Introduction: How to Do a Pour Painting
Hi my name is Kristin! Have you ever wanted to be able to make something that is super easy, one of a kind, and looks like it could be sold in a decor store? If so, pour painting is the thing to do! Pour painting is a painting technique that mixes colors to make an abstract effect. Before even starting to do this people may say that they’ve never painted before or that they aren’t an “artsy” person. But all it takes are the right supplies and directions and you can be a pro in no time.
Step 1: Getting Supplies Ready
The first step in pour painting is gathering all the supplies. The supplies needed is a canvas, paint (Any colors), water, wd-40, paint brushes, newspaper, a tin pan, and plastic cups. Some optional supplies are a torch, a straw, and a blow dryer. If all the supplies are gathered pour painting will be no problem.
Step 2: Laying Down Newspaper
After all the supplies have been gathered they need to set up in the area being used to paint. First lay newspaper on the table and on the floor. The newspaper will help keep everything free of paint. After getting all the newspaper layed down, set the paints in a desired pattern, put the tin in the middle of the table, and the canvas in the tin.
Step 3: Get the Paint Ready
Once everything is set up and ready to use start getting the paint ready to use. To get the paint ready, take all the desired colors and pour each of them in a separate plastic cup. When filling the cup up with paint only fill the cup about ¼ of the way. After the paint is in all of the cups, water will then be put in each of the cups. When filling the cups with water only put about one to two drops of water in. Putting the water in the paint makes it a thin texture/substance. This helps with mixing the colors better. Once the water is in the cups take the paint brushes and stir the paint and water mixture up. If the mixture is to thick put a little more water in. If the mixture is too runny put more paint in. Once a good consistency is obtained the paint is ready to be used.
Step 4: Mixing All the Paint Together
Now that the paint is ready, the mixing of all the colors can happen. To do this an empty cup will be needed. After getting the empty cup, set the colors chosen in an order or pattern that is liked. Then start pouring them in the empty cup in that pattern. Once the paint has reached about ¼ of the way up the cup spray wd-40 in the cup. Keep doing this until the paint is almost to the top of the cup, spraying wd-40 every quarter of the cup. There is a possibility of running out of the paint and water mixture while doing this. If that happens just make more following the same mixing instructions.
Step 5: Flipping the Cup
The next step is to take the cup of mixed paints and wd-40 and put a canvas on it upside down so the bottom part of the canvas is facing up. Once the canvas is on the cup of paint pick both of them up at the same time and flip them both, placing them in the tin pan. Make sure the cup of paint stays on the canvas while doing so. After flipping the cup and canvas pour some of the white paint and water mixture on the canvas around the cup. This helps ensure that the entire canvas is covered with paint. Finally lift the cup up and let the paint pour out.
Step 6: The Final Steps!
After lifting the cup up and let the paint pour out, now pick up the canvas and tilt it, letting the paint run from edge to edge covering the entire canvas. Once the entire canvas is covered the pour painting is now done, unless there are more effects you want to add to the painting. One thing that is possible is taking a torch and putting it over the canvas. This causes cell like looks in the painting. A straw or a blow dryer may also be used to blow the paint around to places that are wanted to be fixed within the painting. The painting should look like there are cell shapes all over the canvas with all the colors being mixed. If the added effects were chosen to be done or not, all that is needed to do now is clean up and wait for the painting to dry. It will take around 2-7 days to dry and you will have your finished product looking like it was store bought and one of a kind!