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How do you dry brush wood?

Published in Wood Painting 2 mins read

Dry brushing wood is an easy painting technique, primarily used for adding texture and a weathered look. Here's how it's done, based on information from the provided video reference, where dry brushing was demonstrated using the color "licorice":

Dry Brushing Technique:

  1. Prepare Your Brush: Use a brush with stiff bristles.
  2. Load Paint: Dip just the tips of your brush into the paint. You want a very small amount.
  3. Offload Excess Paint: Remove most of the paint from your brush. You can do this by wiping it on a paper towel or a piece of cardboard. The goal is for the brush to feel almost dry with just a hint of paint.
  4. Apply to Wood: Lightly drag the brush across the surface of the wood. Use long, smooth strokes to let the bristles hit only some parts of the surface, creating a textured, uneven paint effect.
  5. Build Layers (Optional): If desired, you can repeat these steps, applying more paint in thin, dry layers to build up the color or add more texture.
  6. Clean Up: Immediately clean the brush. This is essential because the paint tends to dry out quickly on the bristles when dry brushing.


Practical Tips:

  • Use a stiff-bristled brush for the best effect.
  • Start with very little paint. You can always add more.
  • Work quickly as the paint can dry fast.
  • Experiment on a test piece first to get a feel for the technique.
  • Vary pressure and direction to add more interest to the finish.


Step Description
Prepare Use a dry brush with stiff bristles
Load Paint Dip only tips of brush into the paint
Offload Paint Remove most paint by wiping the brush on a paper towel until the brush is nearly dry
Apply Paint Use long strokes to gently drag the brush across the wood surface, applying only a hint of paint
Build Layer Repeat steps to achieve desired effect by adding more layers (optional)


By following these steps, you can easily dry brush wood for a variety of effects, from aged looks to subtly textured surfaces.