There are many methods of paint pouring, but the best one for paint pouring for beginners is the flip cup dirty pour method.
Paint Pouring for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your First Masterpiece
If you’ve seen paint pouring on social media, you may have wondered how exactly artists create those beautifully marbled works of art. With just a little bit of practice, it’s actually pretty easy to achieve!
Keep reading to learn all about paint pouring for beginners, and you’ll have your very own masterpiece in no time.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
The first step in paint pouring for beginners is to gather all the materials you’ll need! Below you’ll find a detailed list of all the essentials.
Paint
Paint pouring only works with acrylic paint, so the most important aspect of choosing paint is making sure that all the paint you select is acrylic.
Otherwise, how you choose your paint is totally up to you!
One thing to keep in mind when mastering paint pouring for beginners is that the various shades will blend into one another a little bit once they’re poured on the canvas. Therefore, be sure that you’re picking colors you’re okay with having a little overlap with one another.
The number of paint colors is also totally up to you, and the greater number of paint colors you choose, the more vibrant your canvas will be.
Finally, you’ll also want to think about whether or not you want the base color of the canvas to be white.
White bases are the best option if you don’t want the color of the canvas to tint the colors you pour, but painting the canvas a different color can be fun, too!
If you don’t want a white base, pick another paint color and paint the entire canvas first, letting it dry completely before you do the paint pour.
Canvas
Any size canvas will do, as long as it can support acrylic paint! Canvas size and shape are all based on your own preference.
When learning paint pouring for beginners, it’s easiest to use a canvas because it acts as a sturdy base for your paint pouring.
Once you’ve gotten the hang of paint pouring, you can do projects with pretty much any object your heart desires!
Floetrol
The next item you’ll need to successfully learn paint pouring for beginners may seem a little intimidating, but don’t sweat it!
Floetrol pouring medium is a specific version of the pouring agent or medium required for successful paint pouring.
In general, a paint pouring agent or medium is needed to thin the acrylic paint so that it’ll flow nice and smoothly when you pour it onto the canvas. Using a substance like this will also maintain the quality of the paint’s original hue while allowing for full pouring capacity.
Floetrol is the most commonly used in paint pouring, but you can also use Elmer’s Glue if you want something inexpensive or something you might already have in the house.
You can also find pre-mixed paint online, which allows you to skip the steps of buying a paint thinner and adding it to the paint before pouring. When paint pouring for beginners, this option may make the process a little easier.
Plastic Cups and Stir Sticks
First, you’ll need a set of plastic cups to serve as mixing cups for each individual paint color. These cups should be smaller than the pouring cup.
In addition, you’ll need a plastic cup to serve as the pouring cup. Eight ounces is a good starting size for a pouring cup.
When it comes to stir sticks, purchase at least as many stir sticks as you have mixing cups. You’ll use these to mix together each paint color with the Floetrol.
Pro tip: Popsicle sticks work as great stir sticks, too!
Plastic Gloves and Cardboard
These items are both to contain the mess and facilitate easy clean-up, a crucial step, especially when learning paint pouring for beginners.
Specifically, you’ll need to put plastic gloves on before you pour the paint so that it doesn’t get on your skin.
The cardboard goes under the canvas so that you protect the surface under the canvas from getting any paint on it.
Feel free to add other protective materials like newspaper, garbage bags, or an apron as you see fit!
Step 2: Prepare Your Individual Paints
When paint pouring for beginners, it’s important to understand that each paint color you plan to use should have its own separate mixing cup.
Mix your paint using a 2:1 ratio with twice the amount of pouring agent as there is paint, and use your paint stirrer so that the pouring agent is fully mixed throughout.
If you’re using Floetrol, be sure to shake the bottle thoroughly before adding it to each mixing cup.
The final consistency of the mixture should flow like chocolate syrup or warm honey. If it’s too thick, try adding a few drops of water to the mixture. If it’s too thin, just add more paint!
What is Pouring Medium and Why Do You Need It?
A pouring medium is added to paint to help it move and flow across your canvas. It also acts as a binder, preventing your paints from separating as your artwork dries. There are dozens of pouring mediums to choose from and tons of homemade recipes to try! If you’re a beginner, I’d try working with a store-bought medium, but do encourage you to try the different brands and recipes available as you get more comfortable. Giving each medium a try is the perfect way to develop your pouring skills and a great way to learn which medium works best for you!
- Store-Bought Pouring Mediums
- Liquitex Pouring Medium
- Golden Acrylic GAC-800
- Floetrol
- 1 part distilled water
- 2 parts Elmer’s Glue-All (This is not the same as Elmer’s School Glue)
Which Type of Acrylic Paints Should You Use?
For beginners, I recommend starting with cost-efficient products like Apple Barrel acrylic paints or Sargent Art, and eventually working your way up to the more expensive soft body or fluid acrylic paints. I personally use a mix of the following:
- Blick Studio Acrylics
- Liquitex Basic Acrylics
- Golden Fluid Acrylics and High Flow Acrylics
What Can You Pour Paint On?
The most common surface for pour painting is canvas. I suggest starting with stretched cotton canvases that are no bigger than 12×12 in. The bigger the canvas gets, the more paint you’ll need, which can get tricky to manage when you’re first starting out! I also recommend purchasing your canvases in bulk. I prefer the Blick Super Value Pack.
Other common surfaces include wood panels and gessobord. Unlike gessobord, cradled wood panels will likely need a few coats of gesso (and potential sanding!) before you start pouring.
