5 Acrylic Drip Painting Techniques

Are you looking for a new and exciting way to create abstract art? Look no further than acrylic drip painting! This fluid painting technique allows you to create stunning pieces of art using a combination of acrylic paint and gravity. We'll explore 5 acrylic drip painting techniques that will help you create unique and eye-catching pieces. 

Overview:

• Before you start 
• 5 acrylic paint splash techniques 
• The classic drip 
• The flip cup
• The rainbow drip
• The squeeze bottle
• The stencil drip 

Before You Start

Before you begin discovering your acrylic drip painting techniques, it's important to gather your art supplies. You'll need:

• Squeeze bottles
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Canvas or painting paper
• Silicone oil (optional, to create the desired effects)
• Cup of water 
• Pouring medium (which helps with the flow and blending of the paint)

• An easel
• Painting accessories (apron, paper towel, rags)

Once you have all your supplies, you're ready to start dripping!

5 acrylic drip painting techniques

1. The Classic Drip

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The classic drip technique is the foundation of acrylic drip painting. This technique has been used by artists for decades, and it is a popular choice for creating abstract art pieces. Additionally, the classic is the perfect acrylic drip painting for beginners! 

 How to do it:

1. Mix your acrylic paint with a pouring medium (add water if thinner drips are desired). 
2. You have the option to fill a squeeze bottle with the acrylic paint you choose or use a paintbrush for this technique
3. Hold your squeeze bottle or acrylic paint brush above your painting surface, try angling your paint at the top of the page to create a drip down motion. 
4. Test out how to drip paint on canvas. Explore different techniques!
5. Add different colours as you wish to create contrast on your canvas! You can create different effects by varying the height of your bottle or brush and the speed of the drip. Also, adding more or less water can create unique textures to explore! 

2. The Flip Cup

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The flip cup technique is a fun and easy way to create beautiful abstract drip paintings!  It results in a stunning and unpredictable design that is different every time, making every piece unique! 

How to do it:

1. Mix chosen acrylic paint with a pouring medium and a few drops of silicone oil. This helps to create more abstract textures throughout your piece.
2. Pour the mixed paint into an empty cup.
3. Put the cup in the middle of the canvas and then flip it onto your painting surface. 
4. Slowly lift the cup, and watch as the paint drips and blends together in beautiful swirls and patterns across the whole page! And, voila, a masterpiece! 

3. Rainbow Drip

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The rainbow drip technique is a fun and vibrant way to add a pop of colour to any acrylic painting. This technique involves dripping multiple colours of paint onto a canvas and allowing them to drip and blend together, creating a beautiful rainbow effect. 

How to do it: 

1. Grab all the colours you need to create a rainbow (purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red).
2. Dilute your acrylic paint with some water to help the paint drip smoothly down the canvas. 
3. Being with purple at the very top of the page, using your paintbrush to drip it down the page.
4. Let it dry and repeat with blue, green, yellow, orange, and red, and you’ve got yourself a colourful masterpiece.

4.  The squeeze bottle

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The squeeze bottle drip technique is a fun and easy way to create unique and interesting patterns in your acrylic paintings. By using a squeeze bottle, you can control the flow of the paint and create intricate designs with ease. This technique works well for both beginners and experienced painters.

How to do it: 

1. Choose your paint colours and add them to your squeeze bottles separately. 
2. You may choose to add a few drops of silicone oil to your paint solution and mix well to create more texture on the canvas. 
3. Dilute the paint with a small amount of water to achieve a lighter consistency.
4. Hold the squeeze bottle vertically over your canvas and start squeezing it gently to release the paint.
5. Move the bottle around to create different patterns and designs, and let the colours blend naturally. 

5. The Stencil drip

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This stencil drip technique allows you to create detailed designs while also incorporating the fun and unpredictable nature of the drip technique.

How to do it: 

1. You first need a stencil or cut-out of your desired design.
2. Place the stencil onto the paper or canvas where you want the design to appear.
3. Apply your drip technique using your preferred colours and style. You can use any of the various drip techniques, such as the squeeze bottle drip or rainbow drip, to achieve your desired effect. 
4. After the paint has dried, carefully remove the stencil to reveal your finished stencil drip painting. 

Experience acrylic drip painting with Art to Art 

Drip painting is a fun and exciting way to create unique and beautiful pieces of abstract art. With these 5 acrylic drip painting techniques, you can experiment with different pouring styles and colour combinations to create your own one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Visit Art to Art, where you can find all the art supplies you need online, from craft supplies and art knives to pastels and markers. Shop online now and receive free shipping when you spend over $100. 

More inspo & helpful resources

• Acrylic Painting Ideas
• Acrylic Painting Techniques
• Acrylic Paint Pouring Ideas