Pouring acrylic paint is a fun way to create art at any skill level. Learning how to pour acrylic doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or have done this before. It’s a great fluid art medium, and with the right tools and a little bit of control over your art, you can get a ‘perfect’ result. In fact, the less imperfect this art is, the better. For me, pouring paint is almost mesmerizing and I love how easy it is to create abstract art this way. Some would argue that he shouldn’t be doing the same project twice, even if he uses the same colors or tries to replicate the same technique.
There are many ways to create a paint-filled acrylic artwork, but here I will start with the simplest technique of creating paint-filled canvas art and using what is called a “dirty pore”.
Supplies:
To create an acrylic pour painting, you will need:
Find paint injection supplies here
–Acrylic craft paint in the color of your choice (Use as many or as few colors as you like. It’s best to start with 2-3 paint colors.)
– Pouring medium and top coat (you can use any brand, DecoArt Pouring Medium, Liquitex Pouring Medium, Floetrol to name a few. I use the DecoArt brand)
– or premixed liquid paint
-Plastic cup and wooden stir stick
-canvas board or regular canvas
– A tarp to protect the surface, or my preference is an old baking sheet that you use on top of the tarp instead of under the pouring surface, it can be used as a dripping tray for the paint and can be used over and over ( Also to reuse the dripping paint for other projects!).
– A paint brush or palette knife to catch the droplets
Mix the pouring medium into the craft paint to create a pouring paint mixture. A common ratio for pouring acrylic paint is 50/50, or 1:1. In other words, 50% paint infusion medium and 50% paint, or a 1:1 ratio. The consistency is very runny, almost like loose honey.
Prepare to pour paint on canvas
Place the canvas under 3-4 cups so that it floats slightly above the tray. This allows the paint to flow smoothly as you pour it. There is no need to prime or prepare the canvas before pouring paint. Most canvases come pre-primed with gesso, which is sufficient for the paint to flow. You can also paint on old canvases that have already been painted with artwork at the thrift store. However, if you want to use your old canvas but are worried about other artwork bleeding through, you can base coat it with white paint or primer before you start.
After mixing the paint, decide which technique you will use to pour the paint.. Different acrylic pouring techniques produce different results. Puddle pouring, ring pouring, marble pouring, dutch pouring, and flip cup pouring are just a few of the techniques you can try. One of the easiest and best paint pouring techniques for beginners is Dirty Pore. This involves pouring all the paint together into a cup and pouring it from the cup onto the surface of the canvas. I used dirty infusion when creating this paint infused bohemian bowl. But this fluid medium is so relaxing that you can even create your own pouring technique by just experimenting with things like circular motions and back-and-forth motions. You can also create different looks by adding layers of different paints on top of each other.
To create a flooded artwork, pour the paint directly onto the canvas and create a large puddle in the center of the canvas board.
Lift the edge of the canvas with your fingertips and tilt the canvas slightly to allow the paint to flow from the edge. You will see the paint create different patterns and shapes as it moves across the canvas. Continue to tilt and move the board until it is covered (see troubleshooting tips below if this step is difficult). You can leave the paint somewhat centered, or you can tilt it all the way to one side and then tilt it to the other side.
Once you’ve completed your piece of infused paint, use a palette knife or paintbrush to remove any drips from the edges of the canvas. Allow poured artwork to dry for at least 24 hours or on a flat surface out of direct sunlight. It may take several days depending on the humidity. Once it’s completely dry, you’re ready to apply your top coat for extra protection and shine.or ready to hang and enjoy your artwork.
Another fun painting technique is to try string pull painting.
Troubleshooting acrylic paint injection:
What if the paint is stuck on the canvas and doesn’t actually move? To further thin the paint, try adding pouring medium.
What should I do if the paint I pour immediately runs off the canvas? To thicken the mixture, reduce the infusion medium and add paint.
What if you pour paint onto the canvas and the paint doesn’t spread all over the canvas? Try mixing more of the paint mixture and pouring it into areas not covered by paint. One of the beautiful things about pouring paint is that every painting is different.
What if I don’t like the poured painting? You have several options. If the paint you pour is still wet, scrape off the paint and try again. If it is dry, or too dry to remove, simply mix a new batch of pouring medium and paint mixture and pour new paint over the same canvas to cover it up.
Why do I get a lot of air bubbles when I pour paint? Air bubbles in the paint you pour may be due to over-mixing or shaking well before use. While the price is still wet, try tapping the underside of the painting while keeping it flat to bring air bubbles to the surface. You can also use a toothpick to carefully pop the bubbles if you feel that all the bubbles are rising. If the paint you poured is already dry, try using a thin brush of the same color to paint over the foam before applying the clear coat.
Play around with this easy and fun fluid painting technique. This is a fun and challenging painting technique that can be used on all kinds of surfaces, such as how I created a granite top table.
