Drybrush It

Happy Saturday, friends! The sun is just starting to set and it is so beautiful outside. We have had a very rainy summer lately, so I am really enjoying any time the sun decides to shine…even if it is when it is setting.

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I wanted to share a painting technique with you today that I have been loving. In fact, I have been loving it so much I feel like I have applied it to almost everything. I am talking about drybrushing.

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What is drybrushing? It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like! Drybrushing is when your paint brush is relatively dry, but it still holds some paint. I usually achieve this by dipping my brush in the paint and then wiping most of it off by sweeping the paintbrush back and forth a few times on a papertowel. That’s all you have to do! You want the slightest bit of paint left on your brush.

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This technique works best when you are wanting to add a bit of another color or texture to a piece. Drybrushing can also be used to create a distressed look to furniture, vases, frames, and more. Between colors, and decor pieces, the options are infinite!

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I generally drybrush with a color slightly lighter than the base color I have chosen. I love the look it creates! It adds depth and and texture because drybrushing gives the effect of a somewhat scratchy surface. Here are some of the pieces I have drybrushed lately:

This was a clear glass vase left over from a bouquet of flowers Sean bought me a while ago! I originally spray painted the vase a bronze color, but since I have been working on lightening our living spaces, I opted for a vintage blue as the base color and drybrushed with a vintage white. I sanded just a tad to let the bronze peek through.

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This is our once honey-colored dresser! I used a black chalk paint as the base, and drybrushed it with a very light gray before applying a dark wax. I am slightly obsessed with the turn out!

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This was one of those really inexpensive wooden craft frames from Michaels and a piece of scrapbook paper that I glued to the back. The tray under the candle was from a holiday cheese and cracker gift set. Again, I applied the vintage blue as a base for both, then used a vintage white and a light tan paint to drybrush with. I like how this little vignette came together. It is perfect for one of our cubby shelves in our entertainment center.

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So as you can see, if you can paint it, you can drybrush it! I am currently working on some candle holders and I have got my eye on some other things that just need drybrushing. Go figure.

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Please leave some love in the comments below, or if you have any questions, ask away!! As always, have a happy day!

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Sharing at:
A Bowl Full of Lemons | Huckleberry Love | Karen’s Up On The Hill