Acrylic Pouring: Choosing the Right Paint (2025)

• Lisa
• March 14, 2025
• March 14, 2025

There are tons of different brands of acrylic paints on the market, and they all have different opacities and consistencies. Opacity is key when it comes to pouring because some colors might look amazing on their own but completely disappear when mixed on the canvas.

Here’s the thing: there are no hard and fast rules about which colors to use for pouring. If you already have some acrylic paints lying around, start with those! See what you can create before you invest a ton of money in new supplies.

However, it’s good to know what separates each type of paint!

So, you’re ready to dive into acrylic pouring, but you’re staring at a wall of paints and feeling lost? I get it! There are so many different brands and types of acrylic paint out there, and it can be hard to know where to start.

The most important thing to keep in mind is the opacity. Some paints are glowing and vibrant when you see them on their own but disappear and are mixed on the canvas.

It’s so fun when you put a color down and see it is gone a few seconds later.

The good news is that there isn’t a single “right” paint to use for acrylic pouring.

Understanding Paint Types: Heavy body, soft body, fluid acrylics – what’s the difference?

Heavy Body Acrylics

• These paints are thick and have a consistency similar to toothpaste. They’re great for creating texture on a canvas with brushes or palette knives because the brush strokes will be thick, and they won’t blend as easily.
• But, for acrylic pouring, you’ll need to thin heavy body paintsa lotwith water and a pouring medium to get that flowing consistency you need.
• Some popular brands for heavy body acrylics include:
  • Schmincke
  • Golden
  • Liquitex
  • Lukas

Fluid Acrylics

• Unlike heavy body paints, fluid acrylics are already thin and have a smooth, flowing consistency. This means you won’t need to add as much water or pouring medium to get them “pouring-ready.”
• Fluid acrylics often have a lower pigment concentration than heavy body paints, but they can still work great for pouring and can give you some beautiful, vibrant results. Try it on a smaller canvas as a test before going big with very fluid acrylics. A lower concentration of pigments can lead to weird results or colors that simply don’t show.

Acrylics with Special Effects

• This is where things can getreallyfun! There are tons of acrylic paints with special effects that can add unique and interesting elements to your pours.
• Some popular options include:
  • Metallic Colors:Metallic paints add a shimmer and shine to your artwork.
  • Pearl Colors:Pearl paints have a subtle iridescence that creates a soft, luminous effect.
  • Fluorescent Colors:Neon paints and fluorescent ones add a neon glow and vibrant colors.
  • Iridescent/Color Shift Paints:These paints shift in color depending on the angle you view them from.
  • Glow-in-the-Dark Paints:Add an interesting touch with colors that glow.

Especially acrylics with special effects can have a very low pigment concentration. Test the colors on a white paper, apply it thin and check the result after it dried fully. If the color is barely visible if applied thin, it might not be a good idea to use it in a pour with several other colors that are more dominant.

What paints should you buy?

Well, that’s up to you. If you already have some paints, you should try those first. Get a feel for it before you buy a bunch of new stuff. Experiment and have fun with it. See what inspires you and if you even enjoy pouring. This is what I tell all my friends because I don’t want them spending money.

If you are ready to spend money, here are some brands I recommend.

I am a big fan of System3 and Lukas paints. I have never had any problems with cracking in the pouring with those paints.

Understanding Paint Density: The Secret to Cell Formation and Controlled Chaos

Okay, so we’ve talked about different types of acrylic paints, but there’s another key factor to consider: paint density.

What is Paint Density, and Why Does It Matter?

Basically, paint density refers to how heavy or light a paint is. This affects how colors interact with each other during the pour.

The denser, heavier paints tend to sink down through the lighter paints, creating some super interesting effects as they move.

Think of it like this: Imagine dropping a pebble into a glass of water. The pebble sinks, right? That’s what happens with denser paints in acrylic pouring!

This sinking and rising action is what creates those mesmerizing cells and patterns that we all love. It’s what makes acrylic pouring so dynamic and unpredictable.

So, understanding paint density is key.

How Does Paint Density Affect My Pouring?

The denser, heavier paints tend to sink down through the lighter paints. This sinking and rising action is what creates those cool, swirling cell effects that we all love!

Even though acrylic pouring is all about embracing the unpredictable, understanding paint density can give you some control over the final result.

How?

Let’s say you’re mixing white paint with a green hue. White paint is typically quite dense, so it will sink down through the green. On your artwork, the green will be the more dominant color, and the cells will have a white outline.

When doing swipes, swiping a denser color over a less dense one will have the same effect!

How to Find a Paint’s Density:

Unfortunately, most paint manufacturers don’t explicitly list the density on the bottle. But there are a few clues you can look for!

• Look for opacity ratings: Often, the opacity is indicated on the container.
• Test It Yourself: The easiest way to determine a paint’s density is to do a quick test yourself!
  1. Grab a piece of white paper.
  2. Draw a black line (or a black square) on the paper.
  3. Paint over the line with the color you want to test.
  4. If the black line disappears completely, the paint is very opaque (dense). If you can still see the black line clearly, the paint is more transparent (less dense).

I like to make a little note on the paint tube itself, so I don’t have to test it every time!