If you are a beginner learning paint pouring, I suggest you try pouring with emulsion paint. It’s fun, cheap, and gives almost the same results as acrylic paints.
How to Paint Pour with a Twist
Are you looking for a new art style to really amp up your decor game? Or maybe you’re searching for a way to pour into yourself or simply a reason to pour yourself a drink. Whatever the goal, Painting with a Twist’s Paint Pour events are just what you need! Learn about this fun and unique art style and how you can get pouring and sipping at a studio near you!
Paint pouring is an art style that combines acrylic paint with other ingredients to make it more fluid than standard paint. This mixture is then poured onto a canvas to create a gorgeous marbling effect.
Painters can then tilt or roll the canvas to watch the acrylic paint flow and interact in all sorts of unpredictable and beautiful ways! In fact, some of the best acrylic paint pours are the most “messy” and spontaneous!
Speaking of messy — there’s a time and place to dress to impress, but paint pouring probably isn’t that! Because you’ll be pouring acrylic paint directly onto the canvas and then using your hands to physically tip and manipulate it, there is always a chance you’ll spill some paint on yourself. Just in case, it’s best not to wear your favorite articles of clothing!
Decorating with Your Paint Pour Art
One of the best aspects of enjoying a Painting with a Twist event is leaving the studio with a custom piece of art. If your goal is to create a piece of décor to display in your home, determine the designated location in your space prior to the event. What paint colors will complement the room? Are there other pieces of décor your pour painting needs to mesh with?
Because these pour paintings are so visually stimulating, it makes an excellent focal point for any room. And by keeping the nearby décor on the minimalistic side, your pour painting becomes the star of the show.
Making a Pour Painting Your Own
Each pour painting is truly one of a kind. Even the same artist will not be able to recreate the same work of art twice! From how you combine paints to how the canvas is tilted, many factors affect the outcome of your creation. That’s what makes paint pouring so exciting – the art surprises the artist.
You can pour a single color onto your canvas at a time, or you can create a striking, marble-looking creation with just a couple pours of various colors. You might even choose to do something called a “dirty pour,” which means mixing colors in your cup prior to pouring them on your canvas. Dirty pours create all kinds of funky, interesting, and unexpected patterns.
With beginner paint pouring, half the fun is experimenting with colors and techniques! If you’ve never done any type of paint pour before, this is one Painting with a Twist activity you’ll want to add to your bucket list.
Using Emulsion for Paint Pouring
Pour painting is abstract art where you pour different paint colors onto a canvas to create a unique design. It’s similar to splatter painting but with more control.
To do pour painting with emulsion paint, you’ll need to thin it out first. Otherwise, the color will be too thick and not flow evenly over the canvas. To thin out emulsion paint for pour painting, mix it with equal water, and then add a pouring medium to the mixture.
As you know, most emulsion paints need to be watery enough to be used as acrylic pouring. Mixing the pouring medium with paint would be best to create the color layers. Pouring mediums are substances that help the paint flow better and prevent it from drying out too quickly.
For your pillow, you can use any pouring medium, and you can use Floetrol as a pouring medium. Varnish is also a good option, and so is water. However, it would be best if you used 10% water of the weight.
You can buy pouring mediums online or at some art supply stores. Once you’ve mixed everything together, your emulsion paint should be ready to pour!
Emulsion Paint Pouring Art
If you’re looking for a fun and easy art project to try at home, look no further than emulsion paint pouring! This type of painting is perfect for beginners because it doesn’t require any special skills or techniques. Plus, it’s a great way to use leftover paint from previous projects.
- Emulsion paint (water-based).
- A pouring medium (clear glue, liquid dish soap, Floetrol, or varnish).
- Cups or bottles for mixing.
- Something to pour the paint onto (like kitchen countertops, cardboard, or an old sheet).
Once your supplies are gathered, mix 1 part paint with 1 part pouring medium in a cup or bottle. Stir well to combine.
Now it’s time to start pouring! Begin by tilting your surface so one corner is higher than the rest. Pour your mixed paint onto this highest point, then watch as it cascades down the surface in beautiful swirls and patterns.
Experiment with different colors and amounts of paint to create different effects. When you’re finished painting, let your artwork dry completely before moving on to the next step. Once your painting is dry, it’s time to add some finishing touches!
You can use acrylic glazes or varnishes to give your artwork extra shine and durability. Or try adding some embellishments like glitter or beads for extra sparkle. Whatever you decide to do, have fun with it and let your creativity flow!
Mixing House Paint with Acrylic Paint?
Suppose you’re wondering if you can mix house paint, whether emulsion or not, with acrylic paint, the answer is yes! However, there are a few things to remember when doing so. First, it’s essential to know that not all house paints are created equal.
Some contain latex, while others use oil-based formulas. For the best results, mixing your acrylic paint with house paint with the same base (either emulsion or oil) is always best. Second, when combining these two types of stains, be sure to do so in a well-ventilated area, as both fumes can be intense.
Third, the ratio of house paint to acrylic paint will vary depending on the project you’re working on. A good rule of thumb is to start with a 1:1 ratio and adjust as needed.
Fourth, the fifth and final rule is to have fun!
Experiment with different ratios and colors until you find something you love. There’s no wrong way to do it!
Advantages
Acrylic paint mostly comes in a tube, and tube paints cost a lot! Whether emulsion house paint is cheaper and can also be used for pouring!
If you want higher performance and durability, then emulsion could be a great choice. Moreover, it dries a lot faster. You can wash this paint with soap and water easily.
Disadvantages
You should know a few things if you’re thinking about using emulsion wall paint instead of acrylic paint. Emulsion paint is not as opaque as acrylic paint, so your colors may not be as vibrant. Wall paints have a different consistency than acrylics, so they may behave in a different way when applied to your surface.
With all that said, if you’re still set on using wall paint for your project, be sure to do some test swatches first to see how it will work out!
Easy Tree Ring Pour Technique
Creating a Tree Ring Pour is another beginner friendly acrylic paint pouring technique. If you like the style, I recommend starting here. To make the ring, you are going to move your hand in small circular motions as you pour. This creates a ripple that looks like moving water or the rings of a tree.
Now this video is really cool because they added a tall hexagon shaped prop to the center of the canvas. Then poured the paint on top of that. The prop creates a floral shape to the paint pouring. You could do this yourself with any small object that you don’t mind coating in paint – a plastic easter egg would work, or a disposable cup, or even a small piece of Gladware.
Spin Pour Acrylic Art
Let’s get crazy! This type of Acrylic Paint Pouring would be hard to replicate without some equipment. But isn’t it mesmerizing?
A string pull is when you place pieces of string underneath your paint and pull them through in any direction you like to make unique patterns. The string in this video is pulled with the end of a paint brush but you could use a stir stick or disposable kitchen utensil. This is a particularly fun string pull because it uses lots of string pulled in the same direction to create an abstract floral shape.
Chain Pull Acrylic Pouring Technique
This Chain pull builds off of the string pull – but creates an additional quality to the paint. This is created from the paint flowing in between the links in the chain! And the results are gorgeous! Food for thought: what other objects could you use to create patterns in the paint – like the chain?
This may be my favorite type of Acrylic Pour! And this is a technique that I never would have thought of. To make it, cut a disposable cup in half horizontally. Then place the top portion of the cup – basically a circle with an open bottom and open top in the center of your canvas. Then pour your acrylic paint!
Which Paint Pouring technique do you like best! Tell us in the comments or share your own. You can even tag us on Instagram #popshopamerica and we’ll reshare your creations! And if you are ready to make your own Acrylic Paint Pours, you need to shop the Acrylic Paint Pouring Kit! It’s full of unique craft supplies each month that will fill you with inspiration.
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Brittany Bly
Hi. My name is Brittany and I founded Pop Shop America in 2012. I’ve been a maker my whole life and have made just about everything under the sun-from clothes to terrariums and comics to fine art. I like doing a little bit of everything.
