Depends on what the 'drip' is. If it's something that might be removed, I would not paint over it. Try to clean it. An artist supply store should have cleaning products, although I recently watched a YouTube that uses a bit of siliva on a q-tip to remove a stain on an oil. Something about the enzymes in spit....

Along the same lines, can this oil painting my grandmother did in the 50s be successfully repaired? Who does that sort of thing?

Call your local art museum for a list of competent restorers. It is very costly work to have done, if done properly.

Call local frame shops to see if they have an art restoration person. I found out about one at my local framing shop by accident ... I was in to frame a piece and while he was holding it up he dropped the painting and ripped it. It was an original oil painting. Lucky for him he is a restorer and apologized and offered to fix at no cost. When I came to pick up the piece a few weeks later it was repaired and framed at no cost. I can't tell where the repair is.

Start with basic cleaning with a cleaner meant for oil or acrylics ... you can buy them online. Clean the whole painting, following directions.

Then see what it looks like.
Winsor and Newton Artists' Oil Picture Cleaner

Grumbacher Oil Painting Restorer

My framer (now retired, but he owned a wonderful independent frame shop) touched up some of my art that I brought in for framing and didn't charge me a dime. I have one watercolor in particular that he worked his magic on, and I would defy anyone to find the spot he fixed. Definitely call your local frame shops. They may very well be able to help or point you in the right direction.

I'm going to ask to take a closer look at it to inspect it. It really looks like water damage from afar but after inspection I'll call around to see what can be done.

Suzanne, what a lovely piece of your grandmother! So talented.

Nhb22, the painting I'm referring to is about 18x24. I know $45 is a very good price. But if I don't get the drip fixed promptly, it will drive me nuts!

Let us know what you decide!

Thanks, Lisa. She passed away on her 101st birthday. I miss her.

I seriously doubt that it is a water drip as oil painting is impervious to water,generally. The exception would be a water miscible oil paint with damage incurred before the oil paint cured, usually 2 to 6 days. The water miscible oils are veryfastdrying. I use them. Traditional oils can possibly take even centuries to dry. How big is the drip and where is it located in the painting or how much does the drip really affect your enjoyment of the pic. Likely it would not affect me much unless it was at the focal point. If you think it has or may have monetary value, I would not mess with it. Like antiques. Can you think of it as charming? Or done by human hand? Does the artist have a reputation? I'm excited for you. I am excited by art.

Suzanne - fixing the missing chip is easy.

First, you clean the painting with paint-cleaning stuff.

Then put a layer of clear varnish meant for paintings over the area (so it can be un-fixed if need be).

Blend up some blues of the right shade (paint them onto something white to do your dolor matching and overpaint, matching stroke direction and size.

Let it dry

Westsider40, I wish I had a picture to share. It's an outdoor scene and the colors are like a gray winter in the Upper Midwest. The drip, IIRC, is on a far edge of the picture but it's quite pronounced. I'll be in the neighborhood next week and will stop in and ask to take a closer look. Your explanation makes me think it could be a spill on it and perhaps a cleaner referenced by lazy_gardens above would help.

It's a signed painting and I googled it when I was in the store and couldn't find who it was.

Thanks, lazy_gardens!