1. Ratios Matter!  –There are 3 P’s in pour painting when it comes to the ratios of pouring medium to paint-Paint, Pigment, and Pour.  That is the type of PAINT that you are using, the amount of PIGMENT and type, and what type of POUR you are doing.  

For example, craft paints often require less pouring medium, such as Floetrol, because they often have less pigmentation.  Here the ratio may be 1:1 depending on the color and brand.  A soft bodied (student) acrylic paint might have a ratio of 1 part paint to 2 parts pouring medium.  A heavy bodied acrylic paint of good quality could could even go up to a whopping 1:6 ratio paint to pouring medium!  Of course, there is a lot of variation between paints and experimentation is in order, but isn’t that good to know.  I personally found that metallic paint also tends to be more viscous and doesn’t always react like other paints.  Even premixed metallics may need extra PM or water.

2. Keep It Level!  You might ask yourself, I work on a table or on the floor-isn’t it level?  Is it?  Have you checked?  The surface you are working on has to be level. If it is not, the paint runs toward the lowest point.  I learned to check level when I double stacked one of the cups holding up my painting when I moved it to dry and all the paint ran off to one side.  Avoid disappointment and keep a small level handy and check if there is any doubt. This is especially important when using resin, as well. I would also advise using large pushpins for “feet” for the canvas so that the canvas stays level throughout the process as you move your work around.

3. Lumpy paint and additives– Floetrol is wonderful and inexpensive but it tends to have lumps that muck up your painting.  While I wish they would fix this problem, alas we must take drastic measure to insure quality control. Many people use panty hose or cheesecloth as strainers. If you have those things lying around the house you can rubber band them around the top of the Floetrol bottle and have at it.  I personally use a bottle top sized strainer but they also make a filter lid specifically for Floetrol if you are willing to pay for it. Furthermore, paints themselves can have lumps.  Make sure you mix your pre-made paints that may have settled.  You may even need to add some water over time and remix or shake. 

“Use a paint calculator to save paint!”

4. Save paint and save your pocket pocketbook!  Ever pour too much paint or not enough for your size of canvas?  Paint calculators can be found on the internet specifically for pour painting.  Just put in the dimensions of your canvas and the ounces of paint needed for that size canvas will pop out of the algorithm.  This may mean you need a kitchen scale or measuring cup with ounces  but you can save a quite a bit of paint with this method and get rid of the guesswork. Try this painting calculator.

5. Avoid the mess!  Sick of messy canvases which look like they have been finger-painted on the back?  Use painter’s tape to tape off the back and/or sides of your canvas. This may be especially important if selling your work for a more professional appearance. If you want, you may also tape paper to the back to protect the entire back of the canvas.

6. Shore it up!  I learned the hard way that canvases often sag-especially with a lot of pour paint.  Why does this matter?  The biggest problem I have personally had with this is when I go to apply varnish or resin.  Resin especially likes to pool in the middle of the canvas leaving the the sides near the stringer bare.  While you can tighten a canvas by various means such as spraying water on them and letting them dry or adding shims to tighten the canvas in the back, the easiest is to use cardboard or any hard material that can be cut to the size of the canvas opening and placed inside to shore up the canvas and make it a flat surface for pouring and resining.

7. Contain the mess- Use a “pouring container” and/or silicone mat to keep the paint contained. While a large cardboard box will do in a pinch, a more useful solution to contain the mess that is inherent in pour painting is to use a large plastic storage container  which can be converted into a pour box.   By adding metal rods or wooden dowels put will drip through leaving your space free of paint!  Once the paint in the plastic container is dry it can be peeled off and used for other projects like making acrylic skin jewelry. Besides peeling acrylic paint off  is just plain cathartic and  fun!

8. Not just for ketchup anymore!  I found the best way to paints that are mixed with pouring medium is in plastic bottles meant for condiments.  They come in all sizes and once you place the lid on tend to last for quite a while.  Sometimes you may have to give the them a good shake or add some water but it is really convenient.  Just try not to shake them too much right before you pour or you will have a lot of bubbles!

9. Cover your floors!  This one is personal! If you are working in your garage  you may not care about this one but if you are pouring in the corner of your living room or your guest bedroom, especially where there’s carpet or pretty hardwoods, this is very important.  Pour painting is messy.  That is just the way it is so just in case you are starting out and haven’t figured it out, yet- cover everything in the vicinity of your pour space including those floors.  Black paint is nasty to get out of carpet!

10. Reuse your canvases- It was going to be a epic painting until it wasn’t.  Sometimes your great work of art doesn’t turn out quite what you thought.    That’s OK, just reuse canvas.  They are expensive so just scrape off the canvas and put the paint into a sealable container (not in the trash) or if the masterpiece  dried then choose to gesso over the work or just pour over the top.  One word of caution, though. Thick pours and even uneven gesso usually will show through on the next painting but if you are okay with that or just practicing you will be golden.

11. Practice makes perfect.  You have probably heard it all your life and pour painting is no exception.  Practice! Practice! Practice!

12. Learn to stop!  Sometimes as a painter this is a hard thing to do but don’t overwork, over tilt or over think your panting.  If you are not careful, you will end up with a muddy mess!

What are your favorite tips and tricks?