Maybe you have a complete failure hiding away in your closet or there’s a stack of Great Aunt Millie’s attempts at painting stowed away in the attic since 1974.
Don’t toss those canvases in the trash – upcycle them to create glorious, freeform abstract paintings in just a few minutes.
Even if you’ve never painted abstracts, this method is a great way to loosen up, have fun with paints, and the only cost is a little bit for some acrylic paint.
It’s also perfect for non-artists, kids and as an inexpensive way to add colorful, inexpensive decorating to any room in your home.
Save That Support
Whether you’ve got old canvases that just weren’t successful or you purchase painted canvases at a garage sale or thrift shop, any undamaged canvas is suitable for this method.
If the surface is dusty, you may want to wipe it down with a damp cloth. If it feels greasy or looks really grimy, use a little spray cleaner to clean off the worst of the soil. This may not be a masterpiece you’ll keep forever, but it doesn’t hurt to start with a semi-clean surface.
Prepare Your Work Area
If you’re working at an easel, it’s wise to lay a drop cloth beneath the area in which you’re painting. Be careful if you’re using plastic, as these tarps are slippery. A painter’s canvas drop cloth won’t be as slick, and if you use a messy method frequently, the canvas cloth can be used over and over.
If you’re working at a table, lay a plastic tarp or even a dollar store plastic table cloth over the work area. You could use paper, but use several layers if you’re getting really drippy.
Pick A Shape To Suit Your Space Or Mood
Now that you’re all set to create, decide whether you want your painting in a landscape or portrait orientation. If you’re unfamiliar with those terms, landscape means the widest dimension is positioned horizontally and portrait means the widest dimension is placed vertically.
It doesn’t matter which way the original painting was set up – it’s more about what kind of vibe you have at the moment. Or, if you’re creating a painting for a specific space in your home, see which way the canvas fills the space best.
Let’s Get Dripping
Depending on how large your canvas is, you’re going to use a fair amount of acrylic paint, so make up some small containers with a rich, pigmented solution of colors. Since this isn’t going to be a masterwork that’s preserved for eternity, feel free to use less costly paints than you may be accustomed to using. Acrylic craft paints and student paints work just fine for this experiment.
Using a large brush, begin laying in swathes of color in broad, bold strokes. You’re not trying to paint anything recognizable, you’re just getting a lot of paint on the canvas in appealing and pleasing shapes.
As you begin to cover areas of the original painting, you may wish to leave some areas exposed. They’ll blend as an underpainting when you add more drippy paint. They’ll become somewhat obscured as your colors begin to run and combine.
If you’re using paint that’s not runny enough, you can swipe it on and then use a spray bottle filled with water to encourage more dripping.
Don’t Take Time To Contemplate
This is a quick process. You really don’t have time to sit around and ponder your picture. When you think you have enough color, contrast and juicy drippiness, lay your painting flat to stop the run-off and allow your masterpiece to dry.
After it’s dry, you can add additional paint, use your abstract as the background for a more detailed piece or declare it complete as it is. Whichever you decide, you’ve spent very little time and money for a fun painting project. Who says a 10 minute painting session can’t be fun?
