush to push, scratch or remove paint, while a shallower angle can allow you to gently drag the paint across the surface.
This is particularly useful when you’re working with techniques where you want to build up layers gradually.
And importantly, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule.
If a particular way of holding your brush feels uncomfortable or doesn’t work for you, you don’t have to force it. The goal is simply to find a position that gives you better visibility, control and movement.
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