Our Brush Guide for Your Projects!

What's the right brush to choose for your project? We've put together our simple, handy Brush Guide for selecting the best brush when at our Shop and Studio. 

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Annie Sloan Flat Brushes- Great for minimized brushstrokes when applying Chalk Paint® decorative paint, high-quality synthetic brushes in two different sizes.

Annie Sloan Pure (Natural) Bristle Brushes- Natural hair brushes will always possess slight texture, so you can create both subtle and enhanced texture with this brush that comes in three different sizes. Each hold a lot of paint to extend your brushstrokes when using Chalk Paint® !

Artisan Enhancements® 45mm Topcoat Brush- As a blend of fine natural and synthetic bristles, this brush is intended to minimize brushstrokes when applying liquid topcoats that otherwise might exaggerate the appearance of strokes (like glosses). They also extend brushstrokes well by holding a lot of paint, which also makes them a favorite for applying Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. 

Artisan Enhancements® European Wax Brush- This lightweight wax brush is great for starting, and is versatile due to size and length of handle. Its bristlehead is flexible yet slightly firm for ideal wax application.

Annie Sloan Wax Brushes- These pointed brushes are of the highest quality, allowing you to wax in tight corners and carvings. They come in two different sizes of both bristleheads and handles, so choose the best based on the size of your project and comfort for grip! Made in Italy. 

Inside the Toolbox: Using Annie Sloan's Flat Brushes for Smooth Finishes

Hello in the new year! For our first blog post of 2017, we wanted to jump right in and talk about smooth, sleek painted finishes. These are the quintessential contemporary, modern, and even Mid-century Modern finishes that are not only popular at the moment but timeless. As you know, Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan is versatile for both smooth and rustic techniques. How do we achieve such looks though? 

Since Chalk Paint® decorative paint is a bit thicker than other types of paint, achieving specific finishes can come down to the type of brush. Chalk Paint® is already relatively self-leveling (especially once a layer of Soft Wax is applied), so it's not difficult to use your brush for smooth finishes. To minimize the look of brush strokes, use Annie Sloan's Flat Brushes. As high-quality synthetic brushes, they've been made to specifically work well with her paint line. When painting, work the brush from one side to the next of each section of your piece, working 'with the grain.' Each layer of paint should be thin and allowed to dry thoroughly before the next. Adding a tiny bit of water in with your paint can also help spread each stroke nicely, with minimized appearance. Anytime you feel the need to slightly sand, don't hesitate! See our video below:

The Flat brushes come in two sizes, giving greater accessibility for different sized surfaces. The small size is thin and narrow, and perfect for trim and other small spaces. They're easy to clean with soap and water. We always stock both sizes in our brick & mortar shop and online. 

*You may have also seen painting techniques where brushstrokes are painted haphazardly, in an almost cross-hatched effect. This is a technique that Annie Sloan displays well, which fools the eye into thinking the surface looks flat and even due to optical confusion. Try your hand with that using the Flat Brushes if you'd like as well!

Happy Painting xo.