Why Would You Paint With Your Hand?

Here’s a story, a parable.

I asked a man to paint my house. When he arrived, he removed the paintbrush and paint and took a look at the wall. He stretched his neck from side to side, then popped the paintbrush in his mouth, stretched down to awkwardly dip the paintbrush in the paint tray and started twisting his neck from side to side to paint the wall. Paint started to fleck everywhere and the strain in his neck was obvious. I stepped forward to ask a question.

“Why are you doing it like that?”

“Like what?” he stopped and asked.

“With the brush in your mouth like that” I said.

“In my mouth? That’s the way it’s done – professionally.” he replied.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” I queried.

“Yes, but that’s the mark of a real painter. He doesn’t mind the pain, it’s a necessary part of the craft.” he retorted.

“Isn’t it easier in your hand?” I wondered aloud.

“That would be lazy” the painter replied.

“But wouldn’t it be more efficient in your hand?” I said.

“Amateurs use their hands, real painters use their mouths.” he assured me.

“I see” I said. “It just seems like it would be easier with your hand.” I continued.

“I know you think that, but that’s because you’re a civilian” he reassured me. He thought for a second and then said “All the best painters do it like this, and the walls get painted don’t they?”

“Yes.” I answered him.

“And do you hear people complaining about the walls being poorly painted?”

“No” I said.

“So the homeowners like the way its done.” he said.

“Well, yes, but couldn’t it be quicker… with your hand?”

“I’ve heard that some painters do it with their hands – but they do a shoddy job.”

“But can the homeowners tell the difference?” I asked.

“Maybe not on a conscious level” he said – “but they know.”

“How do they know?” I asked.

“They can feel it.” he said with a smile.

“Have you ever tried it with your hand?” I probed.

“No, I would never. When you’ve been in this business for 30 years, you know what works and what doesn’t work.” he assured me.

Hearing that I left the man alone. He did paint the house, it took him a long time and he looked very tired after it. I admired his commitment to doing it with his mouth, and he was right, the wall did get painted, and it was a good job. I felt like I could have done it in half the time, but I’m not a professional painter, so I suppose I could be wrong.