Acrylic Paint Pouring for Beginners

Painting parties are a fun way to bring together groups of all ages and skill levels. However, when most people think of painting in a group, they think of following an instructor to copy or interpret an image provided to them. Well, there's a new paint party in town! Meet Acrylic Paint Pouring - a fun technique that offers a different method to create a beautiful, vibrant piece of art that couldn't be easier to make and experiment with. Who could have thought that layers of paint or globs of paint could look so beautiful?

Follow the article below to learn more about paint pouring and how to get started.

What's the difference between pouring and painting?

Painting is a traditional method most people think of when creating art. By definition - painting is the practice of using tools like a paintbrush to apply paint, pigment or color to a solid surface like a canvas and create an image.

Unlike painting - no brush, no problem when it concerns acrylic pouring. The Paint Pouring method is considered an abstract technique where you can pour fluid paints on a surface to create art, and the good news is that you don't have to be Picasso to do it.

So, allow yourself to let go and have fun making a mess!

Why acrylic paint?

Acrylic paint is easy to find, easy to work with, it dries quickly and is easy to clean up. It also pairs beautifully with a number of other mediums and you can use whatever tools you have on hand to create different effects.

Depending on the type of result you're trying to achieve you can also easily add other liquids like silicon, water and even household rubbing alcohol.

Materials for a Paint Pouring Session

Keep it simple! All you truly need is paint, a medium - like a canvas found at any art supply store, and a solid surface to put your canvas on. As mentioned above, you can mix your paint with other liquids in a number of ways to achieve a desired result, but below is a widely used recipe to create a fool proof paint mixture:

Basic Acrylic Pouring Recipe:

Floetrol (professional paint additive) or Rubbing Alcohol - 2 parts
Distilled Water - 1 part
Silicone - 2 or 3 drops
Acrylic Paint - 1 part

If your paint mixture looks like syrup or viscous honey - you're on the right track! The key is to make sure your paint is not too thick, otherwise your newly poured piece of art will not dry properly or it could even crack.

Now let's dive into some methods you can use to create an acrylic master piece...

Starter Pouring Techniques

Clean Pour
This refers to pouring one color at a time onto a surface.
Sometimes the goal here could be to use all desired colors separately on the surface - other times you can use a toothpick or another similar tool to create a pattern.
This type of pour is typically used for creating a color blocked or abstract look - but also could be great for kids who need to keep it simple but can get creative with a tool to manipulate the service for a custom design!
Dirty Pour
This process refers to a layering technique using a cup and pouring the cup contents onto the surface all at once.
Layer desired colors together by gently pouring the paint down the side of a cup or just plopping the paint colors together for a more dramatic blend
Manipulate your surface with whatever tool at hand to achieve the desired pattern and style
A popular end result of this technique is a faux - marbled look
Flip Cup Pour
This technique refers to placing an upside down cup full of paint onto a surface / canvas and then either pulling it off or poking holes in the top to allow the paint to come out
You can layer paint in the cup following the same method(s) as the dirty pour above
Once your paint is on the canvas - you can manipulate the surface similarly to both clean or dirty pour methods previously described.

Get Creative

You could come up with a million acrylic painting techniques on your own or find just as many to follow instructions for online! The beauty of pouring paint is that you can create and manipulate as far as your imagination will take you - and there is no right or wrong way to pour.

If you're not a beginner or looking for more of a challenge - try out an air blowing technique, the Dutch pour, feather pull, or tree ring techniques to take your acrylic art to the next level.

Paint pouring is a simple way that aspiring or pro artists of any level can create a unique piece of art - it's great for groups of all ages and abilities, so sign up for a paint pouring party soon!

At Canvas n Cup, we have tons of fun ideas of using acrylic paint for creating beautiful art. Our instructors have simple step by step instructions and great blending techniques to help you master this great painting technique.

Ready to try your hand at this new art style? Schedule your paint pouring party today!