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Creating drips/runs with acrylics
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Message
Posted
Hey all,
I’ve been trying different techniques to get my paint to run as I’m painting my abstracts. I want a really organic look and know that using a water spray does that perfectly, or should I say imperfectly!
Here is what happens though - even if I add plenty of water to my chosen colour on the palette and apply it to the canvas (not enough that it drips on it’s own), once I spray water onto it, it runs down way too diluted and without much pigment at all, like the water is running straight over the paint. I’ve seen artists use this technique on videos and they manage to get luscious runs full of the paint and colour, but just can’t master it myself.
I use good quality student grade paints like Amsterdam, Winsor & Newton and also W&N professional series.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!
Jo
Posted
In summary - you want your paint to drip, not the water; you want to retain the colour.
Try flow medium with your paint, or just use much more paint with the water. If you're spraying it to make it drip, it's not liquid enough in the first place. Where you want drips (by the way, just for the sake of saying so really, I HATE drips!: it's a technique I think overdone, but there we are...) use the runnier forms of acrylic - usually described as 'liquid acrylic', and normally available in bottles rather than tubes. And ensure your canvas/board is vertical on the easel. Mix the paint, mash it up until it's as liquid, and yet still as rich in tone, as you want. Daler-Rowney make a Flow Enhancer - mix a bit of that, and water, with their System-3 paint, or any other brand you like, and you should get your drips.
Posted
Hi Robert, thanks for your reply. Yes, I think I will try some flow enhancer with water, seems like that will work. I’m actually using drips in forest landscapes, as vines or lianas, I like the way the drips ‘grow‘ kind of the same way the vines would, it’s an interesting effect, at least I think so!
Posted
Ah, that's different. What I don't like overmuch - I even criticized - well, sort of - David Stead's superb drawing the other day, because I don't like the trickle-down technique; I didn't much like the spattering of different colours, with no particular purpose in mind other than to just do it, in which the late Thea Cable indulged, guided by her mentor Charles.... forgotten his name: sadly he's no longer with us either. But Thea was a very sensitive lady, so I kept my opinions to myself.
Which perhaps I should do more often!
But it's a bit like nudity - if essential to the picture, as it were, I'd do it. Well - I wouldn't; no one would want me to; but the principle is much the same - if it has an artistic purpose, fine. If it's a stylistic thing..... I could use harsher words ..... I'm less than keen. But then, I'm probably hidebound.