Top 7 Reasons Your Acrylic Pours Are Cracking
#1 Type of Paint
If you are using lower quality paints like craft paints, there is a higher chance you’ll get cracks. This is because paints are made up of pigments and binders. The pigments give the paint its color and the binders hold everything together.
The lower quality the paint, the less pigments and binders it contains. So craft paints are often just not high quality enough to withstand being thinned down the way we do in fluid art without cracking.
You don’t have to go out and get crazy expensive paints though! Most student grade acrylic paints are perfectly fine for pouring.
#2 Temperature
When the temperature is too high, it can cause the surface layer of paint to dry before the layers underneath have dried. As the water in the underneath layers tries to evaporate, it has to break through the already dried top layer in order to get out, causing it to crack.
This also happens when there’s airflow on your painting from an open window, fan, or air conditioner.
#3 Thick Paint
Same concept as #2, when you leave a very thick application of thick paint on the canvas, the top layer ends up drying way faster than the layers underneath, causing cracks as the rest of the water in the paint evaporates.
If you’re doing a technique that requires thick paint and you’re getting cracks, try stretching out your design by tilting or spinning a little more to get some of the excess paint off the canvas.
#4 Thin Paint
Paint that is thinned down with too much water can also crack. When you add too much water, it can break down the binders of the paint to the point where they can’t hold everything together anymore, causing cracks.
For the blowout technique, your paint should be thin, but if it's literally a watery consistency, you've gone too far!
#5 Additives
While adding products like silicone to your paint are generally acceptable and can create some amazing results, adding too much can actually cause cracks in your work.
Any time you add products that either don’t have binders or aren’t formulated to be used with acrylic paint, you run the risk of getting cracks, especially when used in large amounts.
If you're using silicone, try only adding 1-2 drops in only a couple of colors. A little goes a very long way!
#6 Uneven Table
Having a flat table is sooo important!
A level is this little tool you lay down on your painting surface to check whether or not your table is completely flat.
If it’s not flat, the tilt from your table will cause gravity to pull on the paint.
Once the paint has started to dry and is no longer able to move freely, it can crack apart as it moves with gravity.
#7 Painting over an old canvas
Often pouring over an old painting can be fine, which makes it a gamble if you're willing to take the risk!
But sometimes (especially if the old painting has a very thick application of paint), it'll cause the pour on top of it to crack.
To reuse the canvas, I like to sand down the old painting first and then apply a few THIN coats of gesso to the canvas.
* Make sure to sand outside in a safe area and wear the appropriate mask!
Rolling with the cracks
Cracks happen to everyone at some point.
You’re a human being 💛
Experiment and make adjustments as you go. Put your heart and soul into your paintings. Just have fun with it!
This is not about perfection.
One fun thing I like to do when I get cracks is paint them gold or any other color that makes sense for the painting. This makes it look unique and often adds interest.
So take these tips into consideration to elevate your pouring skills, but be kind to yourself when you do get cracks or anything else you don’t like for that matter. Like anything, it just takes practice. Make sure you’re having fun along the way!
~ Lauren
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