How Bottle Caps and Jar Lids Make Great Paint Cups

A dirty palette -  think of the
water wasted cleaning it!

I've been painting, both on the traditional canvas and for years crafting birdhouses, boxes and trays, 15 years in fact. One of the problems is what and where you squirt out the paint you're going to use. Even more perplexing is what you do with it after you paint!

Since I rarely use oil anymore (the drying time is way too slow and difficult to use on wooden birdhouses and such), I'll talk here about acrylics.

Since I use already mixed colors from say DecoArt or Folk Art, I rarely have a need to mix. If I do, I have used a piece of paper or a small plastic palette with divots to mix colors. Then when you're done you head to a faucet and scrub away.

A definite no-no!

Teachers I've had frown on using the cap of a paint bottle and using what's stuck to the top. I know it's not good for the paint but what's a man to do? I finally hit upon those little plastic cups they use for hot sauce and such saving them, dirty or not, from takeout orders. I then finally realized that any small, clean cap would do.

I'm talking about plastic bottle caps, medicine bottle caps, even jar lids run through the dishwasher to clean, would do. In fact, the jar caps are perfect for mixing. When done, just throw them away, NO clean-up needed!!!

Why didn't I think of this before? 

Use caps of all sizes

Living in Southern California and, now Palm Springs, you are always aware of water and its usage. Our condo   complex was paid over $26,000 by the city for removing the green grass along the front of the complex. Inside we've removed all but a small area of grass replacing it with desert landscaping. We saved paying for less water, equipment and mowing time for desert landscaping. I mean after all, this IS the desert. In fact most of Southern California, including Los Angeles, is a desert. Its vast water projects keep it green until it doesn't.

The beauty of cap usage is 1: you've already paid for the product and 2: when finished, after using it you can just throw it away, no cleanup needed. However, be aware that if you use the same color, often like white or black, you can use it several times until it's full. The only concern will be washing out your brushes. A lot less time cleaning means more time painting.That's a big plus for me.

Used caps

As you can see here, many of my projects only need a small bit of paint. I use black a lot and I've added black in small amounts a few times in the cap you see here. Hopefully my paints will remain more fluid over time as they aren't open to our drying air.

Our humidity is so low you can literally see the brush water basin shrink in a day or two. Even more telling is the kitchen sponge. It will completely dry out overnight here, in Palm Springs.

Give it a try and see if it makes the painting experience faster and more enjoyable. You'll have more than enough caps and lids in no time!

Thank you for reading my blog! Please be sure to visit on a regular basis or contact me at KrugsStudio@gmail.com. New blogs are added all the time. In conjunction  with my store I feel that “design” is an important part of our lives. Everything we use or live by was designed by someone. Please tell your friends, artists or anyone who appreciates design about my blog.

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