Tips on Painting

PAINTING without drips takes practice. Hold large paintbrushes like those for cutting in by placing your thumb on one side of the ferrule (the metal band at the top of the bristles) and all four fingers on the other side. Let the handle rest in the crook of your hand between the thumb and index finger. To avoid a mess, paint from a partly filled container, not a full bucket. Dip the bristles no more than a third of their length into the paint, and instead of wiping the brush across the container's rim to

get rid of the excess, slap it gently against the inside.

Some hints for selecting brushes:

* The divider in the center of the bristles where they join the handle should be difficult to find. If you can feel it easily by squeezing the brush, the bristles are skimpy. If the bristles separate easily into two groups or if there is a hollow space, the divider is too large.

* Bristles should feel springy, not stiff, and should fan out evenly.

* When the bristles are bent by pressing their tips with the palm of a hand, many should pop up, indicating bristles of varying lengths.