Tips and Tricks for Painters

Painters use numerous tricks to craft visually pleasing spaces and leave customers impressed. These strategies help them work faster and achieve professional results more quickly; additionally, these shortcuts save them time prepping surfaces so they can spend more time painting instead of cleaning up afterwards.

Drop cloths, usually canvas or plastic sheets, are used to cover floors, furniture, countertops and other areas during painting to prevent paint drips, splatters and spills from reaching these surfaces. Drop cloths should be placed during pre-painting preparation stage after most items have been moved out of a room; especially useful in protecting larger pieces that are difficult to move.

Many people mistakenly think old bed sheets can serve as effective drop cloths, but this is an ineffective strategy. Thin sheets allow paint splatters and spills to seep through to the floor while plastic tarps may contain spills but remain wet for too long, leading to paint streaking across surfaces. Canvas drop cloths provide a better solution.
2. Use Cardboard

Cardboard is an economical, sturdy medium for painting that works beautifully. Recyclable and versatile enough for multiple uses, one sheet of cardboard can serve multiple projects. Plus, unlike canvas or paper canvases, cardboard is much simpler to store, transport and manage when it comes to transport and working with it!

Cardboard tends to absorb paint well, though its edges may curl if only painted on one side. You can avoid this issue by first using a white gesso primer; tinted options may also work depending on your project needs.

Before painting on cardboard, always apply a layer of gesso primer as a base coat. This helps prevent warping while enabling thicker coats of paint to adhere securely. In addition, try to protect it as much from moisture as possible by keeping its surface away.
3. Use Egg Cartons

When it comes to painting, there are various materials that can be used. An empty egg carton is one great tool that you can use in this regard - it allows your child to use their fine motor skills while developing their creative side and even furthering learning!

Paint (watercolor is great because it soaks into surfaces easily; acrylic paint thinned down is also effective)

Crafts & Activities
Egg carton crafts can be the ideal way to introduce kids to painting while simultaneously learning shapes, building, colors and critical thinking skills. Quick and simple setup ensures an engaging activity for both you and your children while developing fine motor skills!

At Art and Soul Preschool, this adorable project can transform an egg carton into either a bird or flower using just some googly eyes, feathers and paint - perfect for dress-up parties! Meanwhile, Teaching Every Day's mask craft adds fun to masquerade parties, customizing to your child's favorite color!
4. Use Plastic Sheets

Painters are experts at turning spaces into breathtaking environments. However, to achieve professional-grade work they must know all the essential painting hacks for success.

Pros avoid using old bed sheets and plastic tarps as drop cloths; thin professional painter sheets allow splatters and spills to seep through and land on your flooring, while plastic tarps remain wet for too long, leading to paint find its way onto shoes which then end up tracked around your home.

Make the investment in canvas drop cloths or sheets instead. They'll save time, frustration, money, and make life simpler overall.