Black Plastic Combs (12 Pack)

Black Plastic Combs aren't just for hair; they're an easy, inexpensive way to add texture, movement, and completely different effects to kids' paintings. Drag, sweep, twist, or wiggle the comb teeth through wet paint to create lines, waves, swirls, repeating patterns, and one-of-a-kind textured designs.

Turn an Everyday Comb Into a Creative Painting Tool

Give kids a new way to experiment with paint by swapping the traditional paintbrush for a plastic comb. After applying wet paint to paper or another suitable surface, simply pull the teeth through the paint to reveal lines and textured patterns underneath.

The real fun comes from experimenting with movement. Pull the comb straight across the paint for parallel lines, move it in a wavy motion for flowing textures, drag it in different directions for layered patterns, or twist and glide the comb to create swirls and unexpected designs. Comb painting is a recognized process-art technique; educators use plastic combs to glide, twist, and scrape through wet paint to produce both straight and squiggly textures.

Because there is no single finished design kids need to copy, comb painting encourages experimentation. Young artists can explore what happens when they change direction, pressure, paint colors, and hand movements, making it especially useful for process art, abstract painting, backgrounds, and texture studies.

Keep a set at the art table as an alternative painting tool for classrooms, camps, after-school programs, recreation centers, art rooms, and creative time at home.

Why Add Combs to the Art Table?

• Turns a familiar everyday object into an unconventional painting and texture tool
• Comb teeth can create repeated lines and grooves as they move through wet paint
• Different movements can produce straight lines, waves, swirls, curves, and layered textures
• Encourages kids to experiment with movement, direction, pressure, and color
• Great for abstract art, process painting, backgrounds, texture studies, and mixed-media projects
• Simple addition to classroom, camp, after-school, and recreation program art supplies

Product Highlights

• Alternative Painting Tool – Use the comb teeth to pull through wet paint and create designs that are difficult to achieve with an ordinary brush
• Create Textured Patterns – Experiment with lines, waves, swirls, grooves, curves, and repeating marks
• Process-Art Friendly – Encourages experimentation with movement, pressure, direction, layering, and color instead of focusing on one predetermined result
• Versatile Art Supply – Use for abstract paintings, patterned backgrounds, texture exercises, mixed-media projects, and creative painting activities
• Black Plastic Construction – Lightweight comb design is easy to incorporate into everyday arts-and-crafts activities
• Group-Friendly 12 Pack – Convenient for classrooms, camps, after-schools, recreation centers, art programs, and other group settings

This Art Tool Is Great For

• Schools: Turn texture and pattern lessons into hands-on experimentation. Students can compare the marks created by combs, brushes, sponges, and other painting tools while exploring line, movement, and repetition
• After-Schools: Introduce a painting technique kids may not have tried before. Let participants experiment freely with different comb movements and turn their favorite effects into abstract artwork
• Camps: Shake up the regular painting station with an unexpected art tool. Campers can create colorful patterned backgrounds, posters, signs, and mixed-media projects
• Recreation Centers: Offer an open-ended art activity that works well with groups. Participants can explore different patterns without requiring complicated instructions or a single finished example
• Nursing Homes / Senior Centers: Explore repetitive lines, color, and movement through a simple painting technique. Comb painting can be incorporated into abstract and intergenerational art activities
• Kids at Home: Discover what happens when everyday objects become art supplies. Experiment with different movements and paint colors to see how many textures one simple comb can create
• Art Classes / Studios: Use combs for texture studies and process-art experiments. Compare straight pulls, curves, waves, twisting motions, and overlapping passes to explore how tools change the appearance of wet paint

Tips for Best Results

• Apply paint before combing so the teeth have enough wet color to move through and reveal the pattern
• Pull the comb in one direction for clean repeated lines or wiggle it from side to side for waves and squiggles
• Try twisting or turning the comb while moving it through the paint to create curved and circular effects
• Layer different paint colors and comb through them to experiment with multicolored textures
• Change the angle, direction, and pressure of the comb to see how each movement changes the resulting marks
• Experiment on scrap paper first, then use favorite techniques for backgrounds, abstract artwork, and finished projects

Explore More

Build out your creative painting station with more supplies from our Paint Collection, Paint Brushes Collection, and Arts & Crafts Supplies Collection.

Looking for ways to stretch your program’s craft budget further? Read 6 Ways to Make the Most of Your Arts & Crafts Budget.

Find more project inspiration, seasonal activities, and creative ideas in the Crafting Creativity Blog.

Forget the Hair—Put These Combs to Work at the Art Table

Black Plastic Combs give kids an easy way to experiment with painting beyond the traditional brush. A simple pull, wiggle, or twist through wet paint can transform an ordinary painted surface into lines, waves, swirls, and richly textured patterns.

Add this 12-pack to your classroom, camp, after-school program, recreation center, art studio, or home craft supplies and give young artists another tool for discovering just how many ways there are to paint.