FREE Acrylic Paint Pouring Calculator – Taking the Guess Work Out!

It’s time to take the guesswork out of the mix with our FREE Paint Pouring Calculators!

Knowing how much paint to use can be a frustration to some artists. While it is best to mix more paint than needed for your project, mixing too much paint can be very time-consuming and sometimes wasteful. When I first started learning about paint mixing, I watched so many videos that said “use about this much” or “just eyeball it.” These learning techniques may work for some, but I had difficulty feeling confident to start learning until I watched more to learn what “just eyeball it” really meant.

I have created two calculators for you to use to help determine how much paint is needed for your project. These calculators are a FREE resource to assist you with your project. And, they are simple to use! You will enter the height and width of your square or rectangle surface (or diameter if using a circle surface) and the depth of the side of your surface. The calculators will give you the approximate ounces of paint you will need to complete your project!

Use the Acrylic Pouring Paint Calculators

Enter the height, the width, and the depth of the side of the surface of your square or rectangle surface (or if you are using a circle surface, enter the diameter and the depth of our circle). The calculators will give you the approximate ounces of paint that you will need to complete your project. TIP: It is always best to mix slightly more paint to allow flexibility in your design process.

Tips for using the Paint Pouring Calculators

• The calculations above are provided as approximate measurements needed of fluid paint to complete your project, including any base paint layers you start with.
• Fluid paint is defined as a combination of acrylic paint, water, and a pouring medium.
• If your surface does not have sides, you wish to cover, please enter “0” in the “Depth” field.
• Different variables will alter these measurements, such as paint consistency and the pouring technique used. If you use a thicker consistency of mixed paint, you will need to add between 5%-10% more paint to the calculated measurement.
• You may also reference my “how much acrylic paint to cover canvas chart” below.

Did you know that one of the most common problems with beginners is leaving too much paint on their canvas? This can cause all sorts of problems such as cracking and crazing!

Have you been wondering what is best to use in your paint mixes? Floetrol, Glue-all, or Water?  I decided to record a comparison experiment to show you the differences in using each as a pouring medium for the Acrylic Paint Pouring Techniques. During this experiment, I learned a lot about how each of the pouring mediums works with the Acrylic Paint Pouring Techniques, and I have a better understanding of how they work with each other.

QUICK GUIDE FOR COMMON CANVAS SURFACE SIZES

For your convenience, I am also providing a chart that I use with some common canvas sizes. This chart uses the same formulas as the Paint Pouring Calculators above, but it provides quicker AT GLANCE information for the flat surface. This chart does not include your surface’s side measurements; you will need to add that measurement. Here is my how much paint for acrylic pour chart:

EXAMPLE: How much does 2 oz of acrylic paint cover? A good rule of thumb is to use approximately 1 ounce of paint to 25 square inches of surface coverage. Using this as a guide, 2 oz of acrylic paint would cover 50 square inches of the surface.