Art Technique Using Rubbing Alcohol

This is such a fun background technique using paint and rubbing alcohol. But, I gotta be honest, it took me some tries to get it to work in some cases. But all art is practice, right?

Supplies

• Rubbing alcohol
• High flow acrylic paints or watered down acrylics
• Card stock, art journal, etc.

Step 1: Use Thinned Acrylics

You can water down regular acrylic paints, but it's difficult to find the perfect consistency. And the results weren't quite as awesome. I got good results using acrylic paints that say they’re high flow or for paint pouring.

Step 2: Paint Whole Page

Use one color and let it dry when you’re done.

Step 3: Add a New Color

Give your paper a coat of a different color of high flow acrylic but don't set it aside to dry.

Step 4: Dip a Dowel in Rubbing Alcohol

Step 5: Let Drip on Your Page

Splatter or tap the alcohol onto the wet paint and then let dry.

You should have seen some magic happen with this step.

Step 6: Add Another Color

I did not expect my next color to be quite so dark, but the technique still worked as I dripped more alcohol drops onto this dark color. Let dry.

Step 7: One More Color

I used a magenta as my final color and went thru the same steps.

I think it looks like a tortoise shell, doesn't it?

Step 8: Make Lots!

Check out all my mixed media art techniques on my website 😃