Meet one of the easiest DIY contemporary art projects of all time: Fluid Acrylic Dutch Pour Painting. It requires no artistic skills other than the ability to pour paint and use a blow dryer.
Could it really be that simple?
Yes.
Simply mix your favorite paint colors with water, pour on a wood panel or sturdy canvas, and then blow the paint into gorgeous swirls, patterns, and waves!
It may be the most fun you’ve ever had making a painting!
Watch the video to see the entire process, and be sure to check out the Helpful Tips below.
supplies you’ll need:
- a sturdy pre-primed canvas panel OR wood painting panel (prime the wood surface of the panel with a good quality primer before painting, for best results with this project)
- blow dryer
- Behr Marquee 8 ounce paint samples (from The Home Depot) in your favorite colors
- cups for mixing and pouring
- water
helpful tips
- Cover your work area (and floor). Acrylic pour painting is fun, but it can get messy–especially when you are using a blow dryer to blow paint!
- Choose primed wood panels or sturdy pre-primed canvas panels (the kind that are made specifically for acrylic pour painting). Cheap canvases can sag in the middle when paint is poured, causing paint to puddle and make a “pond”. A sturdy flat surface will support the weight of the paint so that your colors will glide across to make beautiful formations.
- Rectangular-shaped panels are fabulous for dutch pour painting. Long panels give the paint more freedom and space to stretch into amazing wave patterns. The canvas in the video is 12 inches x 24 inches.
- Make sure your work surface is level before pouring paint.
- Use a range of paint colors from light to dark—for contrast and interest.
- Combine water + paint with an approximate 1:3 ratio (about 25-30% water and 70-75% paint). You can use an old kitchen measuring set — about 1/4 cup water + 3/4 cup paint.
other projects to try
If you like this project, you might also like this ocean wave acrylic pouring project or this other post showing creative things to do with your fluid acrylic pour paintings.
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