What is Acrylic Paint Pouring?

"Crocosmia Paint Pour"
Mixed Media on canvas panel

 

"Orchid Paint Pour"
Mixed Media on canvas panel

One of my goals this year was to participate in an art challenge every month. I thought it would a great way to help build my portfolio and try out something new. 

This month is Abstract April. I learned about this art challenge from a simple Google search that brought me to a website called Kickinthecreative.com. The website provided a prompt list for Abstract April. I ended up not following the prompt list but decided to focus on one type of abstract art - acrylic paint pouring. 

I've dabbled in acrylic paint pouring before. I loved the way it came out!

"The Black Unicorn" 
Mixed Media on Stretched Canvas

Acrylic paint pouring is a great way to give a oil painting (the medium I normally work in) a cool background without a tremendous amount of effort.

What is acrylic paint pouring?

Acrylic paint pouring is a technique where you take a pouring medium (a substance used to thin any acrylic paint to make it more pourable) and mix it with acrylic paint. You mix it to the consistency of buttermilk and then begin to pour it onto your canvas. 

To spread it across the canvas, you simply tilt the canvas in different directions.  You continue doing this until the canvas is completely covered and you have a design you are happy with. Allow the canvas to dry for 24 hours. 

I've been really inspired by all the abundant flora sprouting around me so I decided to add flowers over top of the paint pours instead of a portrait like I did in my previous painting. 

For these two flower themed paint pours, I transferred the reference photos of the flowers onto the canvases after allowing them to dry. I then began painting the flowers in oil paint. 

Both paintings are available for purchase on my website.

To see the full creation process check out these two videos on my YouTube channel. Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe while you're there!