Understanding DIY Pouring Medium Ingredients
Table of Contents
Hi! 👋🏼 I see more and more questions and comments on Facebook about using the Acrylic Paint Pouring Techniques with Floetrol, Glue-All, and Water. I decided to record a paint pouring 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.
I am not too concerned about the final design for these recipe paint pouring comparison experiments. I am more interested in ingredient effectiveness and their role in achieving the designs.
THE VIDEO: Paint Pouring Comparison Experiment
TIMELINE: Paint Pouring Comparison Experiment
00:09:33 Floetrol and Craft Paint recipe
05:07:20 Elmer’s Glue-All and Craft Paint recipe
09:35:18 Water and Craft Paint recipe
12:57:53 BONUS: I mixed the remaining cups of each color into one cup (I.E., all the black color recipes into one black cup), and the result AMAZED ME!
15:37:13 The dried results!
SUPPLIES: Paint Pouring Comparison Experiment
Here are the main supplies I used:
Floetrol
Elmers Glue-All
CraftSmart Black Acrylic Paint
CraftSmart Light Pink Acrylic Paint
CraftSmart Purple Acrylic Paint
CraftSmart Light Gold Acrylic Paint: Not available for purchase any longer
PROCESS: Paint Pouring Comparison Experiment
In all three experiments (and in the bonus experiment at the end), I am using the same colors, recipe ratios, layering pattern, and paint pour technique (Tree Ring).
- Mix the paint in 3-ounce Dixie cups using the Recipe Ratios: 2-parts pouring medium to 1-part craft paint.
- Layer the paint in a 5-ounce cup using the Layering Pattern: Black, Purple, Light Pink, and Light Gold.
- Pour the paint mix over the canvas using the Technique: Tree Ring.
- Tilt the canvas slowly to cover the surface, sides, and edges.
- Let dry.
Floetrol and Acrylic Paint Recipe
In my first experiment, I mixed my craft paint with Floetrol as a pouring medium. This recipe did mix well, but it is important to scrape the cups’ sides to be sure that it is mixed thoroughly. When working with Floetrol, it is important that you shake the container very well and that you strain it before using it in your paints, or you will get “strings” in your final, dried painting.
The Floetrol recipe worked as I thought it would. It held the design and softened it as it dried.
Elmer’s Glue and Acrylic Paint Recipe
In my second experiment, I mixed my craft paint with Elmer’s Glue-All as a pouring medium. This recipe mixed very thick (like a heavy pancake batter), and it held onto the air bubbles after mixing each color. As I layered the paints into the 5-ounce cup, I could see the air bubbles pour with the paint, and they did not release. Although the paints looked very “chunky” while I poured them onto the canvas, they spread well over the canvas.
Mixing PVA Glue with acrylic paint surprised me because the mix held onto the air bubbles, even after tilting. The design was also lost and turned into a wavy or ripple design.
Water and Acrylic Paint Recipe
In my third experiment, I mixed my craft paint with Water as a pouring medium. This recipe was very thin and hard to work with. When I poured the paints into the layering cup, each color melted into the previous, although the colors looked pretty neat in the cup. The colors blended more and ran off the surface when I poured it onto the canvas. The gold color never mixed well, so lumps of gold stuck to the canvas.
The Water Recipe was my least favorite to work with. It was so much messier than the other methods! This is not an ideal recipe for structured Acrylic Paint Pouring techniques!
BONUS Acrylic Paint Pouring Medium Recipe
After finishing my three experiments, I decided to combine the extra paints and see what would happen. I took all three black recipe cups and mixed them into one cup. I did the same for the remaining three colors. I was amazed at the pourable consistency of each color and layered them into the 5-ounce cup. Again, I was surprised at how well the colors layered.
Pouring onto the canvas was fun because of how well these colors worked with each other. The design was strong and held very well, even after tilting. I was shocked that this did work because I used the remaining amounts of paint without measuring what was going into the cups.
RESULTS: Paint Pouring Comparison Experiment
I learned several things from this experiment. I learned that although Floetol works well on its own, it needs more support from the other players to achieve strong results. The Elmer’s Glue-All was super thick, but it has a binding property to hold on to the paint colors but not patterns (and air bubbles if we are not careful!). The water seems to be an extreme thinning source and should be used minimally as possible unless you are trying to achieve softer, more muted art pieces. When all three of these ingredients are combined, they work to create unique and beautiful paintings!
Try water again but use less, just enough to loosen the paint a bit and allow it to “flow” when poured