Cutting In
Cutting in is the art of painting a clean straight line where wall meets ceiling, wall meets woodwork, or colour meets colour. Once you master it, you'll never need tape again. It's the single most impressive painting skill.
Excellent technique demonstration. UK-based, practical.
Use a 2-inch angled brush (Purdy or Harris). A good brush makes cutting in dramatically easier — don't use a cheap one for this job.
Load the brush, then tap off the excess (don't drag it across the tin edge — that removes too much paint). You want a full but not dripping brush.
Paint about 5mm away from the line first, then slowly bring the bristle tips to the edge. Building confidence over multiple passes is better than one shaky attempt.
Steady your hand by pressing your pinky finger against the wall as a guide. This creates a natural rail for straight lines.
Load your angled brush with paint. Tap off excess
Start 5-10mm away from the edge (ceiling line, woodwork, etc.)
Apply paint in a smooth, confident stroke following the edge
Gradually bring the bristle tips closer to the line with each pass
Use the narrow edge of the brush for the final line — slow, steady pressure
Work in sections of about 500mm, then go back and smooth out
Feather the cut-in band outward (away from the edge) so it blends with the roller
Cut in the entire room before rolling — this gives you a wet edge to blend into
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