Fluid Acrylic Pouring with Liquitex Pouring Medium (pre-mix method)

A few years ago I discovered a small section in a book - "pours". There are a number of ways of pouring acrylic paint and mediums to use. In essence "pours" or "pouring paint" is pouring fluid paint (either mixed with medium or into a clear medium) on a canvas and either manipulating the paint with tools OR manipulating the canvas for the colours to move creating fluid patterns. The same method is used to create "skins" but instead of the canvas a plastic or glass is used (something that the paint can be pulled off easily when dry).

After a little experimenting with mediums and paints I already had, I purchased some Liquitex Pouring Medium and I found pre-mixing colours with medium gave me the look I wanted.

both paintings use pre-mixed colours on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas. Left is the usual 12:1 (pouring medium to paint) mix and Right is 24:1 mix. The colours in the right painting are more transparent

Mixing the medium and paint:

Liquitex recommends 20ml paint to 250ml pouring medium. This is about 1:12, so I measure up the side of a squeeze bottle and mark off the 12th point and then a further 1 point (e.g. a mark at 12cm and 13cm measured from the bottom). Pour the medium in up to the bottom mark then paint till the top mark. Shake. Leave for bubbles to settle (10 minutes of so). 

More medium to paint ratio will create a more diffused look (see example on right above).

Requirements:

materials for fluid paint pours - Liquitex Pouring Medium, bottles for mixing medium & paint, canvas, tray to work over, tools to push pain around with, levels to check work area, paint, gloves

• Canvas or plastic (for skins) to pour onto
• Level Workspace (MUST be level or paint/medium mix will all slide to one end)
• A tray (optional - handy to lean over and catch drops)
• Wire rack (optional - if working on a small canvas something like a cake cooler is good to rest the canvas on)
• plastic or newspaper to cover workspace (I've used clear builders film available from hardware stores. When dry acrylic paint peels off quite easily)
• Bucket of water (optional - use to wash up. I wash  and dry my gloved hands before touching paint bottles again if I've got a lot of paint on them and before taking off the gloves)
• Old towel (cut up into smaller pieces) or paper towels (I prefer the towel)
• Gloves (I use cheap kitchen gloves from the supermarket - they are easy to take off, and you can wash them easily while still wearing them and re-use)
• I would suggest working outside, especially the first few times until you are familiar with how the paint/medium mix flows. It slides over the surface fast and is slippery so very easy to drop or splash.

Method:

1. Tape sides of canvas with masking tape (if you want nice clean edges).
2. Spread a thin layer of Liquitex pouring medium over the canvas (not necessary if making skins).
3. Pour colours from bottles over about three quarters of the canvas.
4. Spread colours around a little with a painting knife/old credit card. The more you spread the more the colours will mix. OPTIONAL
5. Tip the canvas for the colours to run.
6. Pour on more paint if desired.
7. Leave to dry on a LEVEL surface. (Depending on the thickness it can take 24 hours to dry.)

Notes on colours:

Start with analogous colours (colours close on the colour wheel). e.g. blue and green. yellow and red.

Use a white or a very light colour.

Use a dark, but only a little, e.g. if one of your colours is ultramarine, a tiny bit of indigo or prussian blue.
 

Abstract - Rough Water

With this painting I was trying a different way of getting colours to flow across the canvas.

"Rough Water" Jo Sonja paints on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas

Base was painted with Jo Sonja's background colour Blue Lagoon and left to dry. Canvas was sprayed with water and Jo Sonya Indigo, Ultra Blue Deep, Blue Lagoon (used previously in base) and Titanium White were spread with a painting knife. More water was sprayed, canvas tipped and a straw was used to blow colours around.

The painting has a rough texture to the touch, especially in the bottom left where the paint was thicker.

The painting has been sealed with Atelier Interactive Fast Medium/Fixer.

Abstract Fluid Acrylic Pouring - Untitled #2013-02

Untitled #2013-02 Ultramarine Blue, Blue Violet, Titanium White, Transparent Magenta & Pale Gold Acrylic paint pre-mixed with Liquitex Pouring Medium on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas

Liquitex Pouring Medium and Jo Sonja Flow Acrylics (pre-mixed in pouring bottles at 1:12 ratio) Ultramarine Blue, Blue Violet, Titanium White, Transparent Magenta & Pale Gold Acrylic.

First three colours were spread with painting knife a little and then canvas tilted for colours to flow. Then Next two colours were added and canvas tilted further until satisfied. When it was drying I thought the bottom right corner looked a little dead, but now dry you can see the gold more. But when painting is tilted the gold really sings (unfortunately it doesn't show in the photo).

Abstract Fluid Acrylic Pour - Untitled #2013-01

Untitled 2013-01 - Red, Yellow & White Acrylic paint pre-mixed with Liquitex Pouring Medium on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas

Liquitex Pouring Medium and Jo Sonja Flow Acrylics (pre-mixed in pouring bottles at 1:12 ratio) Yellow Lt, Napthol Red Lt and Warm White.

How to: Create texture using plastic wrap / cling film



Golden Fluid acrylic paint (ultra, magenta & white) & Jacquard Lumiere paint (Pearlescent Magenta & Pearl Turquoise) on 8x8-3/4x1/2 inch (20x25x1.3cm) stretched canvas

Suitable for:  acrylics, pigmented ink or watercolour

Requirements:

spray bottle of water
soft brush (optional)
painting knife (optional)
canvas or watercolour paper attached to board with painters or masking tape
fluid acrylic paint or watercolour tube paint
plastic wrap / cling film (plastic shopping bags can also be used)

Method:

1. Spray canvas with water and use soft brush to ensure full coverage. You want the canvas damp but not wet.
2. Drop colours randomly over canvas. I then use a painting knife to pat (sometimes scrape) the colours into areas without any colour - wipe off knife regularly to prevent colours muddying.
3. Add more colour if desired (this is where I added the Lumiere colours to picture 1).
4. Spray a light mist of water over canvas.
5. Tear a sheet of cling wrap from the roll and gently drop over canvas manipulating it to allow creases. Use your fingers to push colour around (not too much).
6. Cover with something heavy and leave to dry overnight.
7.  When dry, gently remove the cling wrap.
8. Leave to dry for a further few hours before sealing if desired. (Your painting may look dry, and even feel dry, to the touch but may smear if not completely dry).

As you can see from the following images, you can create very different effects using thicker paint, ink or watercolour on watercolour paper.

Art Spectrum Pigmented Ink (turquoise, blue, green, violet & white) on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas

Matisse Structure acrylic paint (aqua, ultra, southern ocean blue, indigo, cobalt turquoise & titanium white) mixed with Atelier Fast Medium/Fixer to thin paint on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas

Art Spectrum watercolour paint on Canson Montval watercolour 300gsm A4 paper

Update - new home with the perfect "art studio"

After years of dreaming of moving to the Sunshine Coast, earlier this year I decided to take the plunge. I've always lived in the one area so this was a big move. At least an hour and a half away.

 

So I was fortunate to sell my house immediately with the option to rent for up to three months. However, finding the right home proved more difficult that I expected. With the long drive just to view houses, along with packing, planning, etc, it just seemed to slowly drain away energy along with creativity and any urge to paint.

 

The trouble was not finding the right area, location or even the outside of the house, but one with more than one large bed room. I wanted a "studio" where I could have a few areas to paint, room for jewellery making, polymer clay, paper crafts, computer & printer.

 

After two months I found the right place and settlement was on 30 July. I have been here for five weeks and now I finally feel the excitement of painting coming back.

 

This is my new "studio". Still a work in progress and a bet messy:

 

 

Blue & White with Green

"Blue & White with Green" acrylic paint on 8x8x1/2 inch (20x20x1.3cm) stretched canvas

The canvas was painted with Jo Sonja background colour in Blue Lagoon. When dry, Matisse Structure acrylics in Titanium White, Jo Sonja acrylics in Ultramarine and Green Lt along with the background colour were spread with a painting knife until I was happy with the result. When dry the green wasn't as strong as I wanted, so I added a few more strokes with the knife.

The painting has been sealed with Atelier Interactive Fast Medium/Fixer.