Drip painting is great fun for kids and they are presented with unique artistic results each and every time. Paint drip art was popularised by Jackson Pollock and has become quite a rage in the artistic world. It is fairly simple and keeps kids engaged as they see their drip painting ideas unfold. Children also learn about gravity and viscosity while creating interesting artwork. Another positive is that it’s less messy than splatter painting and gives an entirely different experience and effect.
Artistic expression is an essential part of a child’s cognitive, mental and emotional development and drip painting is an excellent way to introduce kids to the world of art. It provides a creative outlet to explore their creativity and imagination and express themselves. If you are wondering how to do drip painting that is interesting and exciting for kids, we have a few simple ideas for you which you can try out with your kid whenever they need to be occupied with something constructive.
How to do Drip Painting on a Cardboard Easel
- For this you need 3 pieces of cardboard to make a quick cardboard easel, paper, tape, tempera paint and a spoon or brush.
- First of all, tape the paper to one or both sides of the cardboard double-sided tabletop easel.
- If you’re doing this activity inside the house,it is recommended to place the cardboard easel over a mat or tray to catch any extra paint that might drip down.
- Choose your paint colours and put them into paint cups along with the brush or spoon. In case the paint is too thick, you may have to add some water so that it drips better
- Drip paint from your spoon or brush on to the paper. It’s best to drip the paint along the top of the paper so that they can see the paint drip down the paper.
- Let the drip paintings dry, after which they can be admired and displayed.
- These drip paintings can also be used as a base for multi-media artwork or they can be cut up and used for making collages.
To make drip painting all the more fun, kids can experiment with both small and big drips and different colour combinations. Children love watching the colours drip into each other and mix. They can also experiment with colours that have different viscosity as that determines the flow of the paint and gives different results.
How to do Drip Painting on a Canvas
For this the materials you require are child-friendly acrylic paints, paint cups, water, a large stretched canvas, a large disposable plastic tablecloth and masking tape.
- Place different coloured acrylic paints into separate paint cups and water it down sufficiently so that it pours easily.
- Choose your painting space like a wall or easel to rest the canvas against so that it stands upright. It should be at a height that the child can reach the top. Cover the space below with a disposable plastic tablecloth and secure it in place with masking tape so that there is no mess on the floor.
- Show the child how to pour the paint from the cup along the top edge of the canva so that it runs down the smooth surface. Different coloured paint can be poured from the different cups and depending on the viscosity of the paints, some will run down the canvas faster than the others.
- Alternately, you can lay the canvas flat over a bucket, cardboard or newspaper to catch excess paint. Water down the paint till it is moderately runny. Use a plastic spoon to drip small and large spots of paint around the canvas, using one colour at a time. Make sure that most of the canvas is covered by the spots. You can then pick up the canvas and tilt it in different directions so that the paint runs in different directions. Allow the canvas to dry completely and admire the artistry that unfolds.
How to Do a Drip Painting Art Project
- For this particular art project you just need ziplock bags, tempera paints as well as some paper to paint on.
- Depending on how many colours you choose, you will need as many ziplock bags.
- Pour a little bit of the paint into each ziplock bag.
- Cut a tiny hole at the corner of the bag which you will use to drip the paint on to the paper.
- It may be best to do this art project outside on a warm day as it can get rather messy.
- You can use 5 to 6 different colours and as many bags.
- All the kids have to do is hold the bags over the paper and let the paint drip and you will see some fun and pretty patterns emerge.
Another variation of drip painting is to place an object in the middle of the paper like a round, square or triangular object. You could also place a number or letter in the middle of the page. Drip the paint after that and you will see interesting patterns emerge. When the paint is dry, remove the object from the paper. That portion will be plain and surrounded by creative drips of paint.
Art is a powerful tool and paint drip art is simple enough for any child to be able to do. Drip painting has several cognitive, psychological and emotional benefits. It is much more than a fun activity for kids as it also allows them to express themselves, develop essential fine motor skills and explore their imagination and creativity. Both parents and teachers need to encourage children to engage in artistic activities to promote their overall growth and development for a well rounded personality. For more activities that will keep your kid engaged in drip painting as well as numerous interesting drip painting ideas, you should touch base with the EuroKids website that will update you with all the information you could possibly need.
