If you are new to acyclic pouring, it goes by many names. They include fluid art, liquid painting, flow art, puddle or pour painting. Methods and tools that are used to pour are known as funnel paintings, flip cup painting, swipe painting, open cup pour, dustpan, strainer and many more.
Fluid painting comes with a fairly high price tag. All art has a cost associated, but in particular the cost of acrylic pour paintings & fluid art will be more expensive than a typical acrylic painting because of additives and lots of run off paint.
Let me just say, it’s worth every penny to me. It’s my fluid art therapy.
Now that you know its not cheap, and still want to give it a try, know that watching and creating are two very different activities. Fluid art youtubers have made years of mistakes so they have gotten their consistency of paint down to a science. I’m not an expert by any means, but I’d like to introduce my YouTube channel.
Listed below are supplies I use for fluid art:
(I am not promoting the following products. I only suggest products I use and like..By clicking on the the affiliate links, I may earn a tiny fraction if you purchase and one day may help pay for this blog. The cost will not change for you by doing so.)
Necessities of paint pouring:
Paint, mixing media, cups, mixing sticks (tongue depressors), and canvases or substrate.
The prices are fluctuating greatly right now because of the market, so I have deleted individual cost. However, initial prices for the basics: paint, medium mix, and canvases are upwards of a hundred dollars.
You can go cheaper or more expensive, but budget for at least $50 to $100. If you forgo the medium and just use water you can save a little bit of money as well, but you won’t get the desired consistency and it may not work out.. thus waisting the paint.
Things you may want to include when the time is right:
Floetrol & Beginners mixing set (you can also find a gallon of latex Floetrol at Lowes for about $20)
Americana Dazzling Metallics variety (these are so pretty for fluid art)
16oz Squeeze Bottles w/lids Premium /Fresh Kitchen (use for easy use and storage. Use large mouth for mixing)
Torch gun handheld (use to pop any trapped air bubbles)
Palatte knife tools (to spread base layer on substrate or to make designs in)
Treadmill Silicone Lubricant (add a drop in your mix to develop more cells)
High gloss varnish / Liquitex (add if you want it sealed afterward)
Update: Here is a mid 2023 pic at Jo-Annes. You can find an entire section of pre-mixed fluid art today. Zoom in to see prices. However, it’s more cost effective to mix your own fluid paint.
It’s important that you prepare for a lot of waste when you first start acrylic pouring. So, start small and add supplies as you go along to lower the cost. If you can afford the cost of acrylic pour paintings, it’s worth it!
Warning you may become addicted! It was my addiction for awhile.
