How to Make a Pine Needle Brush - Part 1 of 2 - Assembly

Fig.1 Plant Wire

By Gary Boutin

Tools and Supplies:
Acid brush
Electrical tape
Fish line 60 lb.
Plant green tape
Plant green wire
Wood glue

We have many pine trees in our neighborhood. It seemed that pine needles could be used as paint brushes. All these pine needles are just for the taking and could make some fine brushes. This post address the assembly of a simple pine brush. In part-2 this post will address if the pine needle brush is a worthwhile brush for your studio.

This post shows the four steps for assembling a pine needle brush.

Step 1: Fig.1 shows the green plant wire that will be used to wrapped around the pine needles together. Fig.2 shows the wood glue used to keep the pine needles in place. Wood glue and green plant wire was used in combination to keep the needles in place.

Fig.2 Wood glue with brush

Note: Wood glue and green plant wire was used in combination to keep the needles in place.

Step 2: Fig.3 through fig.5 shows the Birch wood handles available for these brushes. Fig.3 and fig.4 shows Birch wood handles. Fig.5 shows the pine needles and some leaf branches that will be used in the brush. Please note that Birch trees were used because it is readily available in our neighborhood.

Fig.3 Birch wood handles

Fig.4 Birch handle

Fig.5 Pine needles 
and wood branch

Step 3: Fig.6 through fig.8 shows the progression of assembling the pine needles to the Birch wood handle. Fig.6 shows the first strand that will be wrapped with green metal wire holding down the end of the pine needles. Fig.7 shows a half inch of wrapped wire holding down the pine needles and fig.8 shows over an inch was used to hold down the pine needles. Wood glue and green metal tape was also used to hold the pine needles together.

Note: A handle is not a priority, but it helps hold the needles in place.

Fig.6 Green plant wire

Fig.7 Over an inch

Fig.8 Trim the needles

Step 4: Fig.9 and fig.10 shows how to tighten the pine needles brush tips. The arrow points to the area were the brush needed to be pulled in to make it usable.

Fig.9 Wire is better

Fig.10 Ready to paint

Tip: It would be better to use a metal flexible wire for the ends instead of electrical tape. The tape falls off when used across the paper canvas.


How to Make a Pine Needle Brush:

• Part 1 of 2 - Assembly
• Part 2 of 2 - Did It Work

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