Your Guide to the Pouring Art Technique

Full of color, abstract, and original. Artists use acrylic paints, pouring medium, and, of course, a canvas to create pieces like this. Sometimes they also use silicone oil to create striking cells. By the end of this article, you’ll know how to do it, too.

How to Choose the Right Paints for a Pouring Artwork

Acrylic paint is great for the pouring technique because it dries quickly and comes in beautiful, vibrant shades. You can choose from many paints and shades. We’ve had great results with Solo Goya paints, and we also enjoyed working with Amsterdam acrylic paints. Which shades should you combine? If you’re new to this technique, get ready to do plenty of experimenting.

Try combining beige, white, and a few shades of blue, for example. You’ll create beautiful patterns, and your artwork will have a fresh, summery feel. Add some gold paint for a more elegant result. Another amazing color combination is blue, turquoise, white, a little black, and magenta. This combination won’t disappoint.
Always try to choose paints from the same brand for a project like this to get the best result.

TIP: Check out a few more favorite color combinations >> here <<

3 Mistakes Artists Make When Creating a Pouring Artwork

The first mistake is choosing the wrong location. Once you start pouring the paints, it’s too late to cover the table or move the painting somewhere else. To avoid splattering your entire living room, work somewhere you don’t mind getting dirty or damaged. Cover the table with newspaper paper or another surface covering (cardboard, plastic wrap...). Another mistake is not wearing gloves. Since acrylic paint dries quickly, it’s more practical to wear gloves. If you enjoy the hands-on feel of working with paint and like to “tap in” details with your fingers, feel free to try it without gloves.

The last little mistake when creating with the pouring technique is not knowing when to stop. We often tend to work with the paints for too long, until the result blends into an indistinct mass. Knowing when to stop is a key skill. With each new piece, you’ll get better at recognizing the right moment.

Here’s a tip: look at the contrast in the painting. Notice the shades that have formed and whether they work well together. Look at the composition and how the whole painting makes you feel. Imagine it in a frame. Then you’ll know more.

TIP: Attach pushpins to the back of the canvas, specifically at the corners. They’ll serve as little feet, so you won’t have to peel the canvas off the surface once it’s dry.

How Do You Pour Paints Using the Pouring Art Technique?

There are several ways to do it. The simplest is to prepare separate clean cups (or yogurt cups) and pour pouring medium into each one. Pouring Medium from the brand Kreul has never let us down. Then add a little paint to each cup, one shade per cup. Mix, and add a little water or medium if needed. To help the paints flow nicely across the canvas, aim for the right fluid consistency.

A handy guide: thinner than honey, but thicker than milk.

Of course, the amount of medium you add depends on the type of paint. As a general rule, however, it’s recommended to mix pouring medium and paint in a ratio of 1:1 to 1:3. In some cases, you may need to use more medium to achieve the desired effect. Feel free to try different ratios and choose the one that works best for you.

You now have your paints mixed separately. What’s next? Get one large cup and pour the contents of each smaller cup into it one at a time. Don’t pour from too high up, or the paints may mix too much. Alternate them however you like. There are no limits with this technique, so feel free to experiment and find your own style.

Version 1: You should now have all the paints in one cup. Take the canvas and place it face down over the cup of paints. Support the back of the canvas with one hand. Hold the cup with your other hand so it doesn’t slide off the canvas. Carefully turn them over so the paint doesn’t spill, then gently set the canvas down on the table.

Now comes the best part. Carefully lift the cup and watch as the paints spread and blend to create new shades.

If there’s a little paint left in the cup, pour it onto the corners of the canvas. To guide the flow of paint, lift the canvas with both hands and gently tilt it at different angles to move the paints where you want them.

Let the paints flow over the edges so no white canvas shows through. Set the canvas down and leave the paints to dry.

Version 2: The only difference from the first version is that you don’t turn the canvas over. Simply take the cup of paints and pour it onto the canvas wherever you like. You decide how it will look.

TIP: You may have heard of silicone oil. What does it do? Mix it separately into each cup (1-3 drops per cup while mixing the individual shades), and it will create delicate cells on the canvas. Artists around the world love this look, and so do we.

What Ratio of Paint to Pouring Medium Should You Use?

The most important step in pouring is getting the paint-to-medium ratio right. It varies depending on the medium manufacturer and somewhat on the consistency of your acrylic paint. As a guide:

• PENTART medium – 1 part paint: 1 to 2 parts medium
• KREUL medium – 1 part paint: 2 parts medium
• Liquitex medium – 1 part paint: 3 to 4 parts medium

For other mediums, such as Pouring medium by Kompozit, follow the ratio on the package. The mixture should have the consistency of runny honey. Silicone oil is not essential. If you want cells (rings), add 2 to 4 drops per 1 dl of paint and medium mixture.

Favorite Color Combinations for Pouring

• For the bold: lemon yellow and cadmium yellow with black; pearlescent white adds shine.
• Pink mood: white and pink with purple and wine red.
• The sea: deep blue, sapphire, and turquoise with white.
• Elegant luxury: gold and silver with black and white.

Should You Varnish Your Artwork?

Ideally, protect the paints with varnish - liquid or spray. However, it is not essential. We always varnish our artwork to bring out the beautiful shades. For a glossy finish, choose gloss acrylic varnish. If you want to protect the painting but prefer a matte look, choose matte acrylic varnish. If you can’t decide, acrylic varnish with a satin finish may be the right choice.

Good advice: Don’t pour varnish directly onto the painting. Pour a little into a separate container, pick up a brush, and apply a thin coat. This is the right way to apply varnish. Pouring it directly onto the artwork can damage the paints.

I hope these tips help you create a beautiful piece. See the gold-and-blue inspiration in the image below.

To recap, you’ll need:

1. Canvas - our painters rave about the >> ARTMiE profi stretched canvas <<

2. Acrylic paints (read more about acrylics >> here << )

3. Pouring medium - there are several to choose from >> here <<

4. Silicone oil (if you want to create cells) - you can find it >> here <<

5. Pushpins

6. Gloves and stir sticks for mixing paints

7. varnish for a beautiful glossy effect (if you want to protect the paints) >> here <<

8. and something to cover the surface so you don’t get paint on your furniture

Fluid art may not be a traditional technique, but it opens up endless possibilities. You can continue painting on your finished pouring artwork, splatter it with gold paint, use metallic leaf, and much more. You can easily find all the materials at ARTMiE. We hope this guide inspired you and that you’ll soon start your own pouring project.

PS: Tag us on Instagram and TikTok to show us how your artwork turned out.

Janka