How to Make Sure That Paint Does Not Seep

Tighten the pores of your cotton canvas, before painting artwork, with an application of gesso. Apply this with a large artist's paintbrush. Cover the canvas surface with this medium and allow it to dry completely, according to the directions on the bottle. Read the label to determine if more than one coat of gesso or any sanding is necessary. This medium prevents paint absorption in the canvas and halos in your artwork.

Tape stencils to the furniture, walls or other objects before painting the designs onto them. Use masking tape to do this. Check to ensure no part of the template is raised off of the object. Any openings will allow paint to flow underneath the stencil. Another option is to use self-adhesive stencils and press them down firmly with your fingertips to ensure they stick. An uncomplicated solution is to use a glue stick on the back of the stencils before laying them on the surface. These techniques allow you to paint clean designs without fuzzy paint smears.

Cover baseboards, light switches and electrical outlets with painter's tape along the edges before painting on walls. Smooth the tape down firmly with your fingers to ensure adhesion. This protects the surfaces from paint seeping onto them.

Load the bristles of your paintbrush so they don't drip by inserting 1 or 2 inches of the bristles into the paint. Gently tap the brush against the paint tray or the sides of the can. This allows the excess to fall off but doesn't remove too much paint from the bristles. When using artist's or stencil paintbrushes, load the bristles about 1/4- to 1/2-inch, depending on the size of the brush.