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 manyhow-to projects provided in this book. Also included are chapters on the following:

• Tools and materials, including affordable options for items that will help you create poured art
• Basic color theory and how to choose paint colors that will create pleasing mixtures
• Eye-catching full-page artwork
• Tips for creating the paint consistency that you want
• Instructions for keeping your work area clean, even while working with a potentially messy technique

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 with: The Art of Paint Pouring: Swipe, Swirl & Spin and The Art of Paint Marbling.

• ISBN13: 9781633227378
• Publish Date: 23 May 2019 (first published 21 May 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Walter Foster Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 128
• Language: English

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

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

[annieb123]

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