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Lit Review: Painting by Mouth
By: Greta Jarvi
Introduction
Art is a great influence in cultures around the world. From artists such as Leonardo da
Vinci to Vincent van Gogh, from periods like the Renaissance to Impressionism, art continues to
evolve with the times and remain a staple part of culture. If the pastime of creating art has stayed
throughout the centuries, one can assume it must hold a strong importance for humanity. The
ability to easily create art, for enjoyment, should to be available to everyone. However, disabled
people are unable to enjoy the freedom of creating artwork without limitations because they are
restricted to standard paint brushes. Instead, these artists must create artwork using the same
tools, like standard paint brushes, but use them with the different abilities.
People with disabilities should not be limited in any matter of life, especially in instances
of recreational enjoyments such as painting. There are many artists who are unable to use their
hands and must resort to other methods in order to paint. One of the most important necessities
in painting is the paint brush. This tool is often manipulated, usually by adding an assistive
mouth piece extension, since there are no assistive paint brushes designed for disabled artists.
Engineering a paint brush to help disabled artists paint with greater ease by mouth would result
in a better, more enjoyable life for the artist.
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History of Paint Brushes
The Style of the Paint Brushes
Currently for artists, there are many different styles of paint brushes exist, and each style
is used to achieve a certain brushstroke in a painting. There are eight main bristle styles of paint
brushes: round, detailed round, pointed round, flat, angular flat, bright, filbert, and fan. Each
brush has a specific function, and creates a different stroke. Within the main eight different
styles, there are a variety of sizes as well. (McArdle, 2016)
Fig. 1: The different styles of paint brushes (McArdle, 2016).
The great variety of paint brushes is vital in the creation process because it allows the artist to
create a variety of different strokes as well.
Fig. 2: The different kinds of strokes made with different brushes ().
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All professional art paintbrushes have a general anatomy: bristles, ferrule, crimp, and
handle. The bristles of the paint brush vary the most from style to style, which allows the artists
to achieve different strokes, and the bristles aer usually made out of course animal hair, which is
course, or synthetic fibers, which are smooth. (McArdle, 2016) The ferrule is the thin metal
sheet that connects the bristles to the handle part of the brush. The crimp is the collection of tiny
indents around the ferrule that keep the ferrule from sliding off of the brush. The handle is the
part the artist holds while they paint, and it may also vary in length for the purpose of creating
different brush strokes. The handle can be made out of wood or synthetic plastic materials as
well (McArdle, 2016). For example long handled brushes are useful because they allow for
greater movement. An artist said, “I use to love the short but, when I went back to painting in
the spring I cannot imagine using anything but long. The longs give me movement and ease and I
can brush better, easier, with the shorts my wrist was so tight.” (Jelsoft Enterprises, 2016) While
shorter lengths allow the artist to achieve very detailed marks in their painting. Each part of a
paint brush is important to the final output: a paint brush that the user can use to produce art with
maximum ease and comfort.
Fig. 3: A diagram of a paint brush’s anatomy. Each part contributes to the success of each paint brush. (McArdle, 2016)
Importance of Art in Society
In an American school curriculum art is usually incorporated, beginning with early
childhood. Children benefit from creating art because it allows for the development of many
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necessary abilities. A few of these abilities are fine motor skills: grabbing a pencil, paintbrush,
or crayon, cognitive development: learning cause and effect skills, and critical thinking skills,
math skills: understanding size, shapes, and making comparisons, and language skills: being able
to share artwork and describing it to peers (Rymanwicz, 2015). Children may develop these
skills in other settings as well, but art allows for them to think creatively and create what they
want, while acquiring important skills. These skills important cognitive and communicative
skills continue to be developed throughout the child’s life, and by nourishing theses skills at a
young age, the skills will have strengthened in the future.
The importance of art does not solely benefit children but teens as well. A ten-year long
national study, conducted by Dr. Shirley Brice Heath of Stanford University, concluded that
students involved with art-based community programs in disadvantaged towns, were more likely
to receive an academic award, more likely to contribute to their community, receive an
attendance award, participate in a science fair, and score higher on standardized tests than those
who were not involved. Introducing art into children’s lives begins with the parents, and art will
lead to greater opportunities for success. (Child Development Institute, 2016) The value found
in creating art lasts for a life time, and it all begins with the early years of life. Art does not only
need to be enjoyed by artist, but by other as well, for example engineers who create works of art
that are used by society. Everyone uses art throughout their lives to create something, and by
understand the different parts of art now, it will allow for greater range of opportunities.
Alternative Methods of Painting
The ability to create art may be taken for granted by those who are able to use their
hands, but many others are not able to for multiple reasons. This road block has led to ingenious
ways of creating art, specifically painting. Two commonly methods used to paint, for those who
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are not able to use their hands are painting by foot or painting by mouth. These artists must rely
on the same paint brushes and other tools that artists use, but use these tools with different
abilities. If an artist uses a different brush to paint, the artist usually uses something that he or
she has created, which is also not easily reproducible. Mouth painters should be able to use
standard brushes so that artists are not required to make their own. Mouth artists need tools that
assist them with painting because they must use their mouth instead of hands.
Assistive Mouth Painting Tools
Several assistive devices are presently available to help disabled artists with painting.
The devices are applicable to any brush, but many are overpriced ranging from $70 to $206,
large or clunky, and some wrap around the artist’s whole head. These devices have beneficial
factors as well as inhibiting ones for artists.
Bendable Telescopic Mouth Sticks
One tool that artists use to paint with is a bendable telescopic mouth stick. Bendable
telescopic mouth sticks allow the artist to have clear vision of what they are painting. The length
and angle which the brush is held at can be adjusted in order to assist the artist. These assistive
devise cost $70.70.
Fig. 4: Different styles of bendable telescopic mouth sticks (Patterson Medical, 2016).
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Adjustable Head Pointer
Another tool that some artists use is the adjustable head pointer. The adjustable head
pointer has multiple uses for people without functioning arms. It can assist them with turning
pages and pushing switches as well as painting and drawing. The headwear fits comfortably on
the user and the length and angle of the pointer rod can be adjusted. The cost of this device is
about $206. (Patterson Medical, 2016) The adjustable head pointer may offer some benefits for
artists such as being able to talk while they paint. However, some downfalls of the adjustable
pointer are that it obstructs the artist’s view and it requires someone to assist the artist when
getting the device on his or her head.
Fig. 5: The adjustable head pointer (Patterson Medical, 2016).
Clear View Headpointer
Other artists may use a tool that has a style similar to a clear view head pointer. This
device allows for greater vision of the artist’s surroundings but is still bulky and requires
assistance from others in order to get it on. One such design from Patterson Medical costs
roughly $131. The pointer can be adjusted to any angle. The clear view head pointer allows for
better body positioning than the forehead pointer. (Patterson Medical)
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Fig. 6: The clear view head pointer (Paterson Medical, 2016).
Wide-Docking Station
To go along with the assistive devices there is the wide-docking station. The docking
station device holds 4-5 mouth sticks. One downfall of the wide-docking station is that it costs
about $141. (Patterson Medical, 2016) The docking station is expensive compared to other tools
that would serve the same purpose for much less.
Fig. 7: The wide-docking station (Patterson Medical, 2016).
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Disabled Artists
Art Organizations
Mouth and Foot Painting Artists is an organization that helps disabled artists provide for
themselves. The organization shows the talents mouth and foot painting artists have. Many of
these artists create outstanding piece of art using technology already available to them. (Mouth
and Foot Painting Artists, 2016)
Fig. 8: A mouth artist creating one of her artworks (Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, 2016).
There are artists who have their own websites as well. For example Joni and Friends,
which tells Joni’s story: how she always loved to paint and then was in an irreversible accident,
but was still encouraged to learn how to continue painting. The hardest part about learning how
to paint for Joni was relearning how to relax while because her tension was reflected in her brush
strokes. (Joni and Friends, 2016) There are many other artists who have individual stories about
how they came to be a mouth painter. Each has overcome struggles to become a better artist
(Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, 2016).
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There are many other artists besides Joni who rely on painting as a source of income and
as a way to relax. Painting not only requires the patience, but the right tools. There are several
styles of tools available for artists to use, but many artists make their own paint brushes that meet
their specific needs, which are similar from artist to artist.
Challenges Disabled Artists Face
There are many challenges disabled artists face that artist who are able to paint with their
hands do not face. Even so, disabled artists are able to create professional level artwork. One of
the most significant challenges they face is a paintbrush that is easy to paint and clean, feels
comfortable, and was a low cost. Although there are assistive devices available for artists who
paint with their mouth, only one uses the mouth to help paint, whereas the others are contraptions
that wrap around the user’s head. Along with the large size of these devices, the cost range is
much greater than that of a low-cost paint brush, which cost approximately $5 (Michaels, 2016).
People who enjoy creating art should be able to do so with as much ease and comfort as
they possibly can. Mouth painters would benefit from a low-cost paint brush that is equivalent to
non-mouth paint brushes, and can be used with equal ease. Artists would be able to purchase a
paint brush instead of creating one on their own, and would be able to access different styles of
paint brushes as well. A paint brush for artists who paint with their mouth should be designed
because it will allow a greater number of people to create art without any limitations.
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Research Plan
Engineering Problem
People with certain disabilities are prevented from doing common recreational activities,
like painting. Those who are not able to use their hands to paint use their mouth, while using the
same methods as people with use of hands.
Engineering Goal
The goal of this project is to engineer an assistive paint brush for painting with the mouth
that is easy to clean, feels comfortable, and enhances the artist’s painting ability.
Procedure
First, I will use a design matrix, in order to choose the design that is the best solution to
the problem. There are several drawn prototypes of the paint brush styles in my lab notebook.
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Then I will design a tangible prototype of the paint brush creating it using materials I
have around my house like clay, old paint brushes, tape, straws, and safe rubber materials. Any
material that I use to construct the paint brush will be non-toxic and safe for human contact.
After the paint brush is made, then I will need to test the how well the new design of a
paint brush met the criteria in the decision matrix. The criteria will be tested in an objective way,
and the differences will be documented. The data will be analyzed by using surveys and
objective analytical methods.
Using visual observations and suggestions from the users, a method will be developed to
analyze the impact of an assistive paint brush for artists, and how it can be improved. A survey
will be designed to gather self-reported information from use with the paint brush.
I will continue to engineer the paint brush until it passes requirements and meets as many
needs as possible for artist without hands. Depending on time, further extensions may be added,
like designing inter-changeable paint brushes for one assistive handle, either the assistive paint
brush attachment or created paint brush tips that could be changed.
Design Criteria
The paint brush must be easy to clean, feels comfortable, enhance the artists painting
ability, and must be low cost.
Testing
Non-artists will be asked to paint something simple with a typical paint brush, using their
mouth, and then asked to paint the same picture with the assistive paint brush, using their mouth.
Then the data will either be correct or incorrect and not simply up to artistic interpretation. Some
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pictures will include a number, letter, and shape. These pictures will be the best option to paint
because they are objective, and there is a correct way to draw these objects. Techniques that I
would use to analyze might be over laying images and seeing how much they differ from one to
the other and from the original as well.
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References
Thaneeya McArdle (2016). Artist paint brushes. Retrieved from https://www.art-isfun.com/artist-paint-brushes/
Kylie Rymanowicz (22 January 2015). The art of creating: Why art is important for early
childhood development. Retrieved from
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/the_art_of_creating_why_art_is_important_for_early
_childhood_development
Child Development Institute (2015). The Importance of The Creative Arts for Children and
Teens. Retrieved from
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/the_art_of_creating_why_art_is_important_for_early
_childhood_development
Wet Canvas (2006). Brush Length. Retrieved from
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-347920.html
Patterson Medical (2016). Bendable Telescopic Mouth Sticks. Retrieved from
http://pattersonmedical.com/app.aspx?cmd=getProduct&key=IF_921003434
Patterson Medical (2016). Adjustable Head Pointer. Retrieved from
http://pattersonmedical.com/app.aspx?cmd=getProductDetail&key=070_9211182
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Patterson Medical (2016). Clear-View Headpointer. Retrieved from
http://pattersonmedical.com/app.aspx?cmd=getProductDetail&key=070_9210164
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Patterson Medical (2016). Wide-Mouth Docking Station. Retrieved from
http://pattersonmedical.com/app.aspx?cmd=getProductDetail&key=070_9210034
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Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (2016). Self Help Not Charity. Retrieved from
https://mfpausa.com/
Joni and Friends (2016). Joni and Friends International Disability Center. Retrieved from
http://www.joniandfriends.org/kids-corner/doing-report/art/
Michales (2016). Artist's Loft™ Fundamentals™ White Synthetic Brushes. Retrieved from
https://www.michaels.com/artists-loft-fundamentals-white-syntheticbrushes/10122057.html
Hand Made Studio (2016). Paint Brush Anatomy. Retrieved from
https://blog.hmstudio.com.ua/stati/anatomiya-kistochek/