As one of the most ancient forms of art, painting has no limits. Throughout the history of art, the world has seen many artists who went beyond any limits and relied on rather odd and sometimes even frightening tools to create their paintings. To name a few, we’ve already seen Scott Blake create an entire portrait using solely ecstasy; Allison Cortson to collect dust around her house for the sake of art; Tim Patch to paint with his own genitalia; Ani K to replace his paintbrush with his tongue, and Marc Quinn to create sculptures of his own frozen blood (not exactly related to painting, but still very odd).
And there are plenty of other, even crazier examples!
Looking at these examples, it can be rather hard to believe that anyone could ever think of using these tools and materials for painting. But, how can we blame them if, as was said earlier, art knows no limits or boundaries? Besides, if it wasn’t for their odd approach to painting, many of these artists would probably remain unnoticed and, if you think of it this way, it makes pretty good sense why they decided to go far beyond traditional brushes. After all, that’s what made them stand out.
Now, guess what? You can go the same path and also make your paintings stand out if you start thinking beyond the brush. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have to use your tongue or blood to paint. You will be surprised by how many more traditional tools you can use.
So, if you are a painting enthusiast yourself, in this article, we are going to tell you about six tools that can make your paintings more fun and definitely more unusual. Let’s dive in!
Blow Torch
Let’s start with something more or less not as surprising. As some of you may already know, regular blow torches (like the ones you can easily find in a local hardware store) have long found an application in art.
If we speak about painting in particular, special art or regular chef torches are mostly used for acrylic pour painting. This form of painting, along with alcohol ink art, is trending these days as many people find it relaxing and even somewhat meditating. The torch, in this case, is needed as a heat source that helps you reduce the surface tension of the paint layers, close bubbles or air pockets, and allow colors of different weights to mix more smoothly.
Sponge
This next tool is also not as odd and most likely can be found right in your kitchen. Sponges are widely used for painting not only by kids and amateurs but also by professional artists.
If you research a bit, you can find dozens of different sponge painting techniques. This tool can be used for a variety of purposes as well. Just to give you a few examples, replacing your brush with a sponge can help you reach very different color combinations, regulate levels of transparency or sheen, and add different textures to your artworks.
Bubble Wrap
If you want to have a very relaxing art session or want to add an eye-grabbing “bubbly” print to your masterpiece, then you can simply use a bubble wrap that came along with your most recent parcel.
This tool is often used in painting to create a really fun effect with inks or acrylic paint. And it is also often being used by kids because it is extremely easy to use – all you need to do is to put paint on top of the bubble wrap, press it to a paper or canvas, and then do whatever you feel like doing to create more and more unique patterns.
Hair Comb
We bet that a hair comb is something most of you have somewhere in your house but have you ever thought about using it for creating unique artworks? Probably not. Although not many of us would think of it, you can be surprised to learn that it is a rather popular tool among artists (and not just painters).
This tool is something most of us always have at hand, and it is easy to use. And the best part of it is that using a hair comb for painting really enables you to unleash your creativity. There are hundreds of patterns you can create with a hair comb – from straight lines to circles, waves, various geometric forms, and more. It can be used for hatching, as well as for adding texture and depth to your artworks.
Scrunched Up Paper
Another interesting and unusual tool you can add to your painter’s kit is a regular scrunched-up piece of paper. It can work great for adding texture and blending colors in a more unusual way. And it is also very easy to use. You just need to scrunch up a piece of paper, put the colors of your choice on top of it, and press or drag it on your canvas to add unique effects.
Body Parts
We’ve already told you about a couple of artists who kind of went to extremes in using their bodies for painting. The good news is that you don’t have to follow their lead and paint your works with the most unexpected parts of your body, but you still can use your body as another tool for painting.
Most often, artists rely on their hands, feet, toes, and fingers to create their masterpieces. As many of you probably think now, that’s a technique used by children to make their first steps in painting. That’s true. But this doesn’t mean that professionals or adult enthusiasts can’t use the same technique to create stunning paintings – if you need proof, just check out a few works by Iris Scott, an artist who made her name specifically on finger painting.
Final Words
If you think that’s all, think again because the number of tools you can use for your artwork is truly unlimited. If you are wondering what else you can use, the answer is – pretty much anything you can find! Apart from what we’ve mentioned so far, some other tools that can come in handy include:
- Toothpicks;
- Toothbrushes;
- Forks;
- Spoons;
- Feathers;
- Fruits and vegetables;
- Plants and flowers;
- Dish scrubbers;
- Coins;
- Stones;
- And plenty of other stuff.
Hopefully, reading this article was fun and enjoyable. Now, you know that your brush set isn’t the only thing you can use to create attention-grabbing paintings and have more fun than ever in the process of creating them!
In conclusion, the only thing we’d like to advise you is to never be afraid of trying new things – experiment with tools, use various materials, don’t limit your imagination, and let it get a bit messy. When you cross this line, that’s where true art is born!
Author’s Bio: This was written by a specialist from EssayService, Julie Gunn. She is a history essay writer with many years of experience but, apart from writing, Julie finds her passion in painting. In this article, Julie shares a list of unusual tools that painters can use to create outstanding artworks.
