Are you looking for a fun how to approach to drip painting? Look no further! This awesome technique is fun for kids and adult “artists” alike, it is so simple yet the effects can be very sophisticated and unique!
It’s a fun application that can be incorporated into a myriad of projects…a traditional canvas, or a three-dimensional object that could use a little jazzing up. If you’re looking for a great way to add a little pizazz to your environment, look no further than this really cool technique.
Drip painting is ideal with acrylics as they can be modified so they will “run” down your choice of substrate easily, either with water or a painting medium, or you could combine both.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at some really fun and appealing drip painting ideas, and the correct ways to carry out this really cool alternative to “traditional” artwork. Put away your brushes, they will have no place here! You’re about to learn about a few innovative tools that you wouldn’t have thought of that can be used to create amazing work for your home, office, or family room.
What Can You Drip Paint Over?
It’s not just for canvases, peeps. You can absolutely do a drip effect on three dimensional objects as well. Here is a good example of a lamp I transformed with paint drips. Hard to believe it was ever once just a plain white. I wanted to jazz it up and do something different so this is my take on it. Long story short…I had a surplus of those craft paints and some of them were half-full and was looking for a way to use them up.
I filled some of them with some water to thin out the paint – not too much just enough that it would “run” easily down the sides of the lamp without looking too liquidy. You can also see where I gave it a base coat (with spray paint)…Looking back, I don’t know why I chose those funky neons! I guess my color tastes have grown up since then. I’ve since gone over that part with a more “conservative” color.
Other objects that you could incorporate the drip effect on include mason jars, vases, small pieces of furniture, terra cotta clay pots…the list goes on.
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How to Do Drip Painting Effectively
Although you can use any colors you like, you may want to be mindful of the particular ones you choose…as they will be blending into one another, and it may be best to use a max of three to avoid muddy effects when working. Consider the room you want to add art to and the colors and tones already in play and incorporate those into your painting.
- You’ll need to thin out your paint with water, but it has to be enough to be able to “run” effectively but not so much that you end up diluting the color. You don’t want to dilute acrylic paint any more than 50% or it could cause the whole batch to become de-pigmented.
- The thinner the paint the faster it will run down by the laws of nature. Less water will also let the paint run more slowly. You could also use an additive like a blender made for acrylics or a painting medium like Floetrol, same as I use for fluid painting., so the paint will “move” more freely without color loss.
- After you have thinned your paint to the “right” consistency…a good way to test is to use a stick and let some paint run down it, see if it goes back into the container without “mounding up”.
- Now you can fill your applicator of choice, whether that be squeeze bottles (you may have seen those made to hold ketchup and mustard) medicine droppers, and who can forget the good ol’ turkey baster. I actually saw someone use one of those as a paint applicator and it worked great.
- Be sure and put something under the object that it won’t stick to, like wax paper. Start at the top of your project, whether it’s a canvas or object and squirt gently, let the paint run on its own. Repeat with the other colors you’ve chosen.
- Let your work dry for at least 48 hours. If the drips end up being a little large and prominent, which some will, they may take longer to dry, so allow for a full two days at least before displaying your finished masterpiece.
- If you hold the object an at angle,the paint may run more slowly, giving you more control over the effects.
Have fun!
Check out these beautifully done flower pots adorned with this method here…too cute!
Drip Paint Wall Art DIY
I just thought I’d share this video tutorial showing how you can make a very cool statement piece with just a canvas, a handful of colors and a misting bottle. I like the color scheme (all cool colors, greens and blues) and how they bleed into each other.
Jennifer Recommends…
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