Well, you’re in luck! Many artists, including myself, get stoked about the opportunity to create custom pieces.
Commissioning artwork is a collaborative conversation. My hope is that you enjoy being part of the creative process while bringing to life something you will enjoy forever.
I cherish the connection that comes from the collaboration, as well as the opportunity to stretch creative boundaries. Contrary to what it might seem, artists don't always have the creative answers in their heads. Some of my best work has been an idea sparked by someone else with my own twist.
Sometimes the most daunting step is reaching out to the artist. But I promise, I want you to ask if something you like, but don't love, can be created in another size, color or style! Art is as unique as the individual who values it, and it should be an outward expression of that inner significance.
Don’t be afraid to ask about the commissioning process right there in the booth. Visit an artist’s website (you're already in the right place!), send an e-mail, or slide into our DM’s on Facebook or Instagram.
Get housekeeping items out of the way first with an artist. We'd rather spend more time talking creative collaboration with you! And, neither of us want the awkward conversation of how much the custom piece costs after it's already been made.
Knowing your budget will help determine size, canvas type, and style of pour painting. The contract you create with an artist should also cover details like timelines, down payments, and delivery method.
Consider practicality as well as creativity. Where will you hang your art? What orientation would you prefer? Do you want it to be a statement piece, or a seamless integration to the surrounding aesthetic?
Pro tip: Use painter’s tape to tape out the space on your wall and live with it for a few days to make sure you’re comfortable with your custom piece there.
If you're ordering custom artwork as a gift, choose a canvas size and color scheme that goes well with a few different spaces for them. This will help provide flexibility when displaying their new artwork.
Now comes the fun part: Putting paint to canvas!
Especially with an abstract art form like pour painting, give yourself permission to be surprised and stay open to possibilities. Allow room for freedom and intuition in our creative process together. It will help create a heartfelt expression on canvas in the end.
At the same time, the more context you can give my right brain, the more opportunity for inspiration. Having photos or color swatches are helpful.
Sometimes you don’t quite know what you’re going for and that’s alright, too. We’ll get there together! If you don’t know where to start, browse my online galleries to find which pieces resonate you.
Here are a few examples of thought starters people have given me for inspiration:
Communication goes beyond our collaboration kick-off. Feel free to ask questions along the way. Artists love geeking out on the creative process if you’re willing to listen!
Each Studio Sweet T original takes 4-6 weeks to create from start to finish. I’ll send sneak peeks and updates to ensure the piece is coming to life just as you imagined.
Provide honest feedback when you see the sneak peek, too. My ultimate goal is to hear that you love it; it’s also an opportunity to tell me if something missed the mark. I will make every effort to ensure your vision of a custom piece is brought to life.
Artists often create, sign, seal, and deliver – but the story stops there for us and we’re left wondering how our artistic love child is doing in its new home. Seeing your piece in its natural habitat really is the cherry on top. Send a pic when you have your custom artwork displayed, and you’ll make my day!
At the heart of creating a commissioned painting is a connection between artist and art-lover. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the “Studio Sweet T Smile” as a client sees their custom piece for the first time.
Ready to commission a Studio Sweet T original pour painting? Connect with me to collab!
]]>YouTube makes it seem easy. Or at least that’s what it seemed like after binging more how-to videos than a Netflix series. But when I flipped my first cup over, I quickly learned paint pouring is a science as much as it is an art.
Each pour painting takes 4-6 weeks to create from start to finish.
The most common pouring surface is stretched canvas, but it’s not the only choice. Wood slabs, ceramic tiles for coasters, and even glass ornaments can be poured over.
I personally love working with gallery wrapped canvases. The thicker 1.5-inch edge gives the painting a unique depth. This extra bit of real estate allows the creative vision to keep going, effectively wrapping the whole piece in color.
Ah, the secret sauce. The nuances of the medium and paint mix are the foundation of what makes pour painting so cool. I like to think of it as a pour painter's fingerprint.
At a basic level, we start with fluid pouring mediums to create the liquid love that's eventually poured over the blank canvas. For my pouring medium, I use a mix of Liquitex Pouring Medium and Floetrol, a latex paint conditioner. The brand and pigment of the acrylics mixed with these mediums create endless possibilities.
My pouring recipe is just one of many out there, and each has unique properties that help create swirls and cells of color. For my fellow pourers out there, no I don’t use silicone to create cells and I have my reasons (which I may just write another blog post on someday!).
Flip cups. Dutch pours. Swipes. Tree ring pours. Wandering ring pours. Pearl pours. There are a multitude of pouring techniques.
The way the paint is layered in the cup or on the canvas greatly impacts the final result. There are two methods of preparation: The dirty pour and the clean pour.
Dirty simply means the colors are combined before pouring, as with flip cups or tree ring pours. In clean pours, each color goes straight onto the canvas, like swipes or dutch pours.
If I had to choose a favorite, mine would be open cups or multi-ring pours, like this set:
Compared to the pour where the fireworks happen, this part is pretty boring. However, it’s one of the most critical steps to adhere to in the paint pouring process.
The painting dries in a low-humidity room with a consistent temperature for at least 3 weeks. The first 48 hours are crucial to success. Conditions need to be just right during this time to prevent crazing, or cracking of the paint while it’s drying.
Why does curing take so long? Acrylic paint is made of three components: a pigment, binder, and vehicle. The vehicle (water, in the case of acrylics) is what matters in the curing process. An acrylic pour painting might be dry to the touch within days, but it requires 3-4 weeks for the water to fully evaporate.
After (im)patiently awaiting a full cure, it’s time to seal the deal. First, I use Golden’s Soft Gel Gloss to create an isolation coat – the invisible hero that gives paintings longevity. The isolation coat creates a clear, non-removable barrier between the acrylic pour and varnish.
Next comes my favorite varnish: Liquitex High Gloss! Varnish protects the painting from the dust and dirt that inevitably cling to it over time. Rather than the artwork being affected by the elements, the varnish takes the hit. It may yellow over time, but this only means it's doing its job.
Luckily, if an isolation coat is applied, the varnish can safely be removed and replaced every decade or so to restore the artwork to its glory days!
Want to see the finished product of these 5 steps? Check out these Studio Sweet T originals!
]]>I jumped in to paint pouring with both feet in the form of gallons of Floetrol, every color of acrylic in the rainbow, and canvases of every size and shape. But the biggest leap of faith was starting Studio Sweet T. Starting a small business in the midst of a pandemic? Sure, why not. Felt cute, might delete later.
Spoiler alert: I didn’t delete and I’m so glad I stayed the course. Going all in with the whole works – consistent branding, craft shows, business cards, a new website (!) – has pushed my art and skill set further than I ever imagined.
The worst paintings I’ve ever done are the ones where I try too hard to achieve perfection (or whatever "perfection" means - is there really a consensus?). Fluid art requires you to accept the unknown, be open to new possibilities and go with the flow when there's a change in plans (pun intended).
Case in point: I've attempted many a dutch pour with paint that’s too thick. Rather than tossing it, the paint gets scraped into a puddle, tilted a few times, and voila! It’s the perfect flow extender base for a tree ring pour. Hope is never lost.
For the love of Pete, don’t try to mimic anyone other than the visions in your own heart and creative brain. That space is sacred and a pretty awesome place to hang out when you’re creating.
When I first started pouring, I over-consumed videos and articles and blogs and Facebook group posts, thinking I was learning how to finesse my technique. And don’t get me wrong, learning from fellow artists has been one of the joys of this journey.
But I soon found myself trying to mold my style to every cool pour I saw out there. Combine that with perfection paralysis (see #2 above) and it defeats the purpose of art as a mode of expression. You are you. And you are awesome!
Growing up as a farm kid made me appreciate nature’s intricate and awe-inspiring canvas from an early age. Paint pouring has given me the opportunity to bring seemingly small details to life in a new way.
In my paintings, you might find hints of lush valley views, sunsets behind the silos, fireflies floating over the farm fields, or frost glittering on the grass. It’s the little things that make life sweet.
So, take the damn compliment. That piece really is as good as other people say it is, or else they wouldn’t be saying it.
I’ve learned to pause and look at the piece from an outsider’s lens just before I scrape a pour. Instead of seeing a corner that was stretched a little too much or cells that didn’t develop enough, I shift my perspective to find the individuality in each piece. More than likely, it will find its way to a new home where the proud owner of that piece loves it just the way it is.
Want to know how I learned these lessons? Here's how a pour painting is made!
]]>