I wanted to do something fun and creative to a plain, clear phone case.
Acrylic paint pouring is not a new art technique, but I'm relatively new to trying it. Last year I attempted acrylic pours on a couple canvases. I failed miserably!
Since then I've done my research by reading blog posts and watching YouTube videos for guidance. Recently I attempted this technique again. This was my latest attempt.
Continue reading to see the stuff I used, the steps I took, the mistakes I think I made, and if I'd give acrylic paint pouring another try.
DISCLAIMER: I'm an amateur. I don't really know what I'm doing yet. I was just experimenting when I did this technique and thought I'd share my experience with you.
Supplies and Stuff
These are the items I used to attempt this acrylic pour:
Clear phone case. I always use a case on my cell phone. When I bought my Samsung Note 9 a couple years ago, I bought a $10 clear case to protect it. I used this case as my creative surface for this technique.
Acrylic paint. I got the Sargent brand (not sponsored) acrylic paints from my local Walmart, except for the gold metallic color I bought from Hobby Lobby. They were $4-$5 per 16 fl oz bottle. The colors I used were blue, green, gold, white, and pink. Two of the paints I used for this technique are tempera paints. I don't know what effect, if any, they have on the pour.
Cups. I used several cups for mixing and pouring my paints. There was one cup for each paint color I needed to mix and one cup for mixing all colors to pour. In my case, I reused empty food cups.
Water. Since I didn't have paints specifically 'prepped' for paint pouring, so I used tap water to thin my paints to allow for a fluid flow of paint during the pour.
Dish soap. Honestly, I don't know what this is for. Some articles I've read suggested dish soap helps with the flow, or fluidity, of the acrylic paint pour. Others suggested it helps create cell effects after the pour. I used the dish soap just to see what happened.
Craft sticks. While I could've used my fingers to mix the paints, I opted for craft sticks to reduce the amount of paint I got on myself.
Gloves. I could lie and say I used the gloves to keep my hands clean. Really, because I recorded this technique to share with you, I wore the gloves to hide a huge, bloody scratch my dog Rascal gave me when I cut his nails that same day.
*Torch. I used a torch to pop bubbles that appeared on the surface of my phone case after the pour.
Cotton swab. Once the paint dried, I used cotton swabs to clean the inside of the case.
Paint brush. After the paint dried, I used a paint brush to add some small gold-painted details to the case.
Gloss glaze. I used a gloss glaze I already had as a clear finish for my case.
Picnic tablecloth. I happened to have a lot of cheap picnic tablecloths. I used one to catch the paint overflow on my table.
*NOTE: Using the torch is not necessary to pop bubbles. Please USE CAUTION if using a torch or lighter to pop the bubbles. If you're underage and/or accident prone, get reliable adult to help, or blow through a straw to pop the bubbles. That works, too.
Setup
I draped an old, ragged picnic tablecloth over a table where I planned to do my acrylic paint pour. I placed the stuff I knew I needed for the actual paint pouring technique: 5 paint bottles of different colors, 6 cups, a bottle of water (so I didn't have to go all the way to a sink), a bottle of dish soap, 5 craft sticks, a pair of disposable gloves, and a torch.
Mixing the Paint
I chose blue, green, gold, white, and pink for this design. I poured the paints into separate cups initially. Two of the three paint colors were tempera, washable paints. I don't know what experts say about what tempera does to pours. I did notice it was slightly thinner than the regular acrylic paints of the same brand.
I mixed water into each cup of paint and stirred well. No, I didn't measure beforehand and can't give you approximations. I'm also not sure if that came out clearly in the video I recorded. I simply added what seemed like a small amount of water at a time until my paint thinned to a flowing, liquid state. The tempera paints were thinner than the regular acrylic paints, so I added less water to those cups.
After mixing the paint and water well, I added dish soap and stirred well. Again, I didn't measure beforehand, but I'm guessing I added too much based on the sheer amount of bubbles! I can't complain. I like bubbles.
Pouring the Paint
I poured each cup of paint randomly into an empty cup. Then I just simply poured the paint onto my phone case. I did not sand or prime my case first. I thought about it, but I want to peel the paint in a week or two and do something different to it. It's what I normally do, but sanding and priming is recommended if you want it to be more permanent.
At first it appeared the pink paint would dominate the design, but it poured off the edges quickly. Also, I don't recall seeing much of the white paint. I assume it mixed with other colors as a result of too much water, maybe.
After I finished pouring the paint, I lifted the case and popped the bubbles that formed over the camera hole on the back. I then used a torch to pop the bubbles, using a swift swiping motion over the case.
About an hour after pouring, I ran my finger along the sides and bottom of the case to remove any paint that pooled along the edge. The paint looked uneven and bumpy while wet. Fortunately, it flattened out to create a smooth surface.
I left the case to dry for a couple days. I probably could've handled it after 24 hours, but I wanted to be sure the paint was completely dry since I wasn't sure if I used too much water in the mix.
Cleaning and Adding Details
Because I didn't mask the phone case, I used a cotton swab and water to cleanup paint that dried inside. Cleanup was easy thanks to the use of water-soluble acrylic paints.
I thought the case was dull, but I worried about messing up a good thing. So, I decided to paint the buttons and camera frame to add a bit of pop to the phone case.
Protecting the Finished Design
I had an old can of DecoArt Americana Triple Thick Gloss Glaze and used it as a clear finish on my phone case. I regretted it. I preferred the smooth feel of the case when I held it opposed to the thicker, slightly textured feel after the spray. I don't regret the glossy look. I like how the light reflects off the case.
The last thing I did was place my phone in the case.
Will I Try This Technique Again?
Oh, heck yeah! This was quick, easy, creative, and fun. However, there are some things I would do differently next time around.
First, I think I'll try using less dish soap. I'm not sure if the amount I used negatively (or positively) impacted the final design. The only way to see what kind of impact it had is to use less, or none, the next time I try an acrylic pour. Then I can do a comparison.
Second, I'll use Floetrol opposed to water. I've read that water diminishes the vibrancy of the original paint color, which I experienced with my previous "poor" attempts. I just need to try it and see what happens.
Last, I didn't like the triple thick gloss glaze for this specific pour. I knew it would be thick, but I don't like how thick it feels to the touch when I'm holding my phone. I do really like the glossiness of my phone case. I'll try a different type of spray in the future.
Final Thoughts and Next Step
Overall, I'm happy with the finished design. Next time I may sand and prime the case. Then I'll cough up another $10 for another clear phone case to play with.
Have you done an acrylic pour? Are there things I can improve on next time around? Login and Sign up to share your experiences and tips with a newbie like myself.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam
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