Splatter Paint: No Longer Just An 80s Fashion Statement

I am a child of the 80s. What this means is Aqua-net hairspray was an important item used in my beautification process. It also means neon colors and leg warmers were fashion staples for my friends and I. The 80s brought bright colors and loud patterns. Don’t forget my favorite. 80s BIG hair, which I’m still waiting and hoping will come back in style.

In the 80s and early 90s splatter paint was a popular “pattern” or design element. I remember having more than a few pieces of clothing in my closet that donned the splattered paint look, including a pair of acid-wash jeans.

I promise this is not a blog post about all things 80s or my love for that decade. It is a post about the splatter paint design element and how you can use it in your bible journaling.

It’s easy.

Like when you use the paint scraping method, splatter paint is an incredibly easy technique. I’m sure there are a gazillion possible ways to splatter paint onto paper and you can probably find just as many video tutorials on the technique. This article will cover two of those methods I personally use.

It’s fun.

I don’t have any scientific studies backing up this statement, but throwing color onto a page is fun. Trust me.

It produces unique results every single time.

You cannot replicate the pattern of splattered paint. Each time you use this technique, it will be distinctly different than the time before. Just like us, it is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

What You Need

1. water based paint
2. small container for mixing paint and water (optional)
3. a medium paint brush that can hold a lot of paint at one time
4. a blank piece of paper or scrap
5. craft sheets, mats or newspapers (to cover anything you don’t want paint on)

Instructions

1. cover area you will be working on (paint splattering can get messy and you don’t want paint on your furniture or carpet)
2. always, always page prep
3. add some water to paint, if needed
4. dip your brush into the liquid-y paint
5. remember to test this BEFORE you attempt it onto your bible page
6. hold your paint filled brush over your blank paper and tap it on your finger, a pencil, or a second paint brush. (This will determine how hard you will need to tap.)
7. once you’ve determined how much paint you need and how hard you will need to tap, repeat steps 1 through 3
8. one final time, right before you throw the paint onto your bible page, your first tap should be done over your test page again, to be sure you’re going to get the results you want
9. tap, tap, tap the paint onto your bible page

Experiment by using more or less water in your paint or tapping the paint brush hard or light.

TIP: If you want more paint splattered onto the page, simply repeat the process, always testing your first tap onto a blank paper or scrap.

Alternate Instructions

Are you interested in creating a fine mist of paint? Instead of using a paint brush, grab an old toothbrush and a wooden popsicle stick or flat edged tool.

For this alternate technique, you need to repeat steps 1 through 3.

1. dip the bristles of your toothbrush into the paint
2. remember to test this BEFORE you attempt it onto your bible page
3. hold toothbrush close to test paper and angle it slightly
4. pull popsicle stick or flat tool across bristles of toothbrush
5. your first flick of the bristles should be done over your test page again, to be sure you’re going to get the results you want
6. flick, flick, flick the paint onto your bible page

Experiment by using more or less water in your paint or holding the toothbrush closer or further away from the paper.

Finishing Touch…

As I mentioned earlier, there are an array of methods to splattering paint and these instructions only cover two of those techniques. I suggest experimenting with both techniques on practice sheets of paper. Once you have discovered your preferred results, then use that method on your bible page.