A couple of the Helmar Hotties have recently altered paintbrushes for your inspiration. The first was created by Amy and you can check out her awsome take here. Next we had Jen create another on Helmar's USTREAM Channel and you can check that out here I was SO inspired by thier altered paintbrush and wanted to make one, but wasn't sure that I would actually pull it off... well until I came up with my own idea.
I decided to create an altered paintbrush mini album of my boys creating their own art. The hardest part was trying to find a paint brush big enough for what I wanted to create... I eventually found a decking brush that was 15cm or 6'' wide by about an inch and a half thick at the paint store. Cost me a bomb, but I knew it was perfect so thought 'oh well' all in the name of art!
The brush handle and body was a beautiful light stained wood that after I was finished with it I REALLY wish I had gotten a start pic of it. Many of layers of paint, standing, screening, stamping and distressing later, I ended up with a beautifully aged looking brush.
I removed all the hair from the brush which was a bit of an effort as there was 5 layers of brush hairs strongly glued in. And this is where My Helmar came in.
I added chipboard chickwire to the handle and body using some Helmar 450 Quick Dry - it stuck to the metal so well. I added pages into the areas where the brush hairs were previously using Helmar 450 Quick Dry and some Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots to give it a little more fill as the area was wider than the thickness of the pages.
I then got to creating the album.
Whilst much of a novice when it comes to copic colouring, I thought this La La Land image was just perfect for the albums theme. So I gave it a go. These markers are quickly addictive and whilst this is only about my 6th image I have ever coloured with them, I am sure to start learning and using them more. I also coloured all the bunting with the copics. I added the image with some chipboard from a box behind it with my Helmar Acid Free glue. Most of the elements of the pages were adhered with Helmar 450 Quick Dry and the buntings with Helmar Liquid Scrapdots. I did get a bit of help with inspiration from Pagedrafts sketches, they are amazing and just help me get started sometimes even if I end up on totally different tangents. I also used Kaisercraft's 'Basecoat' range and My Mind's Eye's 'All is Bright' range together to create the album part.
This looks so great haning up in my boy's craft area. I now can't wait to create another with all the new crafting they are doing in this area, they have so much fun there!
I do hope you have found some inspiration here today, and maybe even give an altered paintbrush a go yourself. If you do we would love to see your take, so feel free to post a pic on our Facebook page here
Helmar Design Team
WOW WOW WOW - your paintbrush album looks awesome Beck - LOVE the colours, textures, layers and dimension!!!
This is such a fun and clever project :)
Posted by: TracyM #6773 | March 08, 2013 at 10:48 PM
OMG, this is so cute, I've not seen one done in a flip book style! Kudos to you! I loved making an altered paint brush, couldn't have done it without my 450! waving hi from the hills of North Carolina ♥
Posted by: sandeeNC | March 08, 2013 at 02:18 PM
Beck! This is amazing! I so want to make one now too!
Posted by: Kate V | March 08, 2013 at 09:34 AM
I love your take on this idea!!! The mini album is so adorable! Now I need to go looking for a 6" or larger brush!!! This would make a great keepsake!
Posted by: Matott | March 08, 2013 at 07:47 AM