How to Do Splatter Painting
Splatter painting is a decorative style of art where in the artist splatters many colors and layers of paint on a canvas. Splatter painting is generally a non-serious type of art, especially appropriate in rooms like children's bedrooms and play rooms, where the atmosphere is meant to be kept lighthearted. The results of splatter painting is similar to--but not the same as--drip painting, a style of paint made famous by Jackson Pollock.
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Instructions
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1
Set up your easel in a space where you don't mind if the walls and floor become covered in paint splatters. Cover the floors or walls around the canvas to shield this space from the worst of the splatter painting activity, but assume that parts of the room will still get spots of paint on them. Wear protective or old clothing during this process, and assume you will get dirty.
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2
Dip your paintbrush into a jar of acrylic paint, or into the acrylic paint on your palette. Apply the paint onto the paintbrush generously. Don't worry if it drips or runs a little.
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3
Stand approximately one or two feet away from the canvas, facing the canvas. Hold the non-bristle end of the paintbrush in one hand.
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4
Pull the bristle end of the paintbrush toward your body, using the other hand.
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5
Let go if the bristle end of the brush and allow that end of the brush to snap forward, toward the canvas. Paint should fly off the brush and onto the canvas. Repeat this step until paint no longer splatters onto the canvas.
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Repeat steps two through five until the canvas is well covered with paint. Clean the brush in the jar of water by swirling the brush in the water, then wiping it off on the rag. Repeat with other colors as desired.
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Tips & Warnings
This same activity can be used to decorate the walls or doors of a room. You will need to clear out the entire room of furniture, and protect the floors with tarps. Tape the tarps to the baseboards of the room in order to keep them in place. Assume that some paint will get on the ceiling, so you will need to paint over your ceiling when the activity is complete.
Splatter painting can be done with any water-based paint medium, including watercolor and tempera.
Do not attempt to splatter paint in a room where you would be unhappy if the walls or floor became splattered with paint. There is a high probability that you will get paint on the walls and floor, and it will be difficult to shield the room from your activity. Even covering the walls and floor in tarps might not be enough--even your ceiling could get splattered with paint during this activity.
Acrylic paint will not wash out of your clothes, so be sure wear something you don't care about.
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