I had posted some images of fluid acrylic pours on dolphins and sea horses on social media, when I got a message asking if I could paint two mermaids. The client wanted pinks, purples, and blues with a healthy dose of glitter. And this would be a birthday gift. No pressure!
I didn’t hesitate. The chance to paint mermaids for a little girl’s room! How was I to pass up on a challenge like that?
But to be honest, it was nerve-racking. I spent an inordinate amount of time looking for the perfect shaped MDF board silhouette and finally found one on Etsy (yay for small businesses!). Once it arrived, I just had to wait for a half day of alone time when I could start and finish the pour. Why? It only takes 30 seconds to pour paint on something! Right? Wrong!
Before the pouring could begin, I had to prep all the paint mixes with the right ratios of paint to pouring medium. Getting that melting ice cream consistency is key to those beautiful cells. Then there’s the little matter of creating a space in one’s family room where the paintings can stay untouched for a couple of days and cure. Lastly, of course, comes the very-involved process of cleaning up all the drippings! For those of you who have little ones, you’ll understand how that goes.
In this video, you’ll see more than just the act of pouring. There’s a lot more that goes into taking a raw idea and making into a finished product—one that I can be proud of.
It took approximately eight weeks from the time I first discussed the idea with the client to when it was shipped to her. Yes, you read that correctly: eight weeks. Varnishing is critical to the longevity of the product and I also always take time to sand and smooth all edges. So, the next time you see a quick reel on fluid acrylic pouring, please know that the artist has likely spent many hours creating the final product.
I used soft body acrylic paints from Liquitex for this project and varnished the final product with three coats of Kamar Varnish followed by a coat of Liquitex Glossy Varnishing Medium.
Let me know in the comments if you have any specific questions or have tips and tricks to share!