Painting Without Brushes

No matter what paper project you are creating, you can take it a step further by creative painting techniques without using brushes. You can use these techniques on greeting cards, scrapbook pages. art journals, Bible journals, and lots of other papercraft projects. Going beyond just using the common things like stamps, stencils and markers takes you to a new and exciting new creative level!

Today, we are taking a journey into creative painting without a paintbrush. Yes, you can use acrylic paints, but you can also get the same effects with ink pads too. Creativity is using what you have to get the same effects.

All of these techniques can be used with acrylic paint, watercolors, inks and alcohol inks.

Supplies

You are just going to need a few supplies that you more or less have about your home or craft space,

To cover larger areas

• Sponges
• Brayer
• Baby wipes
• Pallet knives
• Credit card or gift card
• Straws
• Brush Pens
• Your Fingers

For specific designs

• Plant leaves
• Bubble wrap
• q tips
• Toilet paper or paper towel rolls
• Cookie cutters
• Bottle caps

Always use a craft mat or newspaper as a cover to your work space to protect it from getting stained

Sponges

Using sponges to apply paint is an old technique. They give you some texture and are easy to work with. You can use inexpensive sponges from the dollar store, or you can use some sea sponges. This technique works well with both paint and inks. 

I really like to sponge with distress and distress oxide inks, you can layer colors.

 Just rip a piece of sponge off and play with some scrap paper. 

Try sponges with watercolors for a very soft effect. 

Sponges with distress inks are a totally different way of applying and blending therm. Experiement with colors to see what combinations you enjoy the most. This type of application makes a fun art journal or greeting card background. You can also create custom scrapbook page and junk journal backgrounds. If you are using it for a journal, make sure to apply a coat of gesso first. That toughens the paper, causes less chance of ripping thin paper and gives you the option of doing water splatters.

Wash the sponge right after use and you can use them again. I like to keep some soapy water right in my craft space, I just drop them into the water right after use, this technique is great for greeting cards, scrapbook paper, and art/ junk journals.

You can use a clothes pin to hold a sponge rather than your hand.

Brayers

 Brayers are very much like a miniature paint roller. You can cover large areas quickly in a short period of time.

 Brayers come in different sizes depending on your needs.   You just pick up the paint, ink, or even watercolor and roll it on. For this kind of use, I would recommend using mixed media paper. If you are applying a lot of watercolors, you might want to consider using watercolor paper. 

Another way to use brayers to add paint or ink is to wrap rubber bands around the brayer. Then apply the ink or paint to the paper. 

Make sure to wash your brayer in warm soapy water as soon as you are finished using it.

This is a great technique for scrapbook pages, Bible journals, art journals, and junk journals.

                                         

Palette Knives

They come in lots of different shapes and sizes to apply paint and other media to paper surfaces. They come in metal and wood as well as plastic. You can use them to apply long or short strokes. This is more about texture than coverage. You can apply paint thickly or thinly, It is your call. 

Palette knives are also used on media like embossing paste to apply it on top of a stencil.

You can also add texture with palette knives in all kinds of thicker media. Use the different sizes and edges to create shapes and line designs though your backgrounds. 

Old credit cards or gift cards can be used in similar ways.

You can use this for art journals, junk journals and even greeting cards as backgrounds.

   If you are working on any journal pages, make sure to place some waxed paper or parchment paper behind the pages you are working on. That way, you will not get anything on the pages behind them.

Baby Wipes

Smearing paint or ink with baby wipes is a lot of fun. They will give you a very soft effect. Another fin way to use them is to do a reverse stencil technique. Cover the surface of your paper with a good coat of paint or ink. Place the stencil where you want to see the design. Now use the baby wipe to lift the ink off the page. I promise you will love the effect. Once you have used the wipe, allow the baby wipe to dry. You can use it later on for mixed media effects, Use this idea in any if your journals, on a card, or a scrapbook page,

You can also use baby wipes to apply paint onto stencils. Give it a try!

Plants And Leaves

Experiment with plants and leaves. You can create custom prints that are a one-of-a-kind design. Use leaves from the plants in your home. Or take a walk and collect leaves that you can use. Use different sizes and shapes to create your patterns. Try coating flowers and petals to create your designs. Be creative and enjoy the process. This makes a real custom background for scrapbook pages, art journals and greeting cards.

Bubble Wrap

Save that bubble wrap from packages that you receive. They are great for painting and stamping. Create different patterns by layering more or less paint. Press the design onto paper. Mainly used for art journals, but you could do a light application in a Bible journal too.

Your Fingers

Remember when you were a child and enjoyed finger painting? You can still use your fingers to create unique paper designs with paints and other media. Just play and have fun. Try this for art journals and junk journals,

Q Tips

Dotting with q tips is a lot of fun. You can create all kinds of dot designs with these tools. Experiment with colors and designs, you can dot a little or dot a lot. It is your call. Use ink or paint. You can also stroke with them like you would use a brush. You can be as messy or as neat as you want to be, Just use the q tips as the art form or do them on top of other backgrounds. Metallic paint would really be a bright choice t add dimension to your backgrounds. This would be fun in art journals and on scrapbook pages too.

Toilet Paper And Paper Towel Rolls

You cannot paint with them, but you can stamp with them. They are perfect to add little circular details to whatever papercraft you are working on. You can mold the paper roll into other shapes. Try a heart or an oval. Nice for scrapbook pages and art journals. Once you have used the piece, cut it off the roll. Then use the opposite side. Keep using the roll until there is none left. This is a great recycling project. 

Cookie Cutters

As the paper rolls, you can use cookie cutters to create stamped images. Dip them into ink or paint and stamp away! If you do not have a lot of them, head on over to your local dollar store or check your local thrift shop to find the best buys. This is great fun when you are just starting out with art journaling.

Bottle Caps

This is another great recycling idea. Use the bottle caps to stamp different circles on your papercraft. They can be used over and over again to create patterns on just about anything. 

Straws

Blowing on paint with straws is not new, but it does take a little practice to get it right. It is actually easier to use this technique with watercolors and inks over acrylic paint. Painting with straws has become very popular, 

If you are using alcohol inks for your backgrounds this is a fun technique that is going to create custom images. For this kind of application however, you will need yupo paper. You could also try heavy cardstock (like 110 lb) or heavy mixed media paper.

Yarn Resist

Grab some leftover yarn and some washi tape. This technique is fun and creative, 

1. Take some scrap yarn and cut it into longer lengths than the page or paper you are working on. 
2. Place the yarn on the paper or page and go to the back of the paper/page with the yarn. 
3. Tape the yarn onto the back of the paper/page with the washi tape. 
4. Apply paint or ink with a brayer to the page.
5.  Allow the page complete drying time.
6. Once the page is dry, remove the yarn and discard it, Enjoy the results.

Make sure that if you are working on an art journal, or a used book that you apply some gesso to the paper before you do this technique. That will strengthen the paper.

We hope that you enjoyed this tutorial. Please leave a comment or your thoughts. We always appreciate hearing from you!

Until nest time, Happy Crafting!

Linda