I needed a way to keep my watercolor brushes upside down while they were drying and I had no desire to buy one of the stands available. So, some head-scractching later, a scrap of wood, a few clothes pegs, nails, two screws and some hot glue, here we are:
I don’t need six brush holders, at most I use two, maybe three, but I thought I might as well. Just in case.
The more observant will notice I have very sloppily cut said scrap of wood, as well as very messily shortened and sanded the pegs arms (what’s the correct English term?).
I won’t deny that. As a matter of fact I proudly claim this as a feature!
Let’s say that by doing so I’m demonstrating how 100% man-made sloppy work can be as trendy as any AI-crap… just without having to melt an entire iceberg to achieve the same sloppiness.
Or, maybe, I just could not be bothered to spend more time on that? Whatever. It works.
I used hot glue to fill the pegs… cavities (what’s the correct English word?), to make them kinda flat-ish which helps a lot if the pegs are to hold the thinnest brushes. Instead of hot glue, one could use some felt or maybe a thicker elastic of some sort. The peg themselves are nailed through their spring to the piece of wood, which is screwed through two holes in the pegboard. That’s about it.
Pros:
- Time wasted: 30-ish minutes, including the head-scratching part while I rummaged through my various clips and stuff to find something that might work as a pen holder.
- Cost: 0. I already had those pegs and the scrap of wood. Even the nails and the two screws used are salvaged from some old furniture.
- No extra waste created as everything is re-used.
- No energy wasted for a package delivery, or for moving my little person to the art supply store happening to sell a brush holder that would still not fit my needs exactly.
- Fits my needs exactly.
- Kinda fun to make.
Cons:
- Janky. So am I.
- It’s not 3D printed. So am… Mmm? No, nothing. Forget about that. Which probably means this amazing contraption will never be featured in one of those perfectly edited influencer video. Too bad.
Oh, yes, if you’re wondering, the white pegboard is from Ikea (Skadis, is the name). It’s not free but since I already own it and use it, I consider there is no cost. Plus, that contraption would work exactly the same with any other type of pegboard, and/or with any DIY stand.
A suggestion to all pen makers, including you, my dear Raphael: make a small dent near the top of the handle so we can easily put some thread and make a loop that will securely hold in that dent, or even better make a tiny hole, and varnish it so the handle will not fear water. Do just that and there will be no need to use janky DIY frankenpegs anymore ;)
Published: 2026 Sep 02