Paint and pour art, also called fluid or flow art, is a style that captivates art lovers throughout the world. The smooth swirls, bright colors and the uniqueness associated with this form of art appeals many people whether as a recreational activity or as an art of healing.
However, creating this style is not easy. Acrylic paints don’t naturally create the effects of fluid art straight out of the bottle or tube. You have to alter the state of your acrylic paints before making the patterns. Without proper preparation, your composition will crack and fade, perhaps even separate. Pouring medium is used to get your paints to the correct consistency which is the most important aspect of paint and pour artwork.
What Is A Pouring Medium?
A pouring medium is a substance used to improve the consistency of acrylic paints. It allows the acrylic paints to pour more fluidly and transforms them so that you can create amazing acrylic pouring medium painting.
There are many leading art brands that manufacture pouring mediums for paint and pour art. Although they differ slightly, all brands create quite similar results when correctly mixed with acrylic paints. Many artists manipulate the acrylic paints by mixing pouring medium and water to make them flow more easily. However, adding water tends to wash out your paints. This means that your finished product will not be as vibrant as it was while painting.
How to Properly Use Pouring Mediums?
For a beginner, all of this might seem confusing. No need to worry. The most basic method used for creating an acrylic pouring medium painting is the traditional method. To create a paint and pour acrylic art, all you need are the colors you wish to use, your pouring medium, and a few plastic cups. Although you can also utilize items like plastic straws, strings and palette knives, but all of that is for later. Follow this 5 step guide for an incredible first time in paint and pour artwork.
1. To begin, select the paint colors you want to use and a plastic cup for each of them. Add little amount of paint to the cup, just enough to cover the bottom. Then, add your pouring medium to the paint. The amounts of medium you add should depend on a number of things, like the size of your canvas, or how many colors you are using. A basic recipe for medium body acrylics is 1 part paint to 3 parts pouring medium.
2. Once you are certain of how much medium to use, add it to all of your different colors and mix them well using a stirrer, toothpick or Popsicle stick. The next step is to combine your colors together. Using a separate clean cup, add the different colors, layer by layer on top of one another. Make sure you do it slowly to avoid a muddy mixture.
3. Before adding colors to your canvas, prepare your canvas with a base color that contrasts the colors you choose. Typically it’s either black or white color mixed with medium. Pour the solution and spread it all across the canvas and its edges with a palette knife.
4. Now comes the step where you apply your paint to your canvas or board to create you unique paint and pour masterpiece. Place your canvas, facedown, on top of your paint-filled cup. Next place your hand on the back of the canvas for support, covering the cup, and flip them quickly. Now wait for a few minutes for the paint to flow towards the canvas.
5. Now lift the cup or move it around to let the paint flow on the canvas. Once all the paint is out of the cups, lift the canvas to create patterns and designs. Let it dry and your acrylic pouring medium painting will be all ready to be hung!
Acrylic pouring medium painting artwork has been gaining popularity for its uniqueness and creativity. Not just to be hung, people commit to paint and pour as an art of healing using to bring them solace and mindfulness. While it might be tricky to begin with at first, paint and pour is actually quite an interesting task to master!
