Splattering paint is messy; use a drop cloth.
To make acrylic paint splatter, some thinning is necessary. The tools used for splatter techniques vary from artist to artist; the brush used and the thickness of the paint will influence the kind of splatter created. One way to splatter dots is to load a stiff brush with thinned paint, then flick the brush tips with the thumb, using the spring in the brush hairs to propel the paint. You can achieve a more cohesive weblike splatter by mixing the paint with acrylic media that add a stringy consistency and then throwing the paint with a brush.
Instructions
1. Enjoying the process gives better results.
Practice splattering paint of different consistencies with various application processes, such as snapping the paint off the brush or swinging a stick dipped in paint. Then, using the method that gives your desired results, practice painting the splatter to develop a feel for the rhythm of the technique.
2. Splatter the paint in multiple layers to create depth.
Mix the paint. For tight budgets, latex house paint has a unique stringy splatter consistency and can be thinned to splatter in interesting ways. To mix a good-consistency spotty splatter paint, use a good-quality paper plate and mix the color using the best-quality acrylic you can afford. Mix in a few drops of water at a time to thin the paint to the consistency of skim milk. Adding a few drops of matte medium will make the paint more cohesive. Load a 1-inch, short-haired, stiff-bristle brush with the thinned paint and flick the bristles with your thumb, aiming the paint splatter toward the canvas. Adjust the paint consistency as necessary. Another method involves a sweeping motion, allowing the paint to drip off the brush as you swing your arm.
3. Mix the paint for a weblike splatter. Using the stretching method above, mix the acrylic color, then add acrylic matte medium and mix to the consistency of heavy cream. The application method for this effect ranges from dripping to throwing the paint.
Tags: brush with, brush with thinned, matte medium, more cohesive, paint consistency, paint with, thinned paint
