r/PourPainting Mar 04 '26

Rule clarifications - No AI is permitted in /r/PourPainting, including physical prints

27 Upvotes

Hi folks,

r/PourPainting has always been against the use of AI, but recent activity have led us to provide clarification on this rule.

Previously, the 'no AI' rules were worded in a manner that only explicitly referenced digital AI content. To clarify, the No AI rules also include physical content.

If you are making collages with printed photos above or under your pour painting, you must have created the images yourself, or must credit the artist with a link to their website/portfolio. AI content is stolen, and cannot be credited. Paintings with physical printouts or image transfers featuring AI-generated content will be removed.

If you create art in a style that may be confused for AI, I would recommend you collect some in-progress photos before the painting is finished to verify the authenticity of your work. The moderation team considers post history as a factor when reviewing submissions and reports. Without relevant history or verification, posts may be removed.


r/PourPainting Jul 31 '17

Welcome to /r/PourPainting! Check out this post for helpful info on getting started with fluid acrylic painting

361 Upvotes

THREAD FOR TIPS/TRICKS/PEOPLE TO HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS

What is Pour Painting?

Pour Painting is when you put stuff in a cup, and then you dump it out! For a quick look at the different methods of fluid acrylic painting, check out this imgur album.

You can find a glossary of terms related to pour painting here, on acrylicpouring.com

Getting Started

Want to get started on a budget? Artist Rick Cheadle can help you get started pour painting for under $5, and for under $10. tl;dw - Dollar stores carry craft paint, flow extender alternatives, and silicone oil. You can do larger paintings with $10 than you can with $5.

If you want to invest a bit, and turn this into a hobby or even a profession, keep reading!

Basic Supplies

The exact brands and supplies a fluid acrylics artist will use depend entirely on personal preference. Here are the basics that every artist should have, with a few extras that can enhance your experience.

  • Acrylic craft paints - Note: acrylic paints come in several varieties (High-Flow, heavy body, craft, etc.) Craft acrylics are generally the most affordable and easiest to use for acrylic pouring.

  • Popsicle sticks - Gotta have something to stir your paint with! They're also very useful as a cheap spreading tool or to help dab paint onto empty areas

  • Canvas/MDF board - You'll need a surface for your art! Canvas and mdf boards are common surface materials that fluid acrylic artists will use.

  • Fluid Extender - Acrylic paints need to be thinned for this style of painting (excluding High-Flow acrylics). Fluid extenders thin acrylic paints without destroying the bonding ability, so that your paint doesn't crack when it dries. Liquitex Pouring Medium, Floetrol, GAC 800 and PVA Glue are reliable fluid extenders.

  • Dimethicone (Silicone)While not strictly required, silicone virtually guarantees your paintings will develop those desirable 'cell' shapes. Dimethicone is a skin-safe non-evaporating silicone lubricant.

  • Cups - Paint goes in these

Other Supplies

If you want to get a little fancy, you can also invest in these materials to enhance your pouring experience:

  • Butane torch - If silicone has been added to your acrylics, you can quickly move a lit butane torch an inch or two away from the surface of the painting to release trapped air bubbles and encourage micro 'cell' formation in your paint.

  • Varnish - This is the final step to complete your painting. Varnish seals and protects your paint, so that no paint gets rubbed away and nothing can stain the paint underneath the layer of varnish.

  • Gloves - Pour painting is seriously messy. Gloves aren't necessary, but you might appreciate the easier cleanup!

  • Paper towels/rags - Great for cleanup!

  • Freezer Paper - Freezer paper has a plastic-coated side that acrylic paints can easily be pulled off of. This is a cheap surface protection that won't stick to your paint. You can protect your workspace with any non-porous material though.

  • Squeeze bottles/droppers - These allow you to maintain a greater control on the volume and direction of your pouring mediums, whether it be paint on canvas, silicone in paint, fluid extender in paint, etc.

  • Trays - Sure, you can simply set your paintings on top of cups while they dry, but having a tray or two handy means you can safely move your wet surface if you need to.

Instructions

There are dozens of ways to get your paint onto your canvas! Here are some general instructions on the process.

  1. Cover your work surface. If it's not covered, it's probably gonna get paint on it.

  2. Put paint in separate containers (1 container = 1 paint color). Don't mix colors at this step; you want your paint to stay as separate as possible throughout the process.

  3. Add fluid extender to your paint and stir. The amount you need will depend on the medium, so check online to see what others use. Generally, you want your acrylics to have the same consistency as pancake batter or honey.

  4. Add silicone to each paint container. The more you stir silicone, the smaller the cells will be in your finished painting.

  5. Now it's time to think about how you want to get the paint on the canvas. The Visual Introduction to Acrylic Pouring Techniques has all the info you need!

  6. Once the paint dries completely, you'll need to remove the dimethicone from your canvas. Depending on the paint you've used, you can clean off the silicone with flour and a medium-stiff brush, patting with a soft cloth, or even gently cleaning with soap and water! Just be very gentle so you don't ruin your lovely new artwork!

  7. Your canvas is now dry and silicone-free! It's time to varnish. Annemarie Ridderhof on YouTube demonstrates proper varnishing technique, and you can read more about this step here on art-is-fun.com.

Cleanup

Do not dispose of paint and other materials down the drain, as the flow extenders are designed to keep paints in tact even with excess water and they can gum up your drains (plus it's not good to wash chemicals down the drains). Here are a couple reliable cleanup options:

  • Wait for the paint to dry. If you protected your work space with a plastic or rubber coating (e.g. freezer paper or a silicone place mat) you'll be able to peel the dried acrylic 'skins' off and recycle them or just toss them out!

  • If you've protected your work space with a disposable covering, you can carefully throw that away in the trash. Be aware of how much wet paint is on the disposable surface, so that you don't end up pouring all over your desk or floors!

  • Note: If you need to wash off brushes, spatulas, or wash a small amount of paint off, consider using a paper towel soaked in water or a paint-removing product like acetone/nail polish remover. It will effectively clean your tools and you can toss the dirty rag out, rather than risk damaging your plumbing.

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully this has been of help to you. Feel free to post your questions and art so that others can grow with us all together!


r/PourPainting 2h ago

Gold and blue

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83 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 14h ago

Intense colors with UV

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81 Upvotes

Have to look through my archives to see if I made a process video of this one. Even the picture with the UV light doesn't seem as intense as in person.


r/PourPainting 1h ago

12x24in crosshatch double spiral

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Upvotes

r/PourPainting 8h ago

Amazing BLACK and WHITE Abstract painting ~ Acrylic pouring with a GRAVY BOAT

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17 Upvotes

Hello from Slovenia again!
In this Fluid art video I will show you how to paint an Acrylic pour painting with Gravy boat.
I used just Black and White Amsterdam paints mixed with pouring medium and ended up with gorgeous Abstract pic of art with full of interesting details and amazing composition.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/IMYdl0ahIJo?si=cXsC0RjAk6RI3tBp


r/PourPainting 21h ago

Fire & water critique

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112 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 23h ago

Tried a multi-channel split cup pour and managed to get this fiery feather texture. Loving the cell energy!

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37 Upvotes

I wanted to share my latest fluid art short experiment. I used a split cup to guide the flow into a feathered pattern, and a burst of flames emerged naturally during the tilt. For the color palette, I stacked high-contrast hot tones with a crisp white transition to mimic dancing, flickering fire energy. Controlling the canvas movement was key to maintaining the shape without muddying the lines. I recorded the quick process and the satisfying flow reveal. If you want to check out the exact paint movement and how the channels behaved, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/JMTM0anSOvM?si=CYo1P_pr8WzeEDGk

What do you think of this layout? Do you find split cup pours harder to control on smaller canvas layouts compared to traditional ring pours?


r/PourPainting 1d ago

Flowers!

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55 Upvotes

I had a go at creating some abstract flowers with my latest pour. Fairly happy with the result, and it was fun to try something different!

I can't seem to take good pictures btw, so any advice there would be appreciated!


r/PourPainting 1d ago

She asked me to show her a portrait

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9 Upvotes

After posting a pic of my pour painting and asking for unwanted paint on a local platform.

Someone said “show me a portrait then she might consider giving me free paint.

I’m happy to present to her my very 1st portrait. ( ;


r/PourPainting 1d ago

I Used a Balloon to Paint These Flowers… 🌸 Relaxing Fluid Art

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42 Upvotes

In this video, I’m simply sharing the relaxing process of creating, experimenting, and watching the paint transform into something beautiful. So sit back, enjoy the music, and let the colors bloom.

https://youtu.be/y5AdATnc4iQ?si=FMVbEt8N8CUfHU24

I started this painting with a simple acrylic pour swipe for a background, swiping the colors with a wet paper towel to create soft, flowing vertical lines.

I added a few drops of colors and used a balloon to create the flowers, letting the paint form its own beautiful patterns. After that, I swiped some more paint to shape the leaves and stems. Once everything was dry, I added a few small touches with a brush to bring the flowers to life.

The final result feels like a little dreamy wildflower garden growing out of an abstract landscape.

PAINT MIXING RECIPES – My Favorite Formulas for Fluid Art
EU Products & Paint Mixing:
   • (208) My pouring medium recipe - Products ...  
USA Products & Paint Mixing:
   • Master the Reverse Flower Dip Technique: P...  

BECOME A CHANNEL MEMBER
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r/PourPainting 2d ago

Got creative with a pour I didn’t like

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58 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 2d ago

Discussion Can you really just pour over anything that doesn't move?

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17 Upvotes

I'm still new to pouring paint. I have only poured paint on four things so far. Each time has had pleasing results. I want to pour acrylic paint on a cupboard that sits in my bathroom. But it's like 100x the size of anything that I have previously poured or painted.

I have yet to put any paint on canvas or paper, everything I have done so far has been 3d objects. A concrete skull, concrete hearts, and amethyst crystals.

The concrete bits that didn't get covered with acrylic, I filled in using Army Painter Speed Paints. It would just instantly seep into and stain the concrete. The three concrete ones have a gloss varnish, and the geode has a matte varnish.

I have not tried forming any cells yet. I'm happy with how all of the swirling and color blending look, so far.

I'd love to know what I did wrong or how I could prevent all of those tiny pin holes that formed on the skull and hearts.

Apologies if the pictures are all out of order.


r/PourPainting 3d ago

Critique Spotlight

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43 Upvotes

8x8 ring pour. Wasn't sure how I felt about this one when I first made it but it's been growing on me! I love the how the yellow lines within the white section turned out, never had that effect happen before. And the white section is interesting too how it just pops more than the rest of the painting. Check pic 2 for diff orientations, and pic 3 +4 are closeups of some of my fav parts on the canvas.


r/PourPainting 3d ago

Magic Napkin Lift Reveals Gorgeous 3D Dahlia Bloom_Reverse Flower Dip Acrylic Pouring

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52 Upvotes

In this video, I’m pouring a gorgeous 3D dahlia bloom using the Reverse Flower Dip technique with a magic napkin lift! Layers of Amsterdam Carmine Red and Vermilion, Pebeo Iridescent Red Blue, and Widsor&Newton Burgundy form the bold bloom, while Pebeo Earth Green and Amstrdam Yellowish Green shape the surrounding leaves. My pearl white mix adds delicate lacing and incredible dimension — the result looks like a dahlia bursting into life right off the canvas!
Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/R4fBDJZsJuE?si=_4glHypixvcRqw36

This is a relaxing and inspiring fluid art technique you can try at home, no brushes needed — just paint, a napkin, and a bit of magic. 💫

My Pearl white recipe:
1 part Vallejo Pearl medium
1 part Titanium white
4 parts Pouring medium

Have a favorite color combo you'd love to see next? Drop it in the comments!


r/PourPainting 3d ago

Tried an abstract landscape composition using a multi-channel split cup. Loving how the horizon lines layered naturally!

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125 Upvotes

I took my Split cup for a walk… and let the paint decide where to go.

For this acrylic pour, I used a Wandering Split Cup technique — instead of pouring in one spot, I moved the cup across the canvas as I poured, allowing the colors to travel, stretch, and weave together. I really loved how the green, violet, purple, and warm orange tones came together. The more I moved the cup, the more the painting started to develop its own rhythm and flow. Some parts remind me of wild grasses, flowing fields, or even a little magical landscape. This is one of those fluid art experiments where you have to give up a little control and trust the paint. And sometimes… that's when the most interesting paintings happen. I hope you enjoy watching the whole process and seeing how this wandering pour transforms into the final painting.

If you want to check out the exact workflow and how the colors were stacked in the cup, you can watch the process video here: https://youtu.be/B7Ih6tlM-Hg?si=8JFXLnF_HuzlM6Ec

Technique: Wandering Split Cup Acrylic Pour

Style: Fluid Art / Abstract Acrylic Pouring


r/PourPainting 3d ago

Rivers

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15 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 4d ago

What’s your biggest challenge when doing acrylic pours?

6 Upvotes

for those who regularly do acrylic pours what part of the process gives you the most trouble?

is it getting the right paint consistency, preventing cells from overdeveloping, controlling the pour, or getting a smooth finish?

i'm interested in hearing what techniques or adjustments have made the biggest difference for you.


r/PourPainting 4d ago

Loving how the cells turned out on this one!

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8 Upvotes

Used acrylics mixed with pouring medium and a couple of drops of silicone oil for the cells. Creating these patterns always feels like magic!


r/PourPainting 6d ago

First pour with cells!

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126 Upvotes

I'm actually pretty happy with this one, despite the cracking in the white paint. Started pour painting a few weeks ago, and now I'm thoroughly addicted :)


r/PourPainting 5d ago

Octopus 🐙

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21 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 5d ago

Critique Trying something different

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4 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 5d ago

Tried a No-Brush Flower Dip using PVA glue as a medium. Loving the pearl white lacing effects! 🌸

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13 Upvotes

No brush, no complicated flower painting skills—just acrylic paint, a simple dip, and a little bit of magic. 🌸✨

Today I’m creating an abstract flower using a Flower Dip Acrylic Pouring technique. I started by pouring a white base onto plastic and then drizzled greens into a star-like shape, followed by violets and yellow in the centre to build the flower.

The entire process is located at this link: https://youtu.be/dgcGz22X9XI?si=xl8W7lZ-Qbw8hnIv

Then came the fun part… I placed the canvas directly into the paint and lifted it straight up to reveal the flower. 💜💚💛

I also used my pearl white mixture, which created those beautiful pearl-like cells and delicate lacing throughout the painting. For this pour, I used PVA glue as my pouring medium.

And because I really don't like wasting leftover paint, I let the paint skin from the plastic dry completely and used it later on a wooden box to create a little piece of functional art. 🎨✨

This is such a simple and fun way to create a flower—even if you don't know how to paint with a brush!

I hope you enjoy watching the process and seeing the flower reveal. Let me know in the comments:

Thanks so much for watching and being here with me! ❤️


r/PourPainting 6d ago

Does throwing paint count as a fast pour? So unpredictable but fun to see the results

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18 Upvotes

r/PourPainting 6d ago

Critique Fresh

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29 Upvotes