Instructions

First, before you can hold a paint brush you have to have a paint brush, and I recommend the Purdy 3-inch Angular Trim Brush as a great general purpose brush. It's large enough to hold a lot of paint, it's stable when cutting lines (edging), and it's capable of doing precise trim work if only the tips of the bristles are employed. If you are primarily painting trim, then a 2.5-inch Purdy brush is another great option. It's a little bit smaller but still holds a good amount of paint. I hold a brush like a pencil for the most part, with my thumb on one side, forefinger along the spine of the brush, and three fingers on the back. That's a great position for most brushing.

However, sometimes I hold the brush by the handle (one reason I like the Purdy brush is because it has a long handle that's comfortably shaped). Holding the brush by the handle allows for a little more extension in your brush strokes. Often I will hold the brush by the handle this way when doing my final "lay off" stroke before moving on to the next section. In any case, changing hand positions on the brush occasionally can prevent fatigue. Knowing a couple different effective techniques for holding a paint brush is a great skill to have and a critical part of achieving the best results with your paint job.