I’m always surprised by just how many extra doodads you need to do any task. No matter how simple…

I'm always surprised by just how many extra doodads you need to do any task. No matter how simple the job, there is always some specialized tool you can purchase, or weirdo combination of techniques you can put into practice. These are promised as making things easier, but it's hard to tell when you're just buying gadgets to buy gadgets. Painting, of course, is full of these things. The ancient…