A stash of brushes, an oval-shaped palette and a pile of rags—they’re some of the time-tested tools that have served artists superbly over the centuries. I don’t see that changing. There will always be painters whose work style, preferred process or desired results make the traditionally-equipped tool kit an absolute necessity, and the culture is better for it.

Then there are artists who can’t help but depart from convention, whose drive to experiment leads them to unconventional tools. Although standard brushes and canvases are very much a part of my own reservoir, I’m drawn to many of the effects achieved with non-standard implements. I’ll share some of them with you today.

Cardboard scrapers

   

Rectangles of various widths with their corrugated edges can create some juicy paint effects. I like to lay down squirts of two or three different colors, then scrape them across the surface I’m working on. It’s where the colors intermingle that the magic happens.

Squeeze bottles

   

(See finished painting here.)

Squeeze bottles–they’re not just for catsup any more. I use them to create long sweeping arcs and curves; sometimes I get a serendipitous splat when the bottle is almost empty. Recently I’ve produced my paint splatters with squeeze bottles and a quick flip of the wrist. There’s a degree of tension between control of the tool and not-so-much control: accidents can—and do—happen. But if you’ve learned to expect it, is it really an accident?

Cheap combs and picks

  

(Click here to see the completed work begun above right.)

Texture is a key component of my work. I lay down my favorite texture goo, and before it dries, I use one or more of these combs from the dollar store to make impressions and marks that support the vision. They’re great for making concentric arcs, parallel grooves, and crosshatch patterns.

Paint rollers

   

There’s nothing like a paint roller for covering a surface quickly! The example above right is one step past laying down the background, but suffice it to say, the three 24-inch square canvases required a lot of paint for good coverage. My three-inch wide roller helped make short work of the background. I’ve even used it in a similar way to the cardboard scrapers by laying down two or three different paint colors and rolling over them to achieve some interesting blends.

I’m always on the lookout for my next “off-label” art tool or material. It’s just one of the things that keeps my studio practice exciting for me. Art should be surprising—for the viewer and the artist as well.

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All art is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without express written permission. Copyright 2017-2018 Laura Hunt