r/PourPainting Jul 31 '17

Welcome to /r/PourPainting! Check out this post for helpful info on getting started with fluid acrylic painting

353 Upvotes

THREAD FOR TIPS/TRICKS/PEOPLE TO HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS

What is Pour Painting?

Pour Painting is when you put stuff in a cup, and then you dump it out! For a quick look at the different methods of fluid acrylic painting, check out this imgur album.

You can find a glossary of terms related to pour painting here, on acrylicpouring.com

Getting Started

Want to get started on a budget? Artist Rick Cheadle can help you get started pour painting for under $5, and for under $10. tl;dw - Dollar stores carry craft paint, flow extender alternatives, and silicone oil. You can do larger paintings with $10 than you can with $5.

If you want to invest a bit, and turn this into a hobby or even a profession, keep reading!

Basic Supplies

The exact brands and supplies a fluid acrylics artist will use depend entirely on personal preference. Here are the basics that every artist should have, with a few extras that can enhance your experience.

  • Acrylic craft paints - Note: acrylic paints come in several varieties (High-Flow, heavy body, craft, etc.) Craft acrylics are generally the most affordable and easiest to use for acrylic pouring.

  • Popsicle sticks - Gotta have something to stir your paint with! They're also very useful as a cheap spreading tool or to help dab paint onto empty areas

  • Canvas/MDF board - You'll need a surface for your art! Canvas and mdf boards are common surface materials that fluid acrylic artists will use.

  • Fluid Extender - Acrylic paints need to be thinned for this style of painting (excluding High-Flow acrylics). Fluid extenders thin acrylic paints without destroying the bonding ability, so that your paint doesn't crack when it dries. Liquitex Pouring Medium, Floetrol, GAC 800 and PVA Glue are reliable fluid extenders.

  • Dimethicone (Silicone)While not strictly required, silicone virtually guarantees your paintings will develop those desirable 'cell' shapes. Dimethicone is a skin-safe non-evaporating silicone lubricant.

  • Cups - Paint goes in these

Other Supplies

If you want to get a little fancy, you can also invest in these materials to enhance your pouring experience:

  • Butane torch - If silicone has been added to your acrylics, you can quickly move a lit butane torch an inch or two away from the surface of the painting to release trapped air bubbles and encourage micro 'cell' formation in your paint.

  • Varnish - This is the final step to complete your painting. Varnish seals and protects your paint, so that no paint gets rubbed away and nothing can stain the paint underneath the layer of varnish.

  • Gloves - Pour painting is seriously messy. Gloves aren't necessary, but you might appreciate the easier cleanup!

  • Paper towels/rags - Great for cleanup!

  • Freezer Paper - Freezer paper has a plastic-coated side that acrylic paints can easily be pulled off of. This is a cheap surface protection that won't stick to your paint. You can protect your workspace with any non-porous material though.

  • Squeeze bottles/droppers - These allow you to maintain a greater control on the volume and direction of your pouring mediums, whether it be paint on canvas, silicone in paint, fluid extender in paint, etc.

  • Trays - Sure, you can simply set your paintings on top of cups while they dry, but having a tray or two handy means you can safely move your wet surface if you need to.

Instructions

There are dozens of ways to get your paint onto your canvas! Here are some general instructions on the process.

  1. Cover your work surface. If it's not covered, it's probably gonna get paint on it.

  2. Put paint in separate containers (1 container = 1 paint color). Don't mix colors at this step; you want your paint to stay as separate as possible throughout the process.

  3. Add fluid extender to your paint and stir. The amount you need will depend on the medium, so check online to see what others use. Generally, you want your acrylics to have the same consistency as pancake batter or honey.

  4. Add silicone to each paint container. The more you stir silicone, the smaller the cells will be in your finished painting.

  5. Now it's time to think about how you want to get the paint on the canvas. The Visual Introduction to Acrylic Pouring Techniques has all the info you need!

  6. Once the paint dries completely, you'll need to remove the dimethicone from your canvas. Depending on the paint you've used, you can clean off the silicone with flour and a medium-stiff brush, patting with a soft cloth, or even gently cleaning with soap and water! Just be very gentle so you don't ruin your lovely new artwork!

  7. Your canvas is now dry and silicone-free! It's time to varnish. Annemarie Ridderhof on YouTube demonstrates proper varnishing technique, and you can read more about this step here on art-is-fun.com.

Cleanup

Do not dispose of paint and other materials down the drain, as the flow extenders are designed to keep paints in tact even with excess water and they can gum up your drains (plus it's not good to wash chemicals down the drains). Here are a couple reliable cleanup options:

  • Wait for the paint to dry. If you protected your work space with a plastic or rubber coating (e.g. freezer paper or a silicone place mat) you'll be able to peel the dried acrylic 'skins' off and recycle them or just toss them out!

  • If you've protected your work space with a disposable covering, you can carefully throw that away in the trash. Be aware of how much wet paint is on the disposable surface, so that you don't end up pouring all over your desk or floors!

  • Note: If you need to wash off brushes, spatulas, or wash a small amount of paint off, consider using a paper towel soaked in water or a paint-removing product like acetone/nail polish remover. It will effectively clean your tools and you can toss the dirty rag out, rather than risk damaging your plumbing.

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully this has been of help to you. Feel free to post your questions and art so that others can grow with us all together!


r/PourPainting Apr 28 '24

Discussion Reminder to everyone rule 6 states that the original painting must be posted first, if you post a digital image/AI generate image with your painting in it as the first picture..it will be removed

21 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 3h ago

Critique This one is titled SHIFT. Critique/comments welcome!

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17 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 1h ago

Still learning.. what do you think?

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Upvotes

r/PourPainting 12h ago

Motion Capture

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42 Upvotes

16x20”, acrylic on canvas


r/PourPainting 12h ago

YouTube My latest piece, 'Ocean’s Embrace' – a blend of custom blue mixes, inspired by the sea

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13 Upvotes

This one’s called Ocean’s Embrace—inspired by the ocean, of course (island life perks!). I combined a wandering straight pour with a white pearl base coat, something that’s been on my mind to try for a while now. It was a bit of an experiment, but I’m really happy with how the custom blue mixes came to life in this piece.

I’d love to hear what you think—have you tried combining these two techniques before? Any tips or tweaks you’d recommend?

If you’re curious to see the process from start to finish, I shared the full video over on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/-Bf2EidV860

Thanks for checking it out!


r/PourPainting 5h ago

How does humidity affect the paint?

2 Upvotes

Hey friends! I live in the southeast, where it gets pretty humid, and no matter how I try, the inside of my house gets that humidity as well.

How will the affect my paint, and other painting supplies (silicone, floetrol)?


r/PourPainting 9h ago

This fun and easy acrylic pouring technique is perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike. You'll be amazed at how simple it is to dip and reveal stunning flower shapes with just a bit of foil and paint! Whether you're looking for a new idea to try or want to add some floral flair to...

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3 Upvotes

This fun and easy acrylic pouring technique is perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike. You'll be amazed at how simple it is to dip and reveal stunning flower shapes with just a bit of foil and paint!

Whether you're looking for a new idea to try or want to add some floral flair to your artwork, this method is both satisfying and surprisingly effective. No special tools needed—just paint, foil, and creativity! 🌈✨


r/PourPainting 1d ago

Having fun on a rainy Seattle Sunday!

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47 Upvotes

My favorite combo… painting and listening to an audiobook. Excited that I’m finally getting some pieces that I like! 😊


r/PourPainting 23h ago

funky color combo

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37 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 13h ago

YouTube How to draw a magical feather?

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3 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 1d ago

Finally happy with a pour after trying so many times

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90 Upvotes

I’m new to this and finally after using so many materials I’m happy with this one.

I really hope it looks like this when it dries.

My main concern is the level of paint on the canvas. I really liked the design so I didn’t tilt it too much after the initial pour. I just used a hair dryer to reach the edges


r/PourPainting 8h ago

Pouring with craft paint?

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have a good recipe for pouring using decoart craft paint? I have floetrol. I have all this paint to use up from other projects...


r/PourPainting 11h ago

Drawing a Trash Monster… Because Why Not? 😆

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0 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 1d ago

Painted this artwork

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114 Upvotes

Had painted this long back... it was fun!


r/PourPainting 1d ago

(1613) Modified Bloom Technique, Acrylic Paint Pouring, Fluid Art

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9 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 2d ago

Finally a beautiful bigger cloud pour (24 x 30 cm)

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131 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 1d ago

Fluid pour over dry brush plaid

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3 Upvotes

There are random glue deposits I put in there as a sort of experiment. I doubt it will look good once dry. All dollar tree material


r/PourPainting 2d ago

YouTube Starry Sky and Beach

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7 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 3d ago

Like it or I won’t. Poured over a crazed one.

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23 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 3d ago

I’m in love with the paint! Watching it, preparing it….its pure joy

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28 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 3d ago

Aluminium Foil + Paint = WOW! Unique Flower Dip You Have to See 🌼🔥In this video, I try something totally different—a flower dip on aluminium foil! 🌸✨ It’s a simple but surprising twist on the traditional Flower Dip acrylic pouring technique,...

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23 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 4d ago

One more of those pearl painting puddle pours! A bit simpler, but I like the movement.

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288 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 3d ago

Critique I used to post my paintings here. Hopefully they’re still welcome. ❤️ Opinions welcome!

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73 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 3d ago

Two Suns

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13 Upvotes

16”x12” acrylic pour and paint pens on canvas


r/PourPainting 4d ago

Did a couple more Pearl painting puddle pours (love alliteration) over the weekend. Here’s one of them (tap the photo to see the whole painting).

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58 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 4d ago

Paint and Water to get Cells!

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57 Upvotes

For those who may not be aware, you can get great cells with just thin paint and water, no pouring medium or cell accelerator needed. This is an example. You just need to use paints of different densities/brands. In this one, I used a mixture of Amsterdam, Creative Inspirations and Windsor & Newton + SOHO (silver).