Splatter Brush Technique

Happy Saturday everyone, I told someone on the Scrapbook Graphics "Art Journal Caravan" this morning I would do a short tutorial on a technique for getting a brush splatter to use as a brush in PhotoShop.  So here I go.

Chipboard is really a staple in my studio, I use it for so many things but I love it for masks, I ripped these two pieces and then laid them on top of my paper, I used 110# card stock, but anything that does not bleed heavily is fine and it is fun to play with a textured watercolor paper on something like this too.  I laid them down to create a directional splatter diagonally across my sheet.

 I am in my hearts core a watercolor artist, I love the medium beyond any other, I have a zillion brushes and each one is a treasure, some of them are 40+ years old.  For this process I chose to use a Chinese Calligraphy brush also known as an oxtail brush.  It slurps up paint with almost no dripping, if you don't have one you can use any round brush, I do not suggest a mop as it is just tooo messy, you also might want to put a piece of news print under your project to protect your surface.  The flat brush is just used to tap on the oxtail brush as I move it down the sheet.  My first go is mixed with some water so that the splatters build from lighter to darker. I am using Black Tempra paint but you can also use India Ink (it is harder to control the splatters) or acrylic.

Here is the second go around, I am using a more concentrated mixture, less water more paint. Same tapping motion, I tap about 1 to 1 1/2" inches behind the ferrule crimp. I load my tempra into a porcelain washi bowl,I just use one but you might want to use two containers one for your first mix and one for the second thicker mix.

This little brush is one of my all time favorites and I guard it like a dog with a bone, lol, it came in an overnight kit and is a temporary tooth brush, it has very fine plastic bristles and is great at the end for tiny tiny little splatters, you can use a tooth brush but load it lightly.  If you are not familiar with these processes, I really do suggest you play a little first to get your bearings.

The above is the final splat, just waiting for the paint to dry, I usually give it 30mins or so its own and then hit with a heat or embossing tool.  Then scan the piece in, take it to photoshop and create a brush.

This is how the brush created in PhotoShop looks on a piece of background paper, I used the brush in black  and in white, I made the white splatters a little smaller for the white.  Hope this helped, have a great weekend, hugs