Acrylic Pouring

I fell in love with a demo on acrylic pouring.    I love my Pebeo fantasy paints and their quirky cell formation.   However this technique using normal acrylics and it doesn't matter whether they are cheap paints or not (you could even use tester pots of paint).  

Acrylic pouring is all the rage in the States at the moment, and is fast taking hold in this country and around the World.

The method I used was demonstrated by Jo from the Glass Hut (which also comes under the Bead Hut) if you are searching for them.)   This was using her pouring medium and pva glue and paints of choice.  I also added some cell medium at one stage.

Having watched load of demos on line (and also watching DaliArt using a slightly different medium this week, together with some paste pigments) I decided it was time to take the plunge.

First pour on left, second pour with cell medium (and no cells on left)

I mixed PVA glue (just cheap stuff from the Works) with an equal part of the pouring medium and then added a similar amount of white paint to one plastic cup.  I then made up two more mixes and me being me the ultimate alchemist (lol!) I decided to try using the brusho pigments rather than acrylic paint.   The result was a little thin - so I added a smidgen of white paint to the blue and the purple.

Having read a tip to make the paint spread more easily, I put a little of the white mix on the canvas and spread it with a palette knife.   I then poured a little of one of the colours into the centre of the canvas -I think I started with the purple.  I added some of the blue to the centre of the purple "puddle", then some white and repeated.  I then took a straw and blew the paint into a sort of flower shape.   I put a bit more paint in the centre of the flower and did another lot of blowing.   It didn't fill the canvas quite as I wanted, so I add some more of the colours around the edge of the canvas.  I then took a kebab stick and drew through the paint.

I then added a few drops of cell medium to the purple and blue cups, and did another similar pour, again using the straw and kebab techniques.  I didn't get many cells appearing - I either didn't mix it enough or didn't put enough in.

I also learned from the DaliArt demo that she poured using wet wipes in her "drip collector container" - so I had done this as you can see from the photo.    Apparently when they are dry you can then tear them up or die cut them.

I decided to tip the remaining paint over some wet wipes - this time doing a "dirty pout" which is where you start with the white mix, and then add the colours into it - alternating the colours. (I should have reserved some white paint to do this in hindsight).   Having poured it it onto the wipes, the first thing I noticed was all the cells appearing - oh bother - typical!  Undeterred I grabbed a small canvas and dropped it onto the wipes and lifted a print - tada cells!  I gave this canvas a quick blast with my little blow torch to help bring the cells to the surface more.

The "lift" with the cells!

The wet wipes after I had "lifted" a print

In hindsight I possibly could have lifted some more prints from this mess in the tray, but as I wasn't sure I didn't bother (but you can see the imprint of where I dropped the little canvas into the puddle.)

I left all the bits and bobs in the Den overnight - and of course it wasn't really warm enough for them to dry, so now they are indoors - However, I did lift the wet wipes from the tray and took some prints on some card from the paint that had soaked through the wipes, which I can use for die-cuts or backgrounds  

Anyway I think I am going to be hooked on this technique - just have to hope for some nice days so I can venture to the Den and get messy, and next time bring them into the warmth of the house, as I am still waiting for these to dry.  (I may get my heat gun out and try and speed the drying up slightly as no heating on in the house at mo.)

Hopefully I can say watch this space for some more dabbling.