chris wrote:
I am a bit of a novice as far as DIY is concerned, but I am tackling
our smallest bedroom )

The walls are painted blue and the ceiling white. I am finding it very
difficult to get a smooth line where they meet. Are there any
techniques to doing this? Or do I just need a steady hand?

Any help appreciated

Chris.

Apparently you could try masking tape (make sure it's the very low tack
stuff, and put on to very dry paint, not stuff that might still be fully
drying) - though I've never tried it cos I'm not convinced it wouldn't
take the paint back off with it ;-)

Other than that, practice and a steady hand. What you see as terrible
wiggles in the painted line while you're doing it aren't anywhere near
as noticeable from the bottom of the ladder too. Try and position the
ladder not too far but not too close when you're doing that bit - I find
myself moving the ladder far more frequently when cutting in around the
ceiling than anywhere else, because if you're reaching for it, you'll
lose the stability of the arm (and end up with a very wriggly line!).

Using a smaller brush, making sure it's a well-cared for one, and (if
you're using emulsion) wrapping it in kitchen paper between uses (after
washing out) can help - wrap it quite tightly so the bristles lie flat
and together rather than drying splayed out will help keep the shape of
the brush better for cutting in. I also tend to keep the brush with a
reasonable amount of paint on it, and try to get the edge done in one
stroke, rather than having to go back over it - it's very hard to
explain but having enough paint for the brush to glide over helps keep
it smooth too.

Practice practice practice :-) Try practicing (if you're painting the
walls a different colour to previously) between wall to wall too, before
you get to the ceiling join...

Velvet