Welcome to Lesson 1

Introduction:

Congratulations on starting your acrylic pouring journey!

It is a big step to prioritise your learning and dive into a new course. You should be proud of yourself! And excited for the road ahead.

In this course you'll learn everything you need to create beautiful artworks at home.

But firstly...

There's one thing you MUST do to get the most of this course.

Don't just close this window and never open it again... Try to be in the 10% of students in the world that actually see a course through to the end!

You need to take it a day at a time, watch each video, apply the learning and

Practice. Practice. Practice.

You CAN do it! I believe in you, but most importantly, believe in yourself.

OK - Let's get into it!

What's In This Video:

1) Introduction of all techniques

2) We go over all supplies that you need, personal protection and how to set up your art space.

What is Acrylic Pouring?

Acrylic pouring is an art method which comes under the banner of "Fluid Art".

It has many names... "Fluid Art", "Pouring Art", "Paint Pouring", "Pour Art", "Acrylic Paint Pouring".

Acrylic pouring involves mixing acrylic paint with a "Pouring Medium" to loosen it up so you can pour it onto a surface.

A "Pouring Medium" is just a fancy word for liquid which makes acrylic paint become runnier and a more consistent texture.

Tradesmen use the product Floetrol (AKA Acrylic paint conditioner) to help make house paint easier to apply to surfaces. It helps make paint dry slower and dry evenly rather than with lots of lines/bumps/marks.

In art, pouring mediums can vary from Floetrol (cheapest most available option) to "Pouring Medium" (more expensive but purpose made for art).

In art, acrylic pouring produces cool effects, which you will see soon.

There are hundreds of different ways to paint pour, in this course we are taking you over the 5 main, fun techniques to help get you started.

So, what do you need to start?

Acrylic Pouring Supplies:

Get your pouring supplies ready and set up your space.

*** Your shopping list is down the bottom of this page.

Please get the items listed, so you can begin soon.

Remember - be thrifty and eco friendly!

You can save money and the Earth with your supplies - I give some secrets on this below.

Safety First:

Carefully read and follow all safety instructions on the products you are using. A lot of acrylic paint products have chemicals in them so you need to take action for your own safety.

Wear personal protective equipment and work in a well-ventilated space.

The safety information of every product is elaborated in their Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). This is available online if you type in (product name) material safety data sheet. We recommend reading this sheet for each product that you use.

FAQ:

• Which pouring medium should I buy? Floetrol is a popular choice. It is cost effective and comes in 1 Quart and 1 Gallon (USA) or 500ml and 4L (Australia) from your local hardware store or online.
• What other pouring mediums are there? If you would rather try pouring mediums from the art shop or online you can. A popular option is Liquitex.
• How much Floetrol to buy? 500ml of Floetrol is good for first starters. If you start regularly doing acrylic pouring, 4L will save you money in the long run.
• What about pre-mixed pouring paint? Paint which has been "premixed with pouring medium" I find is sometimes too runny for the styles we are achieving in this course. It does work though if you want to give it a go. It will have slightly different, more marbled look without many cells.
• Which student acrylic paints to buy? You can start with 75ml small tubes from the discount store and move up from there. But do purchase extra white paint because it is most commonly used a base for all other colours. (See my bargain stores list below.)
• And cups? 10 reusable cups or household jars. Either bamboo plastic mix or thick plastic so you can easily clean the paint off between sessions. Other people recommend disposable plastic cups. I don't recommend this at all. There will be too much wastage.
• What straws? 1 standard packet of straws, or reusable metal/bamboo straws.
• Which canvases? A few small canvases to start. But you can pour on nearly anything, coasters, pots, mirrors, frames, vases or circular canvases. Different pouring surfaces need different preparation techniques though.
• What size canvas? Size 4 x 4 inch or 10 x 10cm for example.
• Canvas or canvas board? Do not buy thin wooden chip board for pouring it warps out of shape when it dries. Some bases like canvas board, will curl up at the sides once dry too. This is why stretched canvas is the best choice for beginners. But you can bend canvas board back into shape and frame it at the end if you like. I often do this too.
• Which pop sticks? 1 standard packet of pop sticks or wooden spoons.
• What can I use as a tray? Cardboard box, any tray or surface you don't mind getting paint drips on.
• Which water? I have always used tap water, but some people prefer distilled water. Have it in a jar ready to use for mixing your paints.
• Floor protection? A paint drip sheet, newspaper, tarpaulin or an old bed sheet but paint can go through thin paper, sheets and other cotton fibres so be careful.
• What protection do I need? Please consult your healthcare professionals for this question. Your health and safety is your responsibility. Depending on whether you are pregnant, have health conditions, allergies and more, health professionals and you researching will best advise you. The most important thing is that you follow safety information on the products you are using. Wear old clothes, an apron, gloves and you can wear a particle mask and eye protection to avoid breathing in any fumes. Always work in a well ventilated space. Be careful not to get paint mix on your skin, if you do, wash it off immediately with water. Look for non toxic options at the shops too.
• Household baking paper is good for putting under your projects while they dry. You can use newspaper but it will stick to the paint underneath.
• Primer helps with making sure the paint sticks to the canvas, I often don't use it though for fun little projects and it has been fine without.
• Sealant for spraying your art. It will extend the length of your art and give it a glossy finish. One brand is Rustoleum spray sealer from the hardware store or varnish from the art shop.

Bargain stores list for Australia, USA and Online:

Australia

• Red Dot
• Reject Shop
• Kmart
• Big W
• Riot Art and Craft (often have 50% off sales)
• Bunnings

USA

• Michaels
• Dollar Tree
• Walmart
• Home Depot
• Joanns
• Hobby Lobby
• Jerry's Artarama

Online

• Amazon
• Dick Blick
• Catch of the Day
• Wish
• Bunnings online
• Kmart online

It's time to get shopping!

***Here is your Shopping List.

Let's get this paint pouring journey on the road.

See you at Lesson 2!