Acrylic pouring (also known as fluid art, liquid art, and paint pouring) is one of the most accessible art forms around, but there are a few things you’ll want to know before you start. I’ve created this tips guide to help paint pouring beginners avoid common pitfalls and use your time more effectively as you learn this new art form. I’ve also included a few techniques that are best to start with. Let’s begin!
Tips for Before You Start Paint Pouring
#1 Watch Videos and Take Notes.
Goto popularYouTube Channelsand take notes on how to mix your paints, types of mediums, canvas prep, types of pours, and anything you are not quite sure of. These are great places for not only visual instruction, but many artists also talk you through their process while providing lots of tips and techniques.
Make sure to pay attention to what they do and not only what they say. Sometimes they won’t say exactly what they’re doing, but when you notice what their hands are doing you can start to re-create their techniques.
#2 Plan Ahead – Don’t Rely on Chance!
I know it seems fun to just put paint in a cup and let it fly. But you’ll never develop your acrylic pour painting skills this way, and never be able to learn from your mistakes.
Think about what you want to paint before you start. What type of pour painting techniques do you want to try? What base color do you want to use? What colors do you want to use in your pour cup? Do you have all the supplies for your pour, before you start? While you can’t plan the outcome of your pour, as all poured painting have a random effect, you can think through color, cell or no cells, type of pour, type of canvas, etc.
#3 Focus on One Thing
Try to avoid the temptation of working on multiple paintings, keep it simple and pour on just one painting at a time. Work on learning the process for one type of pour at a time, get it down, only then move on to the next. This will give you confidence in the basic techniques and pouring process before you try your next type of pour.
#4 Gather All Needed Paint Pouring Supplies
Do you have everything you need on hand and within reach? If not, be sure to obtain them prior to sitting down to start your pour. A lot of acrylic pouring beginners think they can just start and find everything as they go. That might work for other art forms, but acrylic pouring is fast! You’ll need everything right when you start.
Pull your desired paint colors; medium; water; silicone oil (if you want to use it); disposable gloves; mixing cups and stir sticks; pour cup; canvas; and anything else you might normally use like paper towels; a torch, blow dryer, or heat gun; or plastic garbage bags for covering your surface/floor/wall.
Paint Pouring Beginners Paint Tips
#1 Best Paint Types for Beginners
Most of us have acrylic paints lying around from previous projects. Just be sure they are still good, flow easily from the bottle, and are free of clumps. House latex paints can work especially for the base color (initial layer on the canvas), especially white and off white.e.
The best is a white base, as other colors are likely to change the color of your poured paints, for example a dark brown base will likely darken or tint all other colors with brown. DecoArt, CraftSmart, Apple Barrel, Americana, Sargent, or any other inexpensive brand is best when just learning. This way if a pour doesn’t turn out right, you don’t feel like you’ve wasted a lot of money while you’re learning. You can always purchase better quality paints after you’ve perfected a technique.
#2 How Much Paint Do I Need?
Here is a usefultoolto keep on hand for figuring how much paint you will need for most canvas sizes.
#3 What is a Basecoat and Why Do I Need One?
The basecoat is a layer of fluid acrylic paint, typically white, that is placed on the canvas before your actual pour to literally coat your canvas. There are three reasons to do this.
- To provide a wet smooth surface for the poured paint to move across.
- To provide a protective layer between the bare canvas and the poured silicone enhanced paint. The silicone oil can damage the canvas, or leave holes in your paint without the basecoat.
- The white base coat provides a mirror like base for the poured paint color, allowing the purest color to come through as it dries.
#4 How Many Different Paint Colors Do I Need To Use Per Pour?
There is no set amount of colors you need to use per pour. You can do a poured painting with two colors, or however many you wish. The things to keep in mind are with two colors you will get a monochrome painting. For example you might use white and blue – all of your poured colors will likely be some shade of blue ranging from light to dark.
Three colors will provide numerous colors, for example white/blue/red may give you shades of pinks to red, light-dark blue, and due to red/blue mixing in areas you may also obtain shades of purple. Just remember that each color you add will provide another layer of color, and mix with colors in the pour.
#5 Choosing Paint Colors
To start your pouring experience, chose three to four colors you know go well together. Primary colors are always a good place to start. Remember primary colors are red, blue, and yellow. You can add white between the layers to keep the edges of each color cleaner and sharper. You can also add a small amount of black, maybe drizzle it between a few layers for a different look.
If you can’t make up your mind, you can purchase an inexpensive color wheel which can provide a wealth of color combinations. Here’s an article onhow to use a color wheel.
On a side note, to complement your Acrylic Pours, I highly recommend using aCricut Machine (my personal favourite is the Explore Air 2 machine)to design and print yourself beautiful crafts on all sort of supports.Check it out here! Now back to tips on Pouring Mediums.
Tips on Pouring Mediums and Consistency
#1 Choosing a Medium
easyazon_link identifier=”B000C029PM” locale=”US” tag=”artcrnm-20″]Floetrol Flood[/easyazon_link]seems to be the go to medium as it is fairly inexpensive and goes a long way. It can be difficult to find outside the US, but can be ordered online from most places. Others prefer to use Elmer’s Glue All, or PVC Gluewhich is also an inexpensive alternative. There are a variety of different mediums out there, many of which can be quite costly.
Stick to the least expensive options when just starting out, again save your money. Read“Acrylic Pouring Medium Guide: Everything you Need to Know”to get a comprehensive overview on mediums.
#2 Mixing Paints and Medium for Acrylic Pouring Beginners
Once you have chosen the medium and paints of your choice, its time to start mixing. But how? First off ratios are how we refer to the medium to paint mixture. You’ll hear the terms 2:1 ratio, 3:1 ratio, or 4:1, and some of the more expensive brands like Golden will use a 10:1 ratio. This simply means mixing a certain amount of medium with a certain amount of paint.
If you are using a typical inexpensive acrylic paint, start with mixing two parts pouring medium to 1 part paint or a 2:1 ratio. For example use two ounces medium and 1 ounce paint, and mix well. Lift your stir stick up and let the paint slowly run off into the mix cup.
What you are lookingfor is, does the paint blend right back into the paint in the cup; does it sink making an indentation, or does it mound making a clump on top of the paint.What you wantthe thin paint, coming off the stick to do is blend in with the paint in your mix cup. If it sinks, it’s too thin, so you need to add more paint. If it mounds or clumps on top, you need to add a little water or additional medium to thin it out. Remember, it needs to be the consistency of warm honey, and when it runs off the stick it should simply blend with the paint already in your mix cup.
#3 Difference Between a Mix Cup and Pour Cup
The mix cup is what you use to mix individual paints and medium together in. The pour cup is used to layer your individual paints, and then do your actual pour.
#4 Can I Use More Than One Medium In The Same Cup?
When mixing a paint and medium in one mix cup, you will want to use one medium only for a perfect fluid painting technique. You can have different mediums in your pour cup; remember your pour cup has multiple layers of paint/medium mixes. For example let’s mix red, blue and yellow paint colors in three separate individual mix cups. Maybe you usedFloetrolin the red and yellow, but the blue was a mix you did a few days ago using Glue All.
These paints can be layered in your paint pour cup and poured onto your painting without any issue. What acrylic pouring beginners should not do is use more than one medium in a single paint color, at least not until you get more familiar with how different mediums work and which work well together. Get some experience working with one medium at a time before you try to do more or use too much paint.
#5 TroubleshootingFloetrol
Most mediums you do not want to shake as it can cause too many bubbles in your pour, but when usingFloetrolFloodyou will need to shake well each time. It can separate in just a few days sitting unused.
The biggest issue with Floetrol is flakes and clumps. You will need to filter or strain this product. The easiest way to do this is using a disposable paint filter. Pour your Floetrol through the filter each time you mix paint, so you don’t have to worry about extra lumps and bumps in your pour. Some artists will use pantyhose as a filter over the top of the pour spout.
It doesn’t matter how you filter your Floetrol, just be sure to do.
Using Silicone and Cells in Fluid Art
#1 Do I Have to Use Silicone?
No, you don’t have to use silicone oil. You don’t have to have cells. There are pours that are beautiful without silicone, such as tree rings and colander pours. You can create cells by layering heavier pouring paints with lighter paints, such as using titanium white with your red and blue. The premixed pouring paint such as titanium white will sink through the other paints and create cells. These are not near as dramatic as the cells created withsilicone oil,hair serum or dimethicone, but you can get cells without silicone.
#2 Troubleshooting Silicone
Problem 1: You add silicone oil to your paints, and do your pour. You have a small area with huge cells, but the rest of the painting doesn’t have any. Hint: Be sure to mix the silicone into all the paint well, three to five gentle stirs only.
Problem 2: You add the silicone, mix it into the paint, and do your pour. There are a ton of cells, but they are all tiny. Hint: Make sure to do your pouring medium/paint mix first; then add the silicone oil, and stir it gently three to give. You can also have small cells if your paint/medium pouring mixture, is too thin as this will break down your silicone, creating fragmented cells especially, withtreadmill oil.
Problem 3: You’ve done everything right in mixing your paint and adding the silicone, but you have areas of canvas showing through the paint once it dries. Hint: If silicone oil hits the canvas, it creates pockets where no paint will cover the canvas. Be sure to use a base coat each time and make sure it does not contain silicone.
Pour Process tips for Acrylic Pouring Beginners
#1 Why Do I Need To Use The Correct Pour Cup Size?
Using the wrong size pour cup can lead to increased mixing of colors ‘before” they hit your canvas.
For example: You layer two ounces of paint into an eight ounce pour cup with acrylic paint colors, in red, green, and white. The pour cup is four times the size of the total amount of paint being used. Here’s the issue.. The red and green will start to mix as it rolls down the sides of the cup, and continue to mix on your canvas. You’ll likely end up with some red+green=brown that you may not want.
Basically, using a cup that is too large can muddy up your colors. In this case a three ounce medicine cup “or smaller” would work best for the two ounces of paint you want to pour. Remember: Cup size=Total Amount of Paint Needed!
#2 Preparing Your Pour Space
Whether your painting space is large or small, temporary or permanent, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Cover your paint surface with plastic sheeting, garbage bags or a painting tarp as this is a very messy hobby. Many will also place a tarp or plastic on the floor and/or cover their walls behind the surface to avoid spatter and moving a wet canvas from the painting surface to a drying surface.
Keep your area as dust free as possible. Dust and lint can land on a drying canvas and ruin a perfectly poured surface. If your pour area is in a multiuse portion of your home, you may want to cover the entire area with plastic or a tarp to keep it dust free between pours.
If you also sew or quilt in the same room you pour, be sure to keep all fabrics in bins when not directly using them, as the lint from sewing or quilting can easily ruin every single pour. Make sure your painting surface is level, if not level your paint will pool in one area or pull away from the edges as it dries.
#3 Preventing Lumps on Your Poured Painting
Lumps, bumps and bubbles sounds like a child’s story book, but they can be a pour painter’s nightmare. Bubbles can be taken care of easily with a quick torching, but lumps and bumps are a different story. Remember if using Floetrol to strain or filter it prior to use. Other things that can cause these random pieces are old paint, paint that has been sitting for a while, or a dirty canvas.
Filter paints if you are doing something you really want to keep and display – don’t take a chance. As for canvas, be sure to wipe your canvas with a barely damp microfiber cloth prior to using, even if you just took it out of the packaging. Keep up the habit of always wiping them off. Dust, animal hair, your hair, lint, etc. can land anywhere without you knowing it and you may not see it till after you pour. If you find clumps under your pour, you can use a toothpick or other pointed item to pick them out. Once it dries, there is nothing you can do to get rid of them.
#4 Why Use ATorch?
Atorchis used to pop bubbles that may have formed in or under your pour. Bubbles can ruin your nice smooth finish, so if you can catch them before the paint starts to dry, the paint has time to self level and cover the holes created from popping the bubbles. You are simply passing thetorchabout six inches above your canvas, with a quick pass making sure you don’t heat up the paint.
Canvas Acrylic Pouring Tips
#1 Using a Stretched Canvas
Stretched canvas are the go to for pouring artists across the board, as they provide the sides that we love to see covered in paint. Of course make sure you wipe the canvas off prior to using, but also make sure the center of the canvas is tight. This is easy to do by literally tapping the center traditional stretched canvas. Does it feel tight like a drum? Does it have a thumping sound? Does it give or sag in the middle?
If it gives in the middle or seems a little loose, you’ll need to fix it before pouring acrylic paint, as your paint will not dry evenly if there is any sag at all. Take a spray bottle of water and mist the underside of the canvas. Don’t soak the canvas, just get it damp. Then use a blow dryer to dry the backside. This will tighten it up right away.
Next, check out the corners on the back, are they glued or stapled?If the corner flap is loose at all, use a little super glue to secure the corners down which will keep them from curling when they get wet with paint.
#2 Using Canvas Boards/Panels
Canvas boards are typically one of two products, either cardboard covered in canvas, or MDF board covered in canvas. This is more of a problem with paint pouring. The cheaper canvas boards are typically a cardboard base and you cannot pour on these. As they dry the moisture gets trapped between the canvas and the cardboard causing the canvas to come loose, which makes the canvas ripple and warp as it dries. Better canvas boards, those with MDF board can be a quick and easy way to do a pour painting.Make sure you tilt these pours extremely well. You don’t want any extra paint left on the surface.
Also, since there are no sides, they are the preferred canvas if you wish to frame a dried pour painting. Canvas boards are also a way to save some money as you don’t need as much paint – remember no sides. Another thing to keep in mind is most canvas boards have the canvas glued front and back. It’s the back that you need to be aware of. Try not to get paint on the backside of these boards, as it can loosen the glue. A nice inexpensive canvas (MDF) board you might try is fromArt Advantage.
#3 Preventing Dried Clumps of Paint on the Back of the Canvas
Taping the back of the canvas with painter’s tape is the easiest way to prevent those irritating dried clumps of paint on the back and edges of your painting. Be sure to remove painter’s tape before your painting dries completely, usually around six hours. If you wait too long the paint can actually glue the tape to the back and you can’t remove it.
When you have completed your pour, use a stir stick and wipe off any dripping paint from the bottom before you transfer to a drying surface. What can you do if you missed some paint drips and now there are dried clumps on the edges of your painting? Here are two things you can try. One is using a pair of box cutters and carefully cut the clump off. The other is to use a piece of fine grit sand paper (400 or higher) and gently sand it off.
After the Pour
#1 Learn to Walk Away
“Back away from the canvas!” Learn when to walk away from a pour. Sometimes less is more. There are times when you finish the pour, torch and sit back in amazement; and other times, not so much. We all have those pours that we look at and say, it just needs a little more work here-and there-oh, and here too. Sometimes, just a little more just ruins a painting.
A good rule of thumb is three changes max. If you don’t have it to a place you like within three changes (swiping, blowing, adding paint, etc) just let it dry as is. You’ll either love it or not. If not, you can always clean it and paint over the top.
#2 Why Should I Varnish or Finish My Painting?
There are two reasons for using a varnish or finishing a painting, thefirstis for looks. Acrylic paints many times dry and seem to lose some of their luster or color. Some can even be really dull or muted and make you think you no longer want it. Adding a finish or varnishing your dried pour can bring that gloss back as well as the vibrancy of the colors. Of course this also depends on the brand of paint you use, and sometimes the brand of pouring medium as well.
The better paints provide better dried results from a color standpoint. Some products like Golden’s Glossy Medium allow the painting to dry to a beautiful glossy finish, with no need to add an additional finish. Golden also has a great soft matte medium, which produces an almost felt like feeling to the finish. If you use Floetrol or PVC/Glue All for your other acrylic pouring paint medium you will need to add a finish as they dry with a plain matte (no gloss) finish.
Thesecondreason for finishing your painting is acrylic paint has the tendency to pull away from the canvas over time. A nice finish will seal the paint and provide protection from accidental nicks and bumps that happen over time.
#3 Take Notes or Pictures of Your Own Pours
As you learn, take notes and photos of your process. Use these to refer to, but a caution first. Don’t be overly critical saying everything is bad; and on the flipside don’t be overly complementary about your own work either.
You need to be your own constructive critic, this means noting when you do something right and when it goes wrong. Was there something specific you did that was special or different? What went wrong, how can you adjust so that you don’t repeat it? You can also take pictures of your process or even a video; it doesn’t matter if it’s a bad video or photos, it’s for your eyes only. Every pour is a learning experience.
#4 Storing Leftover Mixed Paints
Storing leftover paints can be easily done so that you can use them again. Most of us for example will mix up extra titanium white with our preferred medium, and then not use all of it. This extra can be stored in an airtight silicone, plastic, or glass bottle. Again, the key is airtight. Many artists will use silicone basedplastic squeeze condiment bottles, like those for mustard or ketchup.
If you can find ones with screw on tops, this is best as the pop tops can break off and get lost. Be sure to keep the top clean and free of any paint especially around the opening so dried paint doesn’t end up in your next painting
#5 Failed Attempts
A failed attempt is just that, an attempt. Learn from it. Try to figure out what you did wrong, and what you might need to change the next time. Don’t feel bad – every single pour artist has been there. A great way to find out what went wrong and what you can do to improve your process is to post a picture of your pour on ourFacebook Group. Here your fellow artists of all abilities are willing and able to help in any way they can.
#6 Don’t Overwhelm Your Mind and Body
This process can be relaxing and so enjoyable, but if you have anxiety or stress out when things don’t go exactly the way you hoped, you might want to spread out the process. This also holds true for those with medical or physical limitations who tend to tire easily. You can try mixing your paints-take a break-gather the rest of your supplies-take a break-layout everything, ready to pour-take a break- pour/tilt/torch-take a break-clean up. For even more separation, you can mix one paint at a time and take a break in between each; or take a couple of days to get through the process of mixing, setting up and pouring. Do what works for you!
11 Tips from Our Facebook Group
The following tips have been compiled by members of ourFacebook group. Members talk of things they wish they had known when beginning their acrylic pouring experiences.
#1Ellen: “Don’t flood the canvas with paint; don’t mix too little paint. Don’t go out and buy the latest ingredient mentioned in a post for a piece I like. Most of all, the most important thing I have learned and will continue to grow with is a willingness to experiment. What would happen if – is probably the most freeing question and attitude to cultivate in this art form or any other.”
#2Chris: “Only buy basic colors and mix the color you want. Rather than buy every pretty color in sight”
#3AJ: “Once you pour and the canvas is covered, walk away. I always mess with mine and ruin them”
#4Paul: “Pick a style and master, and then move to another, ratios make all the difference. No failures, just learning curves. Start small.”
#5Chris: “Do some type of artwork every day- even just a little is better than none. Only paint things you feel something for. Don’t do stuff you don’t like for others.”
#6Pamela: “Don’t get attached to piece before it’s dry. Sometimes I go to bed with one piece and wake up with another! Start small to learn. Not every piece is going to be a beauty. The ugly or “interesting” pieces are part of the learning curve. Thin the paint just a little more!”
#7Frank: “Don’t use unnecessary additives, tape the backs of all your flows, and make sure to cover your sides. I’m still learning when to stop messing with a painting.”
#8Inese: “Don’t be too quick to throw out a piece you thought wasn’t good, wait for it to dry – and see how it is. You can re-pour over sections, add swirls, etc. Then it will be different and you may start to love it. Remember the 6 stages of an art piece: 1. I love this. 2. I don’t like it. 3. It’s rubbish. 4. Maybe it’s Ok. 5. It’s not too bad. 6. It’s Awesome!”
#9Bethany: “Don’t let friends and family discourage you. Art is in the eye of the beholder.”
#10Annet: “Take a piece of paper and try the colors together before you pour”
#11Lorraine: “I’d leave my pours for a couple of weeks before deciding to keep and seal them. Pouring over a varnished or resined piece is harder than doing it before the sealer’s applied. I ended up being so excited and varnishing a pour which 2 weeks later looked amateurish.”
Easiest Pouring Techniques to Master First
There are several types of pours which are perfect for the beginning pour artist: the Clean Pour,Flip Cup, orDirty Pour. Each provides great color, cells and can be done easily by layering the paints and with one simple move.
- The Clean Pour can be thought of as pouring gravy over your potatoes. You simply pour out the paint slowly, keeping the hand perfectly still. This creates a somewhat circular pattern.
- The Flip Cup is just like it sounds, all you do is (quickly) flip your pour cup upside down onto the canvas. Let the cup set for a couple of minutes, then lift the cup off the canvas. This creates a totally random pour.
- The Dirty Pour is similar to tossing leftover water from yesterday’s glass. You will gently toss the paint from the pour cup onto the canvas. This also creates a totally random pour.
For a step by step guide on each of these basic acrylic pouring techniques and other more advanced techniques read“The Complete Acrylic Pouring Techniques Guide.”
I hope these tips help you on your pouring journey. Enjoy the learning process and please share what you make, we all love to see your work!
FAQs
How do I price my acrylic pour paintings?
When pricing your acrylic pour paintings, there are several factors to consider, such as the size of the painting, the materials used, the amount of time and effort invested, and the artist’s level of experience and reputation. You may want to research the going rates for similar paintings by other artists in your area or online, and adjust your prices accordingly. Ultimately, the price of your paintings should reflect the value you believe they hold.
How much acrylic paint is required to cover a canvas?
The amount of acrylic paint required to cover a canvas will vary depending on the size of the canvas, the type of paint you are using, and your desired coverage. As a general rule, you should use enough paint to thoroughly coat the surface of the canvas without creating a thick, gloppy layer. To determine the exact amount of paint needed, you may need to do some experimentation and test out different amounts on a small area of the canvas.
How do I pour paint without making a mess?
To pour paint without making a mess, you will need to use a pouring medium to thin the paint and make it easier to control. You can also use a pouring technique that helps minimize drips and splatters, such as the flip cup technique or dirty pour methods. Additionally, be sure to protect your work surface and surrounding area with plastic or other materials to catch any spills or overspray.
How do I blend acrylic paint on wood?
To blend acrylic paint on wood, you will need to use a brush or other tool to smoothly and evenly spread the paint over the surface of the wood. You can use a dry brush technique or a wet-on-wet technique, depending on the effect you want to achieve. If you want to create a seamless blend, you may need to apply multiple layers of paint and blend them together carefully.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when doing acrylic pouring?
Some common mistakes to avoid when doing acrylic pouring include not preparing your surface properly, using too much paint, not using enough medium, not mixing your paint and medium thoroughly, and not allowing enough drying time between layers. Other mistakes include using low-quality materials, not experimenting with different techniques, and not being patient with the proce
How can you achieve different effects in acrylic pouring?
There are several techniques you can use to achieve different effects in acrylic pouring, including the swipe technique, the dirty pour technique, the flip cup technique, the puddle pour technique, and the tree ring pour technique. Each technique involves different methods of layering and manipulating the paint to create unique patterns and textures.
How can you fix a failed acrylic pour?
There are a few ways to fix a failed acrylic pour, depending on the specific issue. If the colors have blended too much, you can try adding more paint to create more defined lines. If there are air bubbles, you can use a heat gun or torch to pop them. If the surface is uneven, you can try sanding it down and adding another layer of paint. It’s important to experiment and find what works best for your specific situation.
Tina Swearingen
Since she began creating art in 2007, Tina Swearingen’s focus has evolved from repurposed conceptual art into the creativity and flow of acrylic pouring. Her pours are inspired by the movement and colors of Southern Arizona’s amazing thunderstorms, and the majestic beauty of the Pacific Northwest, which she now calls home.