Water Spatter Paint Technique

Here is a technique that I really enjoy using with my liquid acrylic paints - I love the layering effects you can get. 

I first applied my liquid acrylics in a random manner with not much attention to colour or placement.  I spread it with my Catalyst Wedge over a sheet of light pink scrapbook paper.  

Whenever I am demostrating this technique - I always say the same thing "now - quick like a bunny" spatter water drops from your fingers onto the wet paint before it dries.  And I mean it - do this quickly or your paint will dry and you will not get the effect we are going for. 

The water acts as a retarder for the paint underneath where it lands.  When the paint on the other parts of the paper have dried - sometimes only a minute or two of drying time depending on how thick you have applied the paint - take several tissues or a wad of paper towel and gently blot the wet drops.  If your background paint hasn't dried yet - give it a minute or two more to dry - we are wanting to sop up the paint where the water landed - not the background paint.

Here is the background after wiping up the water.

A closer look at the effect of the water spatter.

You could stop there or keep going adding more layers of paint and spattering with water.  As you get several layers happening - keep in mind all those luscious water spatters underneath and make your spatter cover more and more area as you go along - you wouldn't want to cover up too much of those spatters and colour combos.

Here I added another layer of lavendar and blue paint and then more spattering.

A closer look at the water spatters

And the final result with the water wiped up revealing the layers underneath. 

The funny thing about this technique - it is very difficult to replicate a previous colour combo - seems like each time I try it turns out different and I totally embrace that!!

Have fun with your paint!!!