Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Travel
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
  • Podcasts
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Travel
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Property
  • Health
  • TV
  • Podcasts
Subscribe
YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

How to keep kids busy in the garden

How to keep kids busy in the garden

Skewered charred calamari

Skewered charred calamari

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

{headline}

{headline}

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

{headline}

{headline}

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

The most popular plant trends of 2020

The most popular plant trends of 2020

A cheese festival is coming this November

A cheese festival is coming this November

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

  1. Home
  2. Craft

How to create a pour painting

Pour your way to a one-of-a-kind artwork. - by Tara Dennis
  • 11 Mar 2020

Set aside your paintbrushes and get ready for a new way to make art. With just plastic cups, you can create fluid abstract pieces that are one of a kind. 

WATCH: Tara makes her own pour paintings

You simply pour paint over your canvases and tilt to let it flow into gorgeous, creative swirls and shapes. The possibilities and colour combos are endless, and the results just beautiful. It's time for you to pour it on!

Pour painting
Chris L Jones

Why stop at one flow artwork when you can have three? This modern take on a traditional triptych – three carved panels that tell a story – uses canvases and pouring paint to create a flowing abstract design for a splash of bold colour on your walls. 

Pour painting triptych
Chris L Jones

Gather your supplies

  • Pouring paints in 4 shades of blue
  • Small canvas

You'll also need

  • Box
  • Plastic cups
  • Disposable gloves

Here's how

Step 1

Prepare a paint box with 4 upturned cups. Pour paint into a plastic cup. Fill to one-third with light blue, then add the next colour, pouring it down the inside of the cup. The paint will marble.

Step 2

Step 2 How to make a pour painting
Chris L Jones

Wearing gloves, place canvas face down on cup, carefully flip canvas.

Step 3

How to make a pour painting Step 3
Chris L Jones

Lay canvas flat on work surface and hold cup in place and wait as paint runs down inside of cup.

Step 4

How to make a pour painting step 4
Chris L Jones

Hold canvas over paint box and tilt it from side to side so paint flows.

Step 5

How to make pour painting Step 5
Chris L Jones

Pour more paint onto canvas from bottle and tilt canvas. Sit canvas on cups in paint box.

Step 6

How to make a pour painting step 6
Chris L Jones

Use your finger to rub paint along canvas edges. Leave to dry. 

Make your own pouring paint

How to make a pour painting
Chris L Jones

You can make your own pouring paint by adding a medium to acrylic paint.

Soft body or craft acrylics are better suited than heavy body acrylics.

Floetrol, from hardware stores, is a paint conditioner that extends the wet edge and keeps paint flowing.

Add it in a 1:1 ratio to paint in a cup, then slowly stir with a wooden craft stick until completely blended.

Adjust the ratios as need to achieve a pouring consistency.

Other inspirational ideas

Pour painting coasters
Chris L Jones

Coasters

While you're on a paint pouring roll, turn your attention to homewares. Use the same tilting method on coasters as you did on canvases, making sure the edges are covered. 

Pour painting platter
Chris L Jones

Platters

Don't stop at coasters, you can use the flow art technique on other homewares – cheese boards, serving trays, placemats – but just be mindful as the paint isn't food safe.

Make a triptych

Pour painting triptych
Chris L Jones

You can make a much larger artwork using three canvases to create a triptych.

Sit three canvases side by side on upturned cups on a covered work surface.

As well as gloves, it's a good idea to wear a paper painting suit as this method can get a little messy!

How to make a pour painting
Chris L Jones

Squirt white onto the canvases and rub it along the sides. 

Pour over blues from cups, then use a hairdryer on a full blast on the cold setting to push the paint around the canvases.

You might also like:

How to make faux agate coasters

  • Decorating
  • Craft
Tara Dennis
Tara Dennis
On Channel Seven’s Better Homes and Gardens, Tara Dennis shares her interior style and design secrets, showing viewers how to transform their homes for less.

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Subscribe for $4.95 per issue

Subscribe Now
Get your mag delivered!

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

How to keep kids busy in the garden

How to keep kids busy in the garden

Skewered charred calamari

Skewered charred calamari

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

The top 10 most popular dog breeds of 2020 have been announced

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

You can now buy personalised pet wrapping paper

{headline}

{headline}

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Bunnings are re-releasing its Lego-inspired building block set

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Kmart releases brand new exclusive Black Friday products

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

Big W announce massive Black Friday sale up to 50% off

{headline}

{headline}

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

10 of the best plant influencers to follow on Instagram

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

Is this the most popular indoor plant of 2020?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

What is the correct date to put up your Christmas tree?

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

Get a real-life mini Christmas tree delivered to your door

The most popular plant trends of 2020

The most popular plant trends of 2020

A cheese festival is coming this November

A cheese festival is coming this November

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

Consumer watchdog Choice reveals worst products and shops of 2020

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Instyle
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Get your mag delivered!-Save 29% off the cover price!

Shop This Offer
Get your mag delivered!