The Art of Paint Pouring: Tips, techniques, and step-by-step instructions for creating colorful poured art in acrylic

by Amanda VanEver

Learn the creative, innovative technique of making art by pouring paint with The Art of Paint Pouring .

Featuring easy step-by-step projects , practical tips , and beautiful art from an established paint-pouring expert, this book helps artists of any skill level make colorful, textured art by pouring acrylic paint onto a canvas.

There are many techniques for making poured art, and this book details them all. You will learn to swipe, pour, and more using the many how-to projects provided in this book. Also included are chapters on the Written and illustrated by a well-recognized paint-pouring artist, The Art of Paint Pouring is a comprehensive reference that eliminates the need to search online for multiple videos that you would continually have to pause and re-watch. If you are new to paint pouring, you will love the beginners’ tips and instructions that allow anyone to master this contemporary craft.

Start creating stunning works of poured art with The Art of Paint Pouring .

Also from the Fluid Art series , refresh your paint-pouring skills and learn new techniques The Art of Paint Swipe, Swirl & Spin and The Art of Paint Marbling .

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2019

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Paint Pouring: Tips, techniques, and step-by-step instructions for creating colorful poured art in acrylic by Amanda VanEver is an art book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. This book is going in my favorite folder for sure! I have watched dozens of paint pouring videos but they don't explain all the things one needs, supplies, how tos, what ifs, options, and things to watch out for which this book does! There are lots of techniques shown with a list of supplies and how to, with lots of pictures! I am very happy with this book! I have wants to try paint pour before but I didn't feel prepared, now I do! This really is a fabulous book of information! Tons of illustrations and instructions! A must have for beginners like me!

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you fancy jumping aboard the paint pouring crazy train that is doing the rounds at the moment then this is for you!
If like myself you have seen the many videos and tutorials and still feel unsure on the way forward, you need this book.

I was happy to see the first part of the book covered safety , this seems to be hugely overlooked in other tutorials.
I was also pleased to find a section covering recycling and reusing.

The information on colour mixing, colour combinations, additives and techniques is very helpful, and the projects are great. I particularly liked the string project and the negative space .

It was nice to see other ideas of items that can be decorated too.
this would make a lovely gift.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Alicia Bayer]

I'm not giving a star review for this book because my own rating would be very low but that doesn't mean that it won't be a great book for others.

Right off the bat you should know that THIS BOOK IS NOT INTENDED TO USE WITH CHILDREN. It's yet another pour painting book that uses highly toxic materials and sometimes dangerous techniques. The results are often gorgeous, but please do not do these with kids. These materials are incredibly bad for your health. She recommends using a respirator mask, protective gloves and eye wear for many of them. The materials are also absolutely terrible for the environment. I know they're pretty and trendy and everyone wants to do them these days, but at least keep that in mind.

Surely someone can write a book using these simple techniques with materials that won't poison us and the world?

That said, VanEver goes into materials, techniques to create effects by dragging string, tilting canvas, using a blow torch to make the bubbles look different, spinning, etc. A few projects like making coasters are provided at the end.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Justkeepreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with so many beautiful illustrations. I love crafting and I love trying my hand at new things and so this book is going to be great for that. I can’t wait to give these projects a try.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Paint Pouring by Amanda VanEver is a book I wish I had about a year or two ago when I first became interested in the "dirty pour" technique (as its called in my neck of the woods). This book would have saved me days when I was scouring the web for videos and secret tips on Facebook that people were not crazy about sharing. All the techniques are here, even one I hadn't heard of before. Step by step instructions, material lists and pictures are all provided. This book is a gold mine of information for anyone that has seen those fun videos and wants to try these painting techniques themselves. Looks like I will be bringing my paints and canvases back out to give it another go! Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC (all opinions expressed in this review are authentically mine).

[Jill Furedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got my hands on an advanced copy of this book thanks to the author and her publisher. In the interest of full disclosure...I know the author, Amanda. When we still lived in Nevada, she was working on mandala drawings and bookmarks and I bought copies of both of her coloring books (which I greatly enjoyed as well). The paint pouring started after I had moved away, so I didn't get to see her processes in person, but I've watched a lot of her youtube videos and purchased (and custom ordered) some of her paintings from Etsy (a set of Christmas coasters, a fabulous purple pour she did to match my bathroom colors, and then a friend bought me a gorgeous rainbow piece she did that I was admiring on her Facebook page). Anyway, point being...it isn't my usual habit to pick up an art book seeing as how my artistic skills are severely limited. But I got this one in the mail and first off, loved the graphics and photos in the book (the poured paint edges on the pages made me happy). I read through the whole thing and thought...yeah, she's spelled this out pretty well, the steps are logical, it all makes sense...but I also know I have no talent at this so that doesn't mean I could do it myself. Then I decided that the only fair way to judge it was to try some of the instructions out. After all, I usually try out a recipe before I judge a cookbook (although it just occurred to me that I don't think I've ever reviewed the cookbooks on Goodreads for some reason.).

I totally chickened out about trying to make the cells with silicone and a torch, because I know how I am and figured burning a canvas to ashes wasn't the best idea. And I also took the easy way out and bought a Paint Pouring kit at Hobby Lobby that had a bunch of colors and the sticks and cups and drop cloth and gloves, etc. The downside of that is that I wasn't able to utilize the info Amanda gave us about the types of paint and how to mix them, and I actually found that stuff kind of interesting to read about like looking for lightfastness and opacity and the thickness of the different kinds of paint and level of pigment, etc. But the plus side is that making it easy to purchase and set up encouraged me to go ahead and try it instead of letting it intimidate me. And I did have fun giving it a try. Honestly, I could have kept swirling the paint around on the canvas, watching the designs change for a long time, but at a certain point it is detracting from the appearance and seeing as how the final look is part of the goal, I reined it in. Does that mean they turned out pretty? Ummm...let's say two out of three are reasonable. I started off thinking I'd do a negative space canvas with a dirty pour, but then added more paint than I should of and lost most of the black paint from the negative space so I ended up just covering the whole canvas with the pour. It looks like a swirly red and blue marble, which wasn't what I intended, but was still kind of interesting. Then the second one was supposed to be a tree ring technique...I followed her instructions for pouring the paint down the side and was super excited to see that it worked even on my thin premixed paints. But I got carried away after looking at her rainbow version and put in more colors than I should have for my little 8" canvas and didn't like how it came out. So I poured some more colors on top to cover the colors I didn't like and spattered it with dots sort of Jackson-Pollack style and swirled it around some more. That one....well, I'm not sure it will get wall space, but maybe it will grow on me. The last one was a dip technique and I failed to get the paint even on the surface before I dipped the canvas in. So I double dipped it but moved the canvas as I pulled it away and lost my lighter colors. Which I decided I didn't like losing, so I ended up wadding up wax paper and trying to sponge paint the white and gold back into the middle of the piece. So none of mine turned out quite like I had in mind looking at Amanda's pieces...which given my lack of skill and practice is hardly surprising. I can see how trying it a few more times now that I know what to expect would yield better and prettier result! And as my friends who tried to teach me knitting and crochet can attest...I'd do a lot better if I stuck to the basics, followed the instructions instead of free styling and didn't get distracted trying to make things extra fancy. I have to say, I followed more instructions on this than I did on the yarn projects and did less embellishing than I do with recipes (which I am actually better at baking than the art so it doesn't turn out too bad in those cases). I made lots of messes of course, as I stuck my fingers in puddles of paint while I wasn't paying attention or touched the edges of the wet canvas. But I did find the whole thing fascinating and fun. My mother and sister are far more artistic than I am, so I am passing along the book and paint set to them to see what someone with more of an artistic side can do with it!

[Yogita Butala · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book 'The Art of Paint Pouring' by Artist Amanda VanEver (Walter Foster Publishing, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group, USA) is one perfect book to learn in depth this art technique. 


Artist Amanda VanEver on YouTube - 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW1h...


Information about art of paint pouring :

Method is called ‘acrylic pour painting’ / ‘acrylic pour’. (Pour = ओतणे). There are types of pour painting, for example, dirty pour, striated, etc. Pour painting is created using acrylics (fluid acrylic inks / heavy / medium / soft body), mixed up with proportionate pouring medium and water. Also, to get cell formations, it is needed to add few drops of silicone oil / resin to the mixture. Very messy it is to appear during the process but, once done, it is marvellous….! It requires lot of patience, perseverance and dedication, a readiness to mess up…. There’s nothing right, nothing wrong in the process once the proportion becomes appropriate for the desired results. It is like trusting in the unknown. It can be done on stretched canvas (better than non-stretched canvas as it is better to handle while tilting from sides by holding in the hands), wood or any material that can be compatible with the acrylic colours. Not just for painting on canvas, it can be used commercially also for jewellery making, pot-decorations, etc. The pouring medium can be either glossy or matte finish. I preferred glossy to use. I didn’t use the silicone oil as I wanted to create a first pour painting with basic technique. Next time, I will try to work with silicone oil to create the cells in the painting. Most messy part of the painting is tilting the canvas once the mixture is poured on it. It takes up 24 hours to 2-3 days approximately to let it completely dry, (without moving it at all to avoid the spoiling of the desired appearance), considering the humidity or heat in the weather (hair dryer technique shouldn’t be used at all to avoid the cracks) and the proportion of pouring medium and water along with the type of acrylic colours used. Heavy = thick acrylic colours with highest possible pigmentation with need of more proper stirring of pouring medium to avoid lumps and bubbles. Medium = less thick. Soft = fluid acrylic colours which need less pouring medium as they are already semi liquid and viscous (able to flow). Fluid acrylic inks are not same as soft body acrylics. Acrylic colours in tubes (heavy / medium / soft body) are preferable as they can be put up in the glass (disposable is preferable than stainless steel to avoid time cleaning later), only as much as needed. Taking out acrylic colours from a tiny bottle becomes bit tougher to put it into the glass for creating the mixture. Cell formation with silicone oil drops is whole different thing. Ideal ratio of the proportion is 1 part colour : 2 parts pouring medium : 2 to 3 teaspoons or more of water. Stir it up with the wooden sticks or spoons. A plastic or thick placement of waste newspapers is necessary to clean up later. Care should be taken to not let the glass containing the mixture slips out of the grasp of the hand while pouring, else it will be a destruction of all the efforts. Putting up gloves is required to avoid any skin infection (I didn’t use gloves though, as I had already bought non toxic pouring medium). Using a thick brush or fingers to touch up the sides of the stretched canvas is required to maintain the consistency in the overall appearance.
Pouring and tilting is the key to the successful pour painting!


There are types and techniques of paint pouring :

Dirty pour, swiping, dipping, pulling, hammering, pouring through a colander, etc.


The book also provides helpful information about the tools and materials required to create a paint pour artwork.


The book also provides insight how to use the art of paint pouring for commercial purposes as an artist. 


If you are ready to learn new art technique, go ahead for it with this book! Worth the cost. I bought it from Amazon.

My star-rating full 5-stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Art of Paint Pouring is a tutorial instruction guide to creating art with poured acrylic paints and inks. Author Amanda VanEver has become something of an internet phenomenon with a very popular youtube channel and facebook following. Due out 19th May 2019, from Quarto on their Walter Foster imprint, it's 128 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

There is an unparalleled freedom and spontaneity in actually pouring media onto a prepared substrate. It reminds me a lot of finger painting (in fact, fingers -are- used in some techniques) but with much more aesthetically appealing results.

The book begins with an introduction and background including materials and tools, a little bit of color theory, some specifics on creating texture ("cells") with resist media, finishing techniques, and saving unused materials. The introductory chapters represent roughly half of the page content. These chapters are followed by 17 (by my count) individual tutorials on techniques, surfaces, and decorative projects.

Many of the results pictured in the book remind me a lot of the surfaces of polished agate slices and geodes. Really pretty. I have been fascinated by marbling on fabrics and handmade papers before and this fits into the same sort of artistic niche in my mind. The photography is not superlative, but it is clear and easy to follow. I found it appealing that the artist's hands and fingers in a lot of the tutorial photos are stained and full of paint and ink (like real life). They're not staged and pristine with a well manicured hand model as a stand-in for the process photos.

There is no index, bibliography, or resource lists (but the supplies are very easily sourced in person or online). The electronic version of the book includes an interactive table of contents.

Four stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Art of Paint Pouring through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Paint Pouring is one of those art styles that looks deceptively simple. If you've ever watched a video of an artist at work, then you probably already know that it isn't as easy as it looks. This book, The Art of Paint Pouring, tackles the heavy task of explaining the basics.
I've never done paint pouring before – not counting the messes made on that cheap plastic wheel so many of us had as kids. But I've always been curious about it. For me the biggest intimidation was the idea of messing up – especially considering how many resources seem to be used up during the process.
This guide made the whole process seem less intimidating to me. I haven't had a chance to try any of the techniques out yet, but mainly because I haven't gone supply shopping yet. I am looking forward to trying though! And I feel a bit more confident now, thanks to VanEver.
This guide includes all of the basics, which I greatly appreciated. It covers everything from tools, color basics, how to mix paint, how to finish a piece, and so on. It also covered one of my biggest concerns – recovering leftover paint. I was so concerned about how wasteful this art style could be, so this was a major relief to me. It also had a variety of projects, and even took the time to explain how to work on some surfaces other than paper. It was exceptionally comprehensive.
I'm happy I took the time to read The Art of Paint Pouring. I'm feeling less intimidated than I had been. I'm especially looking forward to trying some of the projects suggested at the end of the book, such as working on different materials.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book instructs complete beginners in what you need to know to do your own acrylic paint-pouring. The author started with the tools and materials. She explained which acrylic paints can be used, how to add pouring medium and water, how you make cells in the finished painting, tips when using canvas or wood (or other) surfaces, and more. She briefly covered color theory and listed a number of her favorite color combinations. She also covered how to finish a piece: tips on drying, cleaning, and using resin or varnish to protect your painting.

The actual projects were basically step-by-step instructions on how to do various pouring techniques. You can use your own color combinations, and your finished project will be unique. She taught how to do a dirty pour, flip cup, puddle pour, tree ring, dip, swipe, colander pour, chain pull, striation, hammer, and negative space. She also showed how to use acrylic skins or pours to make jewelry, seasonal ornaments, bookmarks, coasters, and magnets. The photographs clearly showed the different steps, and the instructions were easy to understand. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in trying paint pouring.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book on paint pouring. Paint pouring is pretty simple. However, the author gave some unique techniques I had never heard of. One of my favorites was the necklace or sting technique. There are plenty of times I see a professional paint pouring and I wonder how they get that effect and now I know.

The author used a torch frequently to make cells in the paint. I don’t own a troche and would not feel safe using one so I use a hairdryer. As far as paint pouring techniques the author does give examples for the beginner as well as an advanced artist. I was very interested in her suggestions on how to use your leftover paint skin. I can’t wait to try some of the alternate canvas ideas, such as jewelry, pots, ornaments, and bookmarks.

I would recommend this book to an advanced or beginner interested in paint pouring.

I received this galley from NetGalley.

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, we've all seen paint pouring projects popping up all over the internet. Want to try it yourself? I know I do! This book is a great resource with clear instruction on making your own poured paint creations on various surfaces. VanEver offers up tips for success and for how to create the look you desire, but also encourages experimentation to see what works best for you and includes multiple images demonstrating the results of using the various methods and supplies to get you started. If you're looking to try out this craft, The Art of Paint Pouring will give you the information you need.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Walter Foster and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Leyla Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exciting book this is.
It starts off right at the beginning, assuming you know little about acrylic, colour and pouring. The instructions and photos that follow are very easy to follow and understand. And before you know it you're into various project, pouring and creating to your hearts content.
As the book progresses it introduces a newer and a little more adventures technique, all beautifully photographed and well explained, including safety information.
Finally at the end of the book there are projects such as jewellery, drink coasters, decorated babbles, pots and more.
Whilst I have done some similar work with dip dyeing fabric, paint and nail polish, this opens up lots of exciting ideas and I can't wait to try it.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When I was young, I never felt like I had any artistic skill or ability. Only in the last few years have I wanted to prove myself wrong. When I first started seeing fluid, or poured, art online, I was instantly hooked. This abstract type of art features so many possibilities and anyone can do it." Introduction - pgs 4-5

I've recently become excited by paint pouring and although I've watched many videos on Youtube, as a bibliophile, a book is always my go-to! So I was stoked to find Amanda's well laid out, practical and methodical contribution on this ingenious art form. The numerous pouring methods combined with the alternative surfaces section makes this a treasure trove of creative fun and a must-read for anyone fascinated by this form of artistic expression.

[Jason Muckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Art of Paint Pouring" by Amanda VanEver is an informative, step-by-step guide with pictures of creating works of art using a paint pouring technique.

VanEver provides lots of pictures and summarizes suggested lists of materials to create the best effects through paint pouring. This is a great guide for the beginner and those who want to try new materials that they haven't used in the past.

As a artist/painter myself, I found the book to be a very helpful guide where other videos and articles may lack the detail necessary to understand what to do and how to get started. I definitely recommend this as another resource for abstract artists.

[Mind the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under sommaren har jag fördjupat mig i 'acrylic pouring'-tekniker. Började med youtube-tutorials, men det känns ofta bra att läsa en bok när man vill lära sig något nytt. Fick flera bra insikter och idéer av den här.

En typ av akrylfärg jag trivdes med var DecoArt från Pyssloteket, tillsammans med utspädningsmaterial (pouring medium) från Liquitex och faktiskt lite hårolja från badrumsskåpet, för att det innehåller silikon som skapar 'celler' i mönstret.

[CR · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review: If you have seen all those videos on facebook and instagram about paint pouring and you want to try it. Then this is the book you want to have. It gives easy to follow tips, tricks, and ideas and I know that I will be a better paint pouring for it. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this one and to try my hand at paint pouring this summer!

[Valaree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Informative

I've done a few paint pours, it's fun! Great book with easy instructions
and photos from start to finish. I like knowing how to remove the silicone residue, now I can put a top
coat on my projects safely.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Book

I am a beginner paint pourer and was binge watching all the pouring videos on YouTube. All the different information got a little overwhelming. I found this book on Amazon and love it. So much good information and I can go back to it when I need to.

[Shay Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great techniques that I can’t wait to try with my art classes!

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book highlights many different ways to participate in this fun art project.

[Misti · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find just about all of this information by scrolling through Instagram or through online services. I did not learn much of anything new with this book. Maybe for a complete beginner.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, man. I want to DO this! It seems easy enough!!! It is beautiful!

[Juan Carlos Ortiz-Giró · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well explained and illustrated. It is a tremendous 101 book for novice painters like myself.

[Cj Zawacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent paint pour guide

[Janet Sketchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of good basics and tips. Plenty of photos.

[coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever thought that abstract art and paint pouring was magic...well it is. And now there's a book where you can learn all that fun!

I ended up requesting this book because I always think it's super cool how people can pour paint and make cool looking art. I was blown away by how easy this was to read, as VanEver gives us very helpful step by step project ideas (MULTIPLE of them!), tips and tricks for creating certain effects, and even combines commercial art and "Art", which is very interesting. Definitely, recommend this book if you want to get into paint pouring (which is something I want to try out now!)

I received a free e-review copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Heather Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Art of Paint Pouring is absolutely fun to learn and this book gives the reader excellent tips. This is easy to read and should be fun to try the techniques.

[Audrey Stars in Her Eye · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Art of Paint Pouring includes gorgeous full-color photos about a new kind of art I was aware of. While I have seen art like it before, I was unaware of how it was achieved. As someone who isn't great with a paint brush, I was fascinated with other ways to make beautiful colors using acrylic paint. I really enjoyed learning about teh supplies and techniques and want to try this style out for myself!

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't come across Paint Pouring before so I was really interested to see this book. It is a fabulously creative and inspiring book which has me itching to start paint pouring!
The author begins by talking you through surfaces and paints as well as other top tools and materials for paint pouring process. Next, the author then discusses colours, mixing colours, sample colour palettes and mixing different mediums. Then, the fun really starts, as we begin to learn about 'cells', - how to create the bubbles and patterns within the paint. This blows my mind because it is broken down so that it is easy to follow and yet the end results are astounding. This is a great book for anyone with an interest in arts and/or crafts from children (with supervision) through to adults.