Pouring acrylic medium over a textured surface can smooth or eliminate the texture altogether. This can be used at the end as a final smoothing coat or between layers. This smoothing pour can also be used to protect and reinforce a delicate or uneven surface that contains mixed media or collage.
Substrate
Any textured painting surface in need of smoothing
Products
A pourable acrylic medium of your choice (see Section 4: Tips for Coated Pours), spray bottle with isopropyl alcohol
For Cleanup
Water, water container, paper towels or rags
STEP 1 Start With a Textured Surface
Here Coarse Pumice Gel is applied, allowed to dry, then painted over using wash pours as in Techniques 33, 34 and 38. The advantage of starting with a textured surface such as this allows for soft blended edges and muted tones.
STEP 2 Pour to Smooth
A textured surface conveys a physicality that left alone can be quite pleasing, easily finished with a final coat of spray varnish. If, however, you want to overpaint the textured surface with imagery, apply a smooth glaze to an area, draw, or any other technique that needs control, smoothing the texture will make it easier. Pour a clear acrylic medium over the dry surface following the steps in Technique 25. Lightly spray with alcohol to remove bubbles and let dry on a level surface. The texture is somewhat smoother, but still visible. Repeat pours for further smoothing until satisfied.
Here Crackle Paste was applied as a surface ground, then painted using wash pours. Crackle Paste often needs reinforcement to keep from flaking off with rough handling or if used on a flexible support like canvas. GAC800 was poured on top and is thin enough to sink into the cracks, reinforcing the surface. Alternatively use a thicker pouring medium diluted with up to 40% water to thin.
A clear pour was applied over multiple layers that included acrylic paint, iridescent pastes, handmade paper collage, carbon transfer and stamping. Texture from the collage and Crackle Paste was smoothed by the pour allowing continued layers with transfers. An overall veiled encaustic look is obtained with translucent matte gels (see Technique 20).
INITIATION
Cate Goedert
Acrylic and mixed media on panel
12" × 12" (30cm × 30cm)