There are many techniques to choose from when it comes to painting, resin, wood, and other types of crafts that people create.
Learning new methods and techniques can take your art to a whole new level that you may have thought was not even possible.
It is fun and fulfilling to just let your creativity flow and see where it leads you when there is a whole new vision put into action.
There is no limit to the beauty that can be created in the many forms of art that we visualize and admire every day, enough to make them become physical.
ACRYLIC POURING TECHNIQUES
COOKIE CUTTER POUR– You can use whatever cookie cutter shape you would like. Then place it on your canvas on the spot where you would like the design to start at. While keeping the cookie cutter in the desired position, you can now begin to pour in the paints you have chosen for this project in the order you choose to. You can then lift the cutter a little at a time, you can lift it all the way up at once, you can turn it as you lift it up slowly, or it is really just what is your preference.
STRAINER POUR – There are many types of strainers with cool designs already built in them to create an amazing beautiful painting. There are a couple of ways you can use a strainer for a painting, such as you can sit it on the canvas on its top or bottom then let the paint run through the holes to create awesome designs. Do it however you like it.
CLASSIC SWIPE – This is when you pour your desired paint colors on a canvas and then use a piece of plastic or something similar to slightly drag across all the colors mixing them to get a whole new effect, design, and color creation.
FLIP CUP – A flip cup is when you layer all of your colors of paint into one cup. Then you will place the canvas on top of the cup and hold the canvas & cup in place while you flip the canvas over without spilling the paint. Now you can lift the cup from the side pointing away from you and slowly drag the cup toward you letting all the paint run out on to the canvas.
OPEN CUP POUR – First you want to put a base coat of paint on your canvas fully covering it with your choice of color. Then you can use a lightweight plastic cup that you have cut the bottom off of leaving a 2-3 inch deep ring to pour the rest of your paint colors in. As you are pouring the paint in, the ring will be sliding around which is what gives you all the amazing effects within the colors as the mix together.
KISS POUR – This is when you layer one group of paints in one cup then layer another group of paints in one cup. Then you will begin to pour both cups of paint on the canvas at the same time as they mix to become one stream. This creates a design that appear as if the paints are kissing as they begin to reach the canvas.
RING POUR – The ring pour is when you layer a group of paint colors in one cup. Then you will slightly pinch the top of the cup to make a point to pour the paint from. You will then begin to pour the paint onto a canvas going in a small circular motion until the cup is empty. Move the canvas around until it is fully covered with paint.
TRAVELING RING POUR – You will first layer a group of paints in one cup. Then you will start pouring the paint on one side of the canvas in a circular motion while making a path around the canvas like a tornado effect. Move the canvas around until it is completely covered with paint.
INFINITY POUR – First you will layer a group of paints in one cup then another group in a cup. You will then begin to pour both cups of paint at the same time in a circular motion letting the two streams of paint overlap each other as you are pouring it on a canvas.
CHAIN PULL – The chain pull can be done several ways it just depends on your preference. You can pour your paint on a canvas in the certain shape of something, then outline the shape with a chain and then pull it through the paint creating an awesome pattern in that shape. You can also put a base coat of paint down covering a canvas. Then lay the chain to the side and begin to slightly pour your paints directly on the chain and pick it up and lay it across the canvas then pull it around creating a design with the paints poured on the chain.
RIBBON POUR – The ribbon pour works by first putting down a base coat of paint to cover the canvas. Then you will layer your colors of paint in one cup. In the shape of a ribbon you will pour your cup of paint from side to side of the canvas until it is covered creating a ribbon design.
FUNNEL POUR – Start by putting a base coat of paint down to cover the canvas. Then get a funnel and hold the opening down on the canvas to keep the paint from coming out until you are ready. Then begin to pour in one color of paint at a time in the funnel until it is full. Start to lift the funnel slightly up and down until all the paint has run out onto the canvas creating a ripple effect.
COMB SWIPE – Pour your group of paints onto a canvas completely covering it. Then you can take a comb and swipe through all the paint across the canvas. You can go in one direction or in several directions it is all up to you.
AIR SWIPE – First add a base layer of paint to cover the canvas. The add a thin line of paint from each of your paint colors across the canvas in a straight line, squiggly line, or diagonal line in the way that it would make a square canvas look as if it had a triangle on each side. Then you can take a straw, air gun, or hair dryer and blow the paint starting from the middle than outward on both sides covering the canvas with your desired design.
RESIN TECHNIQUES
FASTER CURING – When getting ready to do a resin craft you can let the resin and hardener that has been mixed in a cup, sit in warm water which will decrease the amount of air bubbles and speed up the curing time for your resin craft. Warming up your resin also decreases the amount of time you have to work with the resin to get it in a mold and decorate it the way you want it before it hardens and can not be changed at that time. Avoid any drops of water getting mixed in with the resin.
REMOVING AIR BUBBLES – After you have poured resin into a mold you will see some air bubbles. You can eliminate the bubbles by using a straw, torch lighter, or a heat gun by waving the heat quickly back and forth over the resin in a mold or blowing the resin through a straw. Keeping the temperature warmer in the area where you are working with resin will also reduce air bubbles.
RESIN DECORATIONS – When you are adding decoration to resin, it can be much easier by using tweezers or a toothpick which helps to eliminate and prevent bubbles. A toothpick can help to keep stickers and other decorations in place until the resin locks them into their permanent position.
SHINY RESULT – Depending on the type of resin mold you are using, that will determine how your resin craft will look when it is fully cured. If you are using a shiny mold you will get a shiny result. If it is a dull mold you will get a dull result. The type of resin you use will also determine how clear or shiny the results are.
CLEAN UP RESIN – Resin can get very sticky, messy, and hard to clean up depending on what type of surface it is being used on. Always be sure to use gloves when you are working with resin to prevent it getting on your hands which can be tough to get off. Keep a bottle of at least 91% strength rubbing alcohol around which helps to quickly clean up resin as well as keeps the bottles clean rather than sticky. Alcohol can also help keep the entire work area clean.